Alexander Vitalievich Rappoport

Forest litter of some coniferous and deciduous plantations within the Botanical Garden of the Moscow State University is studied. It is established that in the conditions of the deciduous plantations, forest litters of destructive types develop, whereas in the coniferous plantations - fermentative and humified ones. The total reserves of forest litters range from 500-800 g/m² in deciduous plantations, up to 1000-5000 g/m² in coniferous ones. It is shown that small-leaved plantations are characterized by high rates of cycling, with a significant decrease in the coniferous ecosystems. It was shown for the first time that with an increase in the proportion of leaves in the litter, the overall decomposition rate of terrestrial litter increases substantially, which is confirmed by the theory of “hot points” proposed in the scientific literature.

Within the landscapes of the upper reaches of the Klyazma River, the long-term component composition of natural waters in the system has been studied: snow waters — soil solutions — soil-ground waters — surface waters. It has been determined that the regular excess of the content of the main macro- and microelements in soil solutions in comparison with snow waters at subsequent stages is first replaced by an increase in the concentration of components in soil-ground water, followed by a decrease in the content in surface waters — streams and river waters. It is shown that the relatively high mobility of sodium, magnesium, potassium and calcium, and of the anions chloride and nitrate ions, is accompanied by a significant decrease in the mobility of elements of the family of iron, copper and zinc at the transition from groundwater to surface water. This explains the wide distribution of segregated forms, presented in the form of nodules in soils of semi-hydromorphic landscapes, up to ortsands, and in the boggy conditions of near-terrace depressions on the border with the super-aquatic landscape, the formation of typical bog ores. Thus, the composition of natural waters and its change serves not only as a good, but also a necessary tool for explaining the features of migration of elements in the soil — natural water system.