Chernozems are typically found in the long-grass steppe regions of the world, especially in Eastern Europe, Ukraine, Russia, Canada and the USA. Chernozem soil has a very dark brown or blackish surface horizon with a significant accumulation of organic matter and a high pH. Calcium carbonate accumulation in the lower part of the surface soil is common (within 50 cm of the lower limit of the humus rich horizon), secondary carbonates occur as pseudo-mycelium and/or nodules in a brownish grey to cinnamon subsoil. The subsurface horizon has blocky or weakly prismatic structure.

The ‘typical’ Chernozem has formed in uniformly textured, silty parent material (loess), under tall-grass vegetation with vigorous growth. Chernozems show high biological activity. Their soil fauna is very active in wet periods predominantly in the upper 50 cm layer but the animals move to deeper strata at the onset of the dry period.

Chernozems are amongst the most productive soil types in the world and are rather resistant to soil degradation threats.

This Reference Soil Group spans from the Berlin-Budapest axis, on the western end of the Eurasian Chernozem zone to the eastern dges of the continent. Chernozems can be found in Bulgaria, Romania, in four Central-European countries and in Germany Ukraine and Russia.

 

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