Journal of Environmental Biology

Time factor in soils of Georgia-mirror or memory of landscapes?

Author Details

Lia Matchavariani (Corresponding author)

Department of Geography, Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, Tbilisi State University

(TSU), 0128, Tbilisi, Georgia

e-mail: likageotsu@hotmail.com

Publication Data

Paper received:

22 October 2010

Revised received:

07 June 2011

Accepted:

30 July 2011

Abstract

The geographic pattern of soils in mountainous region of Georgia is presented. Time is considered as one of the most important factors of soil formation in mountain areas. The age of soil cover in the areas above 1000-1200 m a.s.l. is less than 10,000-12,000 yr b.p. These soils are considered as young component of landscape. In the landscapes below this level soils do not correspond to modern ecological conditions. We can confirm that in Georgia higher than 1000-1200 m asl soils correspond to ecological conditions and they are mirror of landscapes, as one of the most important postulates of soil science. In other case, we can talk about soils memory-distorted mirror of landscapes. For diagnosing of relic features (pedogenic and lithogenic) in soils of Georgia the micromorphological method is used. The majority of landscapes in Georgia are heavily used for agriculture and suffer from high instability. These landscapes are very fragile today, characterized by high soil erosion and strong pollution with heavy metals and radionuclides.

Key words

Mirror of landscapes, Memory of landscapes, Soil age, Micropedology, Soils of Georgia ?

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