Agroecological condition assessment of agricultural landscapes for their sustainability increase

Introduction. Agricultural land use organized in the dry steppe Kulunda of Altai Krai, with an area of more than 1,8 million hectares, is unsustainable. This is due to many factors, but the main ones are agro-climatic conditions (temperature and precipitation), as well as anthropogenic elements of landscapes, as a result of the joint manifestation of which erosion processes develop. The purpose of the study: to conduct a multicomponent analysis of agricultural lands in the dry steppe Kulunda Altai Krai to optimize their agro- and geo-ecological state, as well as increase the sustainability of agricultural landscapes. Research methods: a systematic approach and a comparative geographical method used in the processing of materials characterizing the qualitative and quantitative indicators of agricultural landscapes and the analysis of zonal physical and geographical characteristics of the territory. Relationships and mutual influences within anthropogenic landscapes have been studied using the ecological-landscape approach. Research results. Over a thirty-year period of monitoring the heat and moisture supply of the territory, it was found that only 1-2 years per decade are optimal for growing crops (spring wheat), and agricultural land prevails in the structure of the land fund (seven municipal districts), and their share varies from 47 % to 96 % in Uglovsky and Tabunsky districts, respectively. Examining the structure of sown areas and crop rotations, it was found that arable land is the most common agricultural land, it accounts for more than 70 %, pastures – almost 20 %, hayfields and fallow lands – 8,5 %, perennial plantations – only 0,04%. It was determined that cultivated crop rotations lead to degradation of the soil cover, which occurs due to active dehumification – the loss of humus reserves in the process of deflation and active mineralization on fallows and fields with tilled crops. It was calculated that the rate of humus loss on an area of one hectare is 0,24 tons per year. Conclusion. The calculations made show that the coefficient of environmental stability is much lower than the threshold, and a relatively high indicator of environmental stability in the Mikhailovsky and Uglovsky districts was achieved due to the tape forest and salt lakes located on their territory, which do not have a positive impact on the sustainability of agricultural areas. Improving the sustainability of agricultural land use is possible with the organization of a grass field system by changing the structure of sown areas and crop rotations.