REVIEW OF STUDIES OF PERIODICALLY EXCESSIVELY MOISTENED SOILS IN THE STONE STEPPE
<p><em>There were several periods in the history of studying the soils of the Stone Steppe, starting with the works of V.V. Dokuchaev and his closest students are distinguished. Subsequent studies were a peculiar tribute to the founder of the doctrine of soils and a desire to make a feasible contribution to the common cause - the soil science development by the example of a comprehensive chernozems study and their associated soils. An example of a resurgence of interest in soil-forming processes taking place in the Stone Steppe can be considered the formation in 1984 at the initiative of the All-Union Agricultural Academy of Agricultural Sciences of the Central Black Earth Integrated Expedition on the base of the V.V. Dokuchaev Soil institute to conduct research in the Central Black Sea Region (Kursk, Voronezh and Belgorod regions). As in the time of V.V. Dokuchaev the catalyst for research was degradation processes in soils associated at that time with intensifying processes of water-logging of chernozems. The article are dealt with on different stages of studying the Stone Steppe soils as well as some current problems of soil transformation as a result of changing climatic parameters, the usage of different farming systems in a corner of the steppe nature that is difficult in composition of the soil cover. The purpose of the work is to once again show against the background of the historical stages of the study of the Stone Steppe soils that soil formation processes are extremely mobile, sensitively react by varying soil properties to all natural and anthropogenic factors. The revealed resent trends in soil properties changes in time and space will create the basis for the development of optimal methods of farming aimed at reducing the destructive processes in soils and restoring their fertility. </em></p>