ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SOME MOUNTAINOUS AND STEPPE SOILS OF THE SOUTH EUROPEAN PART OF RUSSIA
The data on the content and distribution of K, Ca, Fe, Ti, Mn, Zn, Sr and Rb in mountainous soils of the Republic of Adygea and steppe soils of Rostov Region are presented in this work. The content of chemical elements in the soil samples was determined by the quantitative X-ray fluorescence analysis method on the X-ray fluorescence spectrometer RFS-001. The average content of K, Ca, and Sr in the soils of the steppe territories is higher than in the soils of the mountainous Adygea. The concentration of Ti, Mn and Fe is 40-60 % higher in the soils of mountainous Adygea, and the average concentration of Zn and Rb is similar in the mountainous and steppe soils of the South of Russia. The distribution of chemical elements in soils can be influenced by factors such as soil type, humus content and the granulometric composition of soil fractions, humidity of soil and soil regime type, climatic conditions of the region, location of soil sections and the structure of soil profiles. In general, the study of the characteristics of the distribution of elements, considering the microrelief of the terrain are necessary for the organization of monitoring studies of background and contaminated areas. The obtained data can be used to assess the variations in the content of chemical elements in terrestrial ecosystems.