ИСТИНА

The aim of this work is a comprehensive analysis of soil-forming process on the slopes of sinkholes. The research is based on morphological, physical, chemical soil studies of 24 soil catenas on the slopes of different sinkholes in Belomor-Kuloy plateau and the Middle and Southern Urals. It was shown that the thickness of humus horizon increases and the content of organic matter decreases from the top to the bottom of sinkhole slope. Textural and metamorphic horizons lose their morphological properties such as structure and texture from top to bottom of sinkhole slope. Soils from the bottom of the slopes have more in common rather than soils from the top of the slopes regardless of landscape and morphological properties of sinkholes. Soils in sandy soil catenas are more contrast among each other than soils in loamy and clay soil catenas.