Soil Cover of Volgograd

The results of digital mapping of soil cover patterns in the city of Volgograd are discussed. A schematic soil map of the city on a scale of 1 : 50 000 reflects the features of the spatial distribution of individual soil types/subtypes and technogenic surface formations (TSFs). The mapping is based on the results of satellite imagery interpretation with subsequent refinement within the framework of field studies (155 soil pits). Geoinformation processing has been carried out in the QGIS program using remote sensing data of natural-color QuickBird satellite imagery. Based on the content of soil and TSF areas and the nature of their distribution, six types of spatial arrangement of urbanized soil space have been identified. The soil cover of the city reflects the structure and nature of land use. Thus, anthropogenic soils are predominantly located in the eastern part Volgograd, as the main industrial, residential, and transport infrastructure facilities are confined to the Volga River bank, and their spatial pattern reflect the historical development of the city. Natural and agrogenic soils predominate in the western outskirts of Volgograd and on Sarpinskii Island included into the city area in 2014.