Classification of Moscow soils and parent materials and its possible inclusion in the classification system of Russian soils

Abstract

The Law on Urban Soils was adopted by the Moscow Government in 2007. In the course of working out by-laws for its implementation, the systematization of Moscow soils was developed aimed at providing scientific grounds for the urban soils’ inventory, mapping, and evaluation. The classification of Moscow soils comprises a description of the diagnostic horizons and soil types with the subtype subdivision fitting the principles of the new All-Russia soil classification. The authors hope that the developed system may trigger new discussions about the place of anthropogenically transformed soils and soil-like bodies in the Classification and Diagnostics of the Soils of Russia.