The influence of intensive farming on soil degradation changes of Northern Kazakhstan

In order to identify significant indicators of soil degradation and analysis of the relationship specific to the studied processes and phenomena, we have selected the method of constructing a model of the correlation matrix using the t-test, and hypothesis of equality of the average two or more samples. According to the statistical method, the verifiable hypothesis is called null. Along with null hypothesis an alternative, or competing, hypothesis is considered, which is the logical negation of null. According to the research the most significant indicator of soil degradation is the reduction of humus - dehumification. Dehumification as environmental manifestation of degradation processes in agricultural landscapes of the investigated territory is reflected in the reduction in humus content, which entails reduction of stocks in the soil of nutrients, impaired balance of mineral and organic matter, change of soil structure and, as a consequence, deflation and erosion. Thus, the monitoring observations of the arable land in the areas of grain production in North Kazakhstan conducted by the State SPC Agriculture of Ministry of Agriculture show the loss of humus currently ongoing, and in the last ten years there has been its sharp increase. The analysis of the selected criteria of degradation revealed that the humus content of soil investigation at the time of emplacement of the monitoring sites, significantly (p < 0.05) exceeds the results of the research in 2012. According to one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) the greatest change is observed in the content of humus in the -moderate light loam meadow chernozems and ordinary moderate low-humus light loam chernozems. The analysis of satellite imagery confirms the data of statistical analysis. There is clearly apparent brightening of the upper plow layer. Currently, the focus should be on the problem of increasing the fertility of chernozem under rainfed conditions. This problem can be solved only as a complex one; underestimation of even one limiting factor may negate all the efforts and costs. This program should include the following main points. The solution to all these problems is possible only against the background of a significant increase in the overall level of agricultural culture: creating sparing technique with minimal pressure on the surface of the soil, the development of methods of effective control of field infestation that does not lead to the death of soil meso- and microfauna, breeding high-yielding varieties of crops and the use of statistically significant indicators for assessing land degradation.

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