The physical properties of ordinary chernozems and meadow chernozemic soils under different land management practices (maple, larch, birch, and pine sections of the shelterbelts; continuous (since 1959) fallow; and arable field (since 1952)) were studied in the Kamennaya Steppe. The soils had favorable physicochemical properties, light clayey texture, and high microaggregation independently from the type of land management. The long term impact of the shelterbelts improved the soil structure in the upper part of the humus horizon: the content of agronomically valuable aggregates increased, the content of coarse aggre gates (>10 mm) decreased, the aggregation coefficient increased by 3.7-4.3 times, and the water stability of the aggregates became by 8-12% higher. The soils under the shelterbelts were characterized by minimum val ues of the bulk density and solid phase density and by maximum values of the total, active, and air porosities. At the same time, no considerable differences between water reserves in the studied range of soils were detected. The ratio of the optimum productive water range to the active (productive) water range (OPWR/AWR) within the upper soil meter varied from 0.42-0.44 to 0.45-0.54. This points to changes in the character of perched water: the content of intra aggregate capillary perched water decreases, and content of film perched water increases down the soil profile.

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The issues of mutual influence of forest and soil attract the attention of researchers not only in theory, but also in practice, especially in the forest-steppe and steppe regions of the country. The researchers drew attention to the rapid changes in soil properties associated with forest planting. In addition, the composition and properties of soils are affected by the rock composition of forest belts. The main chemical, physical, and physical-chemical properties of ordinary chernozems under forest stands, of different rock composition, were studied. The same indicators were investigated in the chernozems occupied by arable land. It is shown that protective forest strips do not significantly affect the physical properties of soils. Chemical and physical-chemical properties change under the influence of wood crops. The gross content and mobile compounds of heavy metals in chernozems occupied by tree species were studied. It is shown that various HM and their compounds have their own characteristics of content and intra-profile distribution. The content and distribution of heavy metals is determined by the pH value, the content and distribution of silty particles, and humus (Corg). In addition, the nature of vegetation and various types of wood species have a significant impact on the content and profile distribution of heavy metals.