Black Soils of Eurasia: two-decade environmental analysis (2001-2021)

Black soils play crucial roles in maintaining global environmental and social systems, contributing significantly to world food production and balancing carbon in the earth-atmosphere system. Monitoring productivity and land cover changes in relation to other environmental variables is essential for understanding global processes and implementing timely actions.
In our study, we analysed environmental changes of Eurasian black soils from 2001 to 2021 using time series remote sensing-based datasets. The Eurasian region is vast and exhibits highly diverse environmental conditions across its different areas; therefore, we conducted our analysis by dividing the region into distinct bioregions. Understanding the factors influencing Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) is crucial for evaluating ecosystem health and productivity under changing environmental conditions. This study investigates the relationship between GPP and various environmental variables across multiple regions, focusing on spatial and temporal dynamics. We examined the following key variables: Fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR), Solar Radiation, Soil Water Content, Temperature, Evaporation, Precipitation, and Vegetation Period.
Results show productivity increases in Chinese and Mongolian black soils, contrasting with significant decreases in large areas of Kazakh black soils. Notably, among countries with extensive black soil coverage, Russia and Ukraine exhibit areas with both declining and increasing productivity trends, reflecting the complex interplay of environmental and agricultural factors within these regions
Our findings indicate that climatic factors predominantly influence both negative and positive productivity trends, while cultivation technology levels also contribute significantly in specific regions. Climate change emerges as the primary driver of land cover change on black soils, with the net loss of croplands being the most alarming trend. This loss displays a scattered spatial pattern across Eurasia but is most prominent in the drying regions of Kazakhstan and Russia.
This research provides valuable insights into the dynamic nature of black soils and emphasizes their relevance to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ensuring sustainable management of black soils is crucial for addressing food security, mitigating climate change, and promoting sustainable land use practices in the face of ongoing environmental challenges.