International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET)

Volume 9, Issue 13, December 2018, pp. 95-103, Article ID: IJCIET_09_13_009
Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/ijciet/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=9&IType=13
ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316

© IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed

THEORETICAL CONCEPT OF ADAPTIVE

FOREST LAND RECLAMATION OF
AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES
V. M. Ivonin, I.V. Voskoboynikova and E.Yu. Matvienko
A. K. Kortunov Novocherkassk Engineering and Land Reclamation Institute, a branch of the
Don State Agrarian University, str. Pushkinskaya, 111, Novocherkassk, Rostov region,
Russian Federation, 346428

ABSTRACT
The theoretical concept of adaptive forest land reclamation of agricultural
landscapes is based on the following provisions: plantations of the forest land
reclamation system (FLRS) include resident species of woody plants, as well as
introduced species and hybrids; adaptation of protective forest plantations to
environmental factors (throughout the growth and development of woody plants or in
case of their falling out of the plantation composition) occurs simultaneously with the
adaptation of environmental factors, during the expansion of the adaptive capacity of
agricultural crops, as well as the improvement of the stability of agricultural
landscapes as a result of increasing timber biomass. The use of resident species of
woody plants increases the evolutionary "memory" of higher plants (in addition to
similar memory of communities of natural forests, copses and wild flora plots included
in the FLRS) linking their existence with the parameters of the (natural) environment
in a certain biogeographic region. This triggers the homeostatic mechanisms of
communities of the FLRS during environmental perturbations (drought, dry wind, frost
and cold weather, as well as wind and water erosion). Hybrids, introduced species, or
modified species do not possess any genetic information about the natural environment
of the region and take part only in the reclamation of the agricultural environment of
interbelt fields. Within agricultural landscapes, FLRS, which are integral, self-
regulating, photosynthetic and adaptive to the environment during their entire
functioning, provide a basis for the local natural biota (populations of communities of
plants, microorganisms, fungi, and animals) participating in the harmonization of the
FLRS with the global system of life. The FLRS adapts to the reclaimed territory as a
result of gradual ordering of its flexible structure and the resistant structure of the
water or dust collecting area taking into account the natural and climatic
environmental factors, as well as the shape and size of the reclamated object.
Keywords: theoretical concept, adaptation, forest land reclamation, agricultural
landscape, forest land reclamation system, biota.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 95 editor@iaeme.com
 V. M. Ivonin, I.V. Voskoboynikova and E.Yu. Matvienko

Cite this Article: V. M. Ivonin, I.V. Voskoboynikova and E.Yu. Matvienko,

Theoretical Concept of Adaptive Forest Land Reclamation of Agricultural Landscapes,
International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 9(13), 2018, pp. 95–103
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=9&IType=13

1. INTRODUCTION
Forest biota is resistant to perturbations in environmental factors since in the phylogenesis
(formation and development of plant communities) it continuously adapts to changes in the
local conditions of this environment and converts them, as noted by one of the first theorists of
forest land reclamation, G.N. Vysotsky [1]. Forest plantations in cultural landscapes also
possess such properties [2-5], which was the basis of the modern protective afforestation
concept [6].
In the United States, agroforestry is developing: agricultural crops are cultivated between
the rows of woody plants, shelter and other forest belts are created, protective forest plantations
are grown on pastures, and forest farming is applied (yielding of forest produce) [7]. In the EU,
woody plants are used in hedges and simple structures [8-9].
In modern agricultural forest land reclamation, the current practical issues are solved based
on soil-protecting complex models (Kamennaya Steppe (stone steppe), etc.), where agricultural
land afforestation technologies developed by classical authors hardly change and have been
successfully applied for many decades [10].
At the same time, some contradictions have been discovered between the initial theoretical
agricultural forest land reclamation concepts and observations of the reclaiming role of forest
plantations.
For example, on interbelt fields, in the crucial growth phases of any agricultural crop, the
reclaiming effect of forest belts varies widely, and sometimes there is no effect at all. In some
cases, the reclaiming effect reaches its maximum, and in other cases, it decreases or is
completely absent [11].
Therefore, such a permanent (according to the current theoretical views) indicator of a
forest land reclamation system (FLRS) as the territory safety is not stable and can vary from
zero to 100%, depending on the variation of environmental factors and adaptive capacity of
forest plantations. Moreover, under the modern conditions, this capacity is becoming critical.
Therefore, there is a need to develop a theoretical concept of adaptive forest land
reclamation of agricultural landscapes to improve the technology both for creation of forest
plantations and for the cultivation of agricultural crops in reclamation areas of these
plantations.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

When developing a theoretical concept of adaptive forest land reclamation, a systematic
approach was used – the research methodology based on the idea of an integral set of
interrelated elements which make up the natural anthropogenic (forest land reclamation)
system for soft environmental control. This approach has been implemented using the
following principles: identification of the main provisions of the theoretical concept which
characterize the biota composition and adaptability of the FLRS; clarification of the functions
of the constituent elements ensuring external communication (with factors of the natural
environment) and internal communication (between the constituent elements); and territorial
adaptation of the FLRS to environmental factors and reclamation objects.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 96 editor@iaeme.com
 Theoretical Concept of Adaptive Forest Land Reclamation of Agricultural Landscapes

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The desire to increase the productivity of agrocenoses through improved technology of
cultivation of agricultural crops, selective breeding and hydrotechnical reclamation may affect
the natural harmony – natural equilibrium of processes at all levels of the biosphere.
A rapid increase in the productivity of agricultural landscapes is usually achieved due to
demanding process loads (hydrological, mechanical, chemical, etc.). In this case, the man must
be ready for nature's response manifested in structural simplification of agricultural landscapes,
their decreasing stability and biodiversity, and in other negative processes. Soft management
of agrocenoses (using natural and anthropogenic systems which are based on a forest biota)
helps avoid a negative reaction implying natural polarity.
Cultivated species (varieties and hybrids) seem to have lost genetic information about the
natural environment outside their habitats and require care. The forest biota (possessing such
information) spreads such care beyond its limits, into adjacent fields. These provisions were
the basis of the theory of adaptive forest land reclamation of agricultural landscapes assuming
that woody species with a high adaptive capacity were used to form a system of forest
plantations. These provisions are schematically presented in Figure 1.
The diagram in Figure 1 shows that the basis of the biota of the FLRS comprises both
resident species of woody plants and introduced species, as well as hybrids. In the course of
continuous adaptation to environmental factors, they adapt them providing some kind of care
to agrocenoses.
The use of resident species of trees and shrubs in the creation of forest belts and other
protective plantations increases the evolutionary memory of higher plants (in addition to the
similar memory of natural forests, copses, wild flora plots included in the FLRS) linking their
existence with the environmental (natural) parameters of a certain biogeographic region.
This triggers the homeostatic mechanisms of communities of the FLRS during
environmental perturbations (drought, dry wind, frost and cold weather, as well as wind and
water erosion).

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 97 editor@iaeme.com
 V. M. Ivonin, I.V. Voskoboynikova and E.Yu. Matvienko

Resident plant species

Composition of woody
plants with a high
adaptation potential
Hybrids and introduced
species
Adaptive forest land
reclamation of
agricultural landscapes
Adaptation of PFPs to
environmental factors
Adaptive capacity of
protective forest
plantations (PFPs)
Adaptation of
environmental factors
by means of PFPs

Figure 1. General diagram of adaptive forest land reclamation of agricultural landscapes.

Thus, resident woody species in forest plantations, filling the communities of the natural
biota, are involved not only in the management of the agricultural environment, but also in the
biotic regulation of the natural environment of this biogeographic region. Forest plantations
made only of hybrids, introduced species, or modified species do not possess any genetic
information about the natural environment of this region and take part only in the management
of the agricultural environment.
This corresponds to the Gaia hypothesis [12], in which the global system of life on Earth is
not a collection of arbitrary species which have adapted to any environmental (natural)
conditions, but its regulation mechanism based on species selected in the course of evolution,
which contain genetic information necessary for the environmental management.
Biotic regulation of the environment can be implemented in one of the following scenarios:
a) in case of random deviations of environmental parameters from the optimum for life, there
is a reaction coming from ecosystem communities which aims at getting the changed settings
back to their initial state; b) individuals of certain species with high adaptive capacity adapt to
environmental perturbations (stresses) changing them and contributing to the adaptation of
other species to their presence, thus, preserving harmony in the community.
Reclamation areas of forest plantations on inter-belt fields ensure the limits for the mobility
of environmental parameters (temperature and relative humidity, mineral nutrition of plants
and others) which correspond to the adaptive capacity of cultivated plants.
Harmonization with the global system of life (according to the Gaia hypothesis) and
effective management of the agricultural environment of interbelt fields included in the biota
of the FLRS require both the local natural biota (LNB) and the reclamation-based biota (RBB),
which are interrelated (Figure 2).

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 98 editor@iaeme.com
 Theoretical Concept of Adaptive Forest Land Reclamation of Agricultural Landscapes

Composition of the
FLRS biota

Local natural Reclamation-based

biota (LNB) biota (RBB)

Designated Natural Permanently

areas of meadowed Perennial
Forest meadows and grasses of soil- Forest
forest along plantations pastures, areas, cultural
meadows and protecting crop plantations
the (including including invovling
boundaries pastures rotation areas,
belts) of those with strip arable introduced
of resident woody plants invovling
introduced lands, gores, species and
agricultural species and their hybrids
landscapes species and etc.
groups
hybrids

Figure 2. Composition of the biota of FLRS of agricultural landscapes

The LNB unites resident species of plantations of a given biogeographic region
representing: designated areas of forest along the boundaries of agricultural landscapes (forest
edges, small forest areas within agricultural landscapes, outliers, copses, and individual groups
of woody plants), as well as naturalized forest plantations made of resident woody species. In
addition, the LNB also includes herbaceous species found in natural meadows and pastures,
including those with individual woody plants and their groups.
It should be noted that FLRS, which are integral, self-regulating, photosynthetic and
adaptive to the environment during their entire functioning, provide a basis for the LNB –
populations of communities of plants, microorganisms, fungi, and animals which participate in
the harmonization of the FLRS with the global system of life. The LNB operates within certain
parameters of environmental factors. In case these limits are exceeded, it is regulated by the
population (species) size, and system violations are regulated by extinction.
The RBB can include phytocenoses formed by hybrids and resident species with a high
reclamation potential. The RBB is involved in the improvement of the productivity of
agrocenoses forming an agricultural environment for cultivated plants. It unites forest belts on
arable lands, pastures, orchards, near settlements and livestock farms, etc., as well as
permanently meadowed areas; woody strips, cultural meadows and pastures, perennial grasses
of soil-protecting crop rotation areas, strip grasslands on arable lands, etc.
The LNB and RBB are characterized by general indicators of forestedness and
meadowedness which change in time due to deforestation or planting of forests, forest belts,
and other plantations, changes in areas covered with perennial grasses in the structure of
cultivated areas, meadow plowing, meadowedness of lands, etc.
A general diagram of adaptive regulation of agricultural landscapes by means of FLRSs is
shown in Figure 3.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 99 editor@iaeme.com
 V. M. Ivonin, I.V. Voskoboynikova and E.Yu. Matvienko

Regulation of agricultural
landscapes using FLRS

Adaptation of Improvement of the

Adaptation of PFPs to stability of agricultural
environmental factors in environmental factors by
means of PFPs (formation a landscapes due to the
the course of growth and increasing timber biomass
development of plantations required invariant of
environmental factors) of PFPs

Needs of Arable Improving

Incrementatio Adaptation farming
n of woody cultivated effectiveness
of technology is Expansion of
species or varieties and of
technology adapted to reclamation
their falling hybrids geochemical
of forest the areas ("wind
out of the coincide with barriers and
plantation to agricultural shadow") of
plantation environmenta ecological
environment environment forest belts
composition. l niches of
al factors of interbelt
invariants PFPs
fields

Figure 3. Regulation of agricultural landscapes by means of adaptive forest land reclamation

Adaptation of protective forest plantations (PFP) to environmental factors occurs during
the growth and development of woody species or their falling out of the plantation composition.
This may occur simultaneously with the adaptation of environmental factors during the
expansion of the adaptive capacity of cultivated species and hybrids on interbelt fields, as well
as in case of the increasing stability of agricultural landscapes due to the increasing timber
biomass in forest plantations.
Moreover, some species actively grow their biomass due to their timber reserve, and others
experience top-drying at an early age or (and) propagate vegetatively. This is due to the
instability of certain woody species in terms of flexible parameters of the natural environment.
The stability of species (breeds) can be improved through the selection of their variety and
improvement of technology used in forest plantations.
Thus, one can make woody species and technology used in forest plantations correspond
to the invariant of the limiting environmental factor. In this case, the competitive relations of
agricultural plants and woody species in the ecotone area "forest belt – field under protection"
are taken into account (expansion of forest belts made of creeping plants, penetration of some
herbaceous plants from the agrocenosis under the forest canopy or from forest belts into the
agrocenosis).
The stability of agricultural forest landscapes in case of increasing timber biomass
improves due to growing reclamation areas and "wind shadows" in forest belts, as well as the
increasing effectiveness of ecological niches and geochemical barriers.
FLRS, having constant parameters, can change the extent of reclamation areas (wind
shadow) not only in years but also in the crucial growth phases of the respective agricultural
crops.
The parameters of reclamation areas vary in case of changes in the direction and speed of
blizzard-like, deflationary or dry winds, temperature, relative humidity, etc. It is necessary that
in crucial growth phases the parameters of reclamation areas correspond to the adaptive

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 100 editor@iaeme.com

 Theoretical Concept of Adaptive Forest Land Reclamation of Agricultural Landscapes

capacity of agricultural crops. It boosts the production process, possible diversity of

agrocenoses, and the structure of cultivated areas.
The adaptive capacity of cultivated plants expands both as a result of selection (taking into
account the amplitude of the parameters of a forest agricultural environment) and during the
adaptation of technologies used in cultivation of agricultural crops to the conditions provided
by interbelt fields.
Forest belts respond to constantly changing weather conditions by changing the wind and
water regimes of the territory, snow retention and distribution, regulation of temperature and
relative humidity in the air-ground interface, and other factors of biological microclimate.
Reclamation may extend to the entire interbelt field (solid situation), a part of the field
(intermittent or discontinuous situation), or not occur at all (no reclaiming impact is coming
from forest belts). Such situations occur sporadically as responses to different reactions of
forest belts to the dynamics of environmental factors during different development phases of
agricultural crops. Yield increase is a generalizing criterion of the reclamation situation on an
interbelt field, compared to an open field.
Such increase can be significant and substantial if the reclamation situation is solid in
crucial growth phases. Such an increase may be insignificant if the reclamation situation on the
interbelt field is discontinuous in crucial phases. The bigger is the part of the field which gets
within the reclaiming effect of forest belts, the greater an increase will be. There may be no
significant increase if the reclamation situation in crucial growth phases does not occur at all.
The FLRS adapts (due to its anthropogenic development and growth of woody plants) to a
specific territory (the dust-collecting area of agricultural landscapes, the water-collecting area
of a wash, a river basin, etc.) or to the reclamation object (a livestock breeding complex or
farm, a gully system, etc.). This is the result of a corresponding placement of the main FLRS
elements when the internal FLRS arrangement corresponds to the parameters of the (natural)
environment or the forest land reclamation object (Figure 4).
This is the result of gradual ordering of the flexible FLRS structure and resistant structure
of the water- or dust-collecting area taking into account the natural and climatic environmental
factors, as well as the shape and size of the reclamation object.

Placement of main FLRS

elements in agricultural
landscapes

Taking into
Taking into account the size
account and shape of the
environmental reclamation
(natural) factors object
Across
Across the the Along the
general Along the borders of Inside the Along the
prevailing
local the reclamation reclamation
direction of slope
horizontal reclamatio object object
winds inclinatio
n n object

Figure 4. Territorial adaptation of an FLRS

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 101 editor@iaeme.com

 V. M. Ivonin, I.V. Voskoboynikova and E.Yu. Matvienko

Thus, on agricultural landscapes of uplands and water divides (slope curvature of up to

1.5), gradual adaptation of the FLRS to the territory under reclamation occurs due to growing
forest belts located across the prevailing direction of winds. On network-adjacent and
hydrographic territories, forest belts are placed based on the direction of local horizontals. On
relatively small (in area) forest land reclamation objects, plantations are made along their
boundaries (livestock breeding farms and complexes, gardens, etc.). In case of large
reclamation objects, plantations are made not only along their boundaries, but also inside
objects (field agricultural landscape, shade clumps and forest belts on pastures, plantations in
washes, etc.), and on linear objects – based on their length (roadside plantations, plantations by
channels or streambeds, and other forest plantations).

4. CONCLUSION
A theoretical concept of adaptive forest land reclamation has been developed, according to
which the basis of the biota of a FLRS comprises both resident species of woody plants and
introduced species, as well as hybrids. In the course of continuous adaptation to environmental
factors, these resident and other species and hybrids adapt them providing some kind of care
to agrocenoses.
The use of resident species of trees and shrubs in the creation of forest belts and other
protective plantations expands the LNB, which increases the evolutionary memory of higher
plants (in addition to the similar memory of wild flora included in the FLRS) linking their
existence with the environmental (natural) parameters of a certain biogeographic region.
Therefore, the biota of an FLRS is based on the LNB. It unites not only the resident species
of natural forests, outliers and copses (included in the FLRS), but also species of naturalized
forest plantations, as well as wild species of natural meadows and pastures, including those
with individual woody plants and their groups. In addition, FLRS plantations can consist of
hybrids and introduced species having a high reclamation potential and participating in the
improvement of the productivity of agrocenoses. These species and hybrids are involved in the
RBB composition (forest plantations, permanently meadowed areas, cultural meadows and
pastures, soil-protecting crop rotation areas, gores of perennial grasses, strips arable lands,
etc.).
The adaptation of protective forest plantations to environmental factors occurs during the
growth and development of some woody species or falling out of other species from the
plantation composition. This occurs simultaneously with the adaptation of environmental
factors during the expansion of the adaptive capacity of agricultural crops and the increasing
stability of agricultural landscape as a result of the increasing timber biomass of the PFPs in
case their reclamation areas and "wind shadows" are increasing, as well as when ecological
niches and geochemical barriers are formed.
In the course of its formation and use, a FLRS adapts to the agricultural territory or
reclamation object. This is the result of the orderliness of the flexible FLRS structure and
resistant structure of the water- or dust-collecting area taking into account the natural and
climatic environmental factors, as well as the shape and size of the reclamation object.

REFERENCES
[1] Vysotskii, G.N. Uchenie o vliyanii lesa na izmenenie sredy ego proizrastaniya i na
okruzhayushchee prostranstvo (uchenie o lesnoi pertinentsii) [The Influence of Forests on
Its Habitat and Environment (Forest Pertinence Concept)], 2nd ed, Goslesbumizdat, M.-L,
1950, 104 p.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 102 editor@iaeme.com

 Theoretical Concept of Adaptive Forest Land Reclamation of Agricultural Landscapes

[2] Kargin, V. I., Chegodaeva, N. D., Kargin, I. F. Vliyanie polezashchitnykh lesnykh polos
na vodnyi rezhim vyshchelochennogo chernozema [The Influence of Field-Protecting
Forest Belts on the Water Regime of Leached Chernozem]. Eurasian Soil Science, No. 10,
2004, pp. 1179-1187.
[3] Svintsov, I.P. Shmykov, V.A., Shabarina, E.V., Tishchenko, V.V. Rol lesnykh polos v
melioratsii agrolandshaftov v usloviyakh rechnykh dolin Srednerusskoi lesostepi [The Role
of Forest Belts in Reclamation of Agricultural Lands in River Valleys of the Central
Russian Forest-Stepp]). Plodorodie, No. 2, 2013, pp. 31-33.
[4] Mikhin, V.I., Mikhina, E.A. Agrolesomelioratsiya v usloviyakh adaptivno – landshaftnogo
zemledeliya Tsentralnogo Chernozemya [Agricultural Forest Land Reclamation in
Adaptive Landscape Arable Farming Applied in the Central Chernozem Region]. Modern
Problems of Science and Education, No. 6, 2014, http://science-
education.ru/ru/article/view?id=16890
[5] Barabanov, A.T., Manaenkov, A.S., Uzolin, A.I., Kulik, A.V. Opyt i strategiya
zashchitnogo lesorazvedeniya v pravoberezhe Srednego Dona Volgogradskoi oblasti
[Experience and Strategy of Protective Afforestation on the Right Bank of the Middle Don
in the Volgograd region]. Niva Povolzhya, No. 4 (45), 2017, pp. 17-23.
[6] Kulik, K.N., Dubenok, N.N., Rulev, A.S., Pugacheva, A.M. VNIALMI – lider
agrolesomeliorativnoi nauki Rossii: sovremennaya kontseptsiya zashchitnogo
lesorazvedeniya [VNIALMI (All-Russian Scientific-Research Institute of Agroforest
Reclamation]. Leader in Russian Agricultural Forest Land Reclamation Science: Modern
Protective Afforestation Concept, Science Journal of Volgograd State University, Ser. 11,
Natural Sciences, No. 3(13), 2015, pp. 108-114.
[7] Agrawal, Arun, Wollenberg, E., Persha, L. Governing agriculture-forest landscapes to
achieve climate change mitigation. Global Environmental Change, 29, 2014, pp. 270-280.
[8] Florineth, F. Pflanzen statt Beton: Handbuch zur Ingenieurbiologie und
Vegetationstechnik, Verlag: Patzer, 2004, 272 p.
[9] Hacker, E., Johannsen, R. Ingenieurbiologie, Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim), 2012, 383 p.
[10] Akhtyamov, A.G., Vavin, V.S., Tunyakin, V.D. Zashchitnye nasazhdeniya na pashne i
problemy ikh soderzhaniya [Protective Plantations on Arable Land and Their
Maintenance]. International Research Journal, No. 11 (53), Part 5, 2016, pp. 10–13.
[11] Ivonin, V. M., Pinkovskii M.D. Lesomelioratsiya landshaftov [Forest Land Melioration].
Second edition, revised and enlarged. Sochi, 2012, 174 p.
[12] Lovelock, J. The Vanishing Face of Gaia. Basic Books, 2009, 163 p.
[13] Alexandra Semenyutina, Galina Podkovyrova, Aliya Khuzhakhmetova, Igor Svintsov,
Victoria Semenyutina and Igor Podkovyrov, Engineering Implementation of Landscaping
of Low-Forest Regions, International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology,
9(10), 2018, pp. 1415–1422.
[14] Dr. Sandhya P, Ensemble Learning on Forecasting Fine Grained Pollutant Levels in Air
using Random Forest, Naive Bayes, Decision Tree Algorithms, International Journal of
Civil Engineering and Technology, 9(7), 2018, pp. 303–312.
[15] Herry Palangka Jaya, Fernando and Yetrie Ludang, Lakes and Forests As A Couple of
Environmental Infrastructure In Tropical Countries, International Journal of Civil
Engineering and Technology, 9(7), 2018, pp. 1270–1275.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 103 editor@iaeme.com