? What important geographical discovery did V.V.

Vasily Vasilievich Dokuchaev is a Russian geologist who has reached special heights in soil science. He was the founder of the school of soil science and created a full-fledged doctrine in this direction. He discovered the main regularities of the geographical location and genesis of soils. In this article, you will get acquainted with the biography of Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev and his main achievements.

Childhood and education

Vasily Dokuchaev was born in the village of Milyukovo, located on February 17, 1846. The father of the future geologist was a priest. Vasily became the seventh child in the family - he had four older sisters and two brothers. He received his primary education at the theological school of the town of Vyazma, and his secondary education at the Smolensk Theological Seminary. Free education in the seminary was predominantly the children of clergy. It was a place dominated by cruel customs and traditions, supported by both students and teachers. In the seminary, there was an informal division of students, according to which Dokuchaev was "Bashka" - the first in studies and the last in behavior.

After graduating from the seminary in 1867, Vasily, as one of its best students, went to the Theological Academy of St. Petersburg. Despite good prospects, he studied at this institution for only three weeks. Dokuchaev realized that he wanted to devote his life to a completely different direction, and transferred to St. Petersburg University, to the natural department. From respected scientists of that time on Dokuchaev big influence provided by: D. I. Mendeleev, A. N. Beketov, A. V. Sovetov and A. A. Inostrantsev. He knew them personally and continued to associate after graduation in 1871. In his Ph.D. work, Vasily Dokuchaev carried out a geological description coastal zone Kasni River, flowing in the Smolensk region.

First studies

Before we find out what Vasily Dokuchaev discovered, let's get acquainted with his first steps in science. After graduating, the novice geologist stayed to work at his faculty as a conservator of the mineralogical collection. Here he stayed for 6 years (1872-1878). Then the young scientist was elected assistant professor, and even later (1883) professor of mineralogy. After receiving a scientific degree, he got a job at the Institute of Civil Engineers as a teacher of mineralogy. One of the outstanding students of Dokuchaev was P.A. Solomin.

In the period up to 1878, the scientific activity of Vasily Vasilyevich was mainly connected with the study of the latest deposits (Quaternary formations) and soils in the European part of Russia. From 1871 to 1877, the scientist made several expeditions to the central and northern parts of Russia, as well as to the south of Finland. Dokuchaev's task was to study geological structure, time and method of formation of river valleys, as well as the study geological activity rec. The following year, Vasily Vasilyevich successfully defended his thesis on the origin of the river valleys of the European part of Russia. In this paper, the geologist outlined the theory of the formation of river valleys, under the influence of a gradually developing process of linear erosion.

Already at that time, soils, which he studied together with Quaternary deposits and dynamic geology, fell into the field of scientific interest of Vasily Dokuchaev. In 1874, he spoke at a meeting of the Society of Naturalists of the city of St. Petersburg with a report on the topic "Podzols of the Smolensk province." The following year, the scientist was invited to participate in the compilation of soil maps of the European part of Russia. In 1878, the head of the project, V. I. Chaslavsky, died, so Dokuchaev personally had to draw up an explanatory note for the map. He successfully completed this task by 1879. In the same year, Vasily Vasilyevich initiated the creation of a soil museum, in which a laboratory would work.

genetic soil science

In the Imperial VEO, since the 40s of the 19th century, the question of the need to study chernozems was raised, but the first steps in this area were taken only after the adoption of the reforms of Alexander II, which led to the development of capitalism and the appearance of signs of soil depletion (droughts in 1873 and 1875) . In 1876, M. N. Bogdanov, together with A. V. Sovetov, were able to convince the VEO of the need for a thorough study of soils. Dokuchaev was also attracted to this work by the Soviets. In 1877, Vasily Vasilyevich spoke to the representatives of the VEO with a report. In his speech, he critically analyzed the previously published information about chernozems and theories of their origin (marsh, marine, vegetative-terrestrial). In addition, Vasily Vasilievich Dokuchaev briefly outlined his plan for future research. P. A. Kostychaev proposed another program, but the VEO still preferred Dokuchaev’s plan and appointed him head of the “Black Earth Commission”.

From 1877 to 1881, Vasily Dokuchaev made a number of trips to the black earth zone. The total length of his expedition was more than 10 thousand kilometers. In addition to describing soil sections and geological outcrops, an extensive laboratory analysis of samples was carried out, in which P. Kostychev, K. Schmidt, N. Sibirtsev, P. Zemyatchensky and others took part.

"Russian black soil"

In 1883, Dokuchaev published the essay "Russian Chernozem". In this work, the following were considered in detail: the method of origin, the area of ​​​​use, chemical composition, research methods and principles of classification of chernozem. In addition, Vasily Vasilyevich proposed to define the soil as a special natural mineral-organic formation, and not any surface deposit (the concept of agrogeology) or an arable layer (agronomy). He believed that each soil is the result of the interaction of the animal world, climate, parent rock, topography and time.

In order to classify soils and rationally use them, it is necessary to rely on their origin (genesis) and not petrographic, chemical, or In his work, the scientist also analyzed the reasons for the increase in the number of droughts and the damage they cause. Among these, he singled out: the lack of proper methods of soil cultivation and measures to preserve moisture, the deterioration of air and water regimes, erosion and dispersion of the granular structure of the earth.

For this research, St. Petersburg University awarded Vasily Dokuchaev the degree of Doctor of Mineralogy and Geognosy. In addition, the geologist received a special thanks from the VEO and a full Makariev Prize from the Academy of Sciences. At the same time, P. A. Kostychev criticized the Russian Chernozem, complaining about the too small number of samples that were studied to analyze the dependence of soil properties on climatic conditions.

Nizhny Novgorod expedition

In 1882, the Nizhny Novgorod provincial zemstvo offered Dokuchaev to conduct a complete survey of the province from a geological, soil and natural-historical point of view, in order to more correctly assess the land. The scientist, together with specialists trained by him personally in the field of soil science, agreed to this work. For six years of research, 14 issues of the report were published, called "Materials for the assessment of land Nizhny Novgorod province". Each issue was dedicated to one county and had a soil and geological map as an appendix. N. Sibirtsev, P. Zamyatchensky, A. Ferkhmin, A. Krasnov, F. Levison-Lessing and other students of Vasily Vasilyevich were involved in work in this area.

As part of the expedition, scientists:

1. Created and developed a methodology for compiling soil maps.
2. Developed a genetic classification of soils.
3. Improved the scoring method.
4. Tested and expanded the concept of genetic soil science.

Poltava expedition

In 1888-1894, Vasily Dokuchaev, at the invitation of the provincial zemstvo, conducted a large-scale study of the soils of the Poltava province. He published the results of the work done in 16 volumes of the report. Both experienced and young pupils of Dokuchaev took part in this expedition: G. Vysotsky, V. Vernadsky, K. Glinka, G. Tanfiliev and others. During this campaign, for the first time, the gray forest soils, as well as the study of solonetzes. In Poltava, as well as in Dokuchaev, he created a natural history museum with a soil department. During the life of the scientist, his pupils conducted similar studies in 11 provinces.

"Special Expedition"

As part of the assessment campaigns and expeditions, which were many in the biography of Vasily Dokuchaev, he actively searched for the causes of the degradation of chernozems and ways to combat it. In 1888, the geologist met a specialist in the field of steppe agriculture and water regimes soil A.A. Izmailsky. In 1982, a year after a major drought, Dokuchaev published Our Steppes Before and Now, in which he proposed a plan for the protection of black soil. This plan included the following measures: soil protection from washout; regulation of beams and ravines; artificial irrigation; creation of forest belts; maintaining the established ratio between meadow, forest and arable land.

In 1892, Dokuchaev managed to obtain permission for the "Special Expedition" to test and take into account the methods and methods of forestry and water management in the Russian steppes. In short, Vasily Dokuchaev wanted to test the effectiveness of the program he created with the help of this campaign. Together with Dokuchaev, N. Sibirtsev, P. Zemyatchensky, G. Vysotsky, K. Glinka, N. Adamov and others took part in the work.

The development of soil protection methods was carried out at three sites:

1. Shipov forest and Khrenovskoy forest (Voronezh region). In 1911, an experimental station named after V.I. Dokuchaev. Now there operates the Research Institute. V.V. Dokuchaev.
2. Veliko-Anadolsky area.
3. Starobelsky massif "weed steppe".

As a result, Dokuchaev's team demonstrated the effectiveness of his program. However, due to the fact that every year investments in the expedition were reduced, in 1897 it had to be stopped.

Organizational work

On the initiative of Dokuchaev and with his assistance, in 1888, the Soil Commission was established at the VEO, which became the first organization of soil scientists. Vasily Vasilyevich was appointed its chairman. The following year, also under the leadership of Dokuchaev, a commission was organized for a comprehensive study of St. Petersburg and its region.

In the 89-90s of the 19th century, Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev, whose brief biography we are considering today, was the secretary of the 8th Congress of Physicians and Naturalists, which was held in the city of St. Petersburg. In 1889, the scientist presented his collection of soils at the World Exhibition held in Paris, for which he was awarded the Order of Merit in Agriculture. In 1895, Dokuchaev founded the Soil Science Bureau, which operates under the Scientific Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture. In the same year, he received consent to prepare an updated soil map, which was completed only in 1900 by A. Ferkhman, N. Sibirtsev and G. Tanfilyev.

In the period from 1892 to 1895, Vasily Vasilyevich temporarily acted as head of the Novo-Alexandria Agricultural and Forestry Institute. It was under his leadership that the institute was transformed into a higher educational institution. In 1894, thanks to the efforts of Dokuchaev, the first department of genetic soil science was organized within its walls, headed by N.M. Sibirtsev.

Last years

At the end of 1895, Dokuchaev was diagnosed with a severe form of a nervous breakdown. A year later there was a second attack of the disease, the scientist spent two weeks in delirium. In February 1897, Dokuchaev's wife died of cancer. In the summer of that year, he was tormented by severe headaches, the weakening of his memory and feelings began. Only in autumn the geologist was able to return to his favorite work.

The next three years of Dokuchaev's life were extremely fruitful: they accounted for about 25% of the geologist's publications. During this period, Vasily Vasilyevich went on expeditions to the Caucasus, in Central Asia and Bessarabia. In 1899, he published two works in which, based on the dependence of soils on the factors of their formation, he studied the zoning law discovered by A. von Humboldt. Dokuchaev also came up with the idea of ​​the book “On the Correlation of Living and Dead Nature”, but managed to write only the first chapter for it.

In 1900, the geologist was overtaken by another bout of illness. At the end of the year, he practically stopped leaving the house. In March 1901, the scientist wrote last letter IN AND. Vernadsky.

On October 26, 1903, Dokuchaev died. His funeral took place on 29 October. They were attended by: D. Mendeleev, A. Inostrantsev, A. Karpinsky, numerous students and friends of Vasily Vasilyevich, as well as delegates from various educational institutions. Dokuchaev was buried at the Lutheran cemetery in St. Petersburg.

Spreading Ideas

Vasily Dokuchaev, short biography which came to an end, brought up many students who later became famous researchers. Thanks to participation in world exhibitions and presenting his achievements at them, the scientist managed to earn recognition far beyond the borders of Russia.

In 1886, in an article on chernozems, E. Bruckner analyzed Dokuchaev's concept and called it "a new word in science." At the turn of the century, E. Ramann also accepted the ideas of Vasily Vasilyevich, but he could not completely move away from agrogeological views. An important role in the dissemination of the ideas of the geologist was played by the domestic publication Soil Science. I. V. Vernadsky considered his teacher a great scientist and put him on a par with Lavoisier, Maxwell, Mendeleev, Darwin and others prominent representatives science of the 19th century. To date, the photo of Vasily Dokuchaev is familiar to everyone who is interested in soil science and geology.

Dokuchaev Vasily Vasilievich Born February 17 (March 1), 1846, died October 26 (November 8), 1903. One of the most famous soil scientists, geologist, professor of mineralogy and crystallography at St. Petersburg University. Founder of the school of scientific soil science and soil geography. He made discoveries of the main patterns of the origin of soils and their division into various natural zones.

He was born in the village of Milyukovo, Smolensk Province, in the family of a clergyman. His first education was studying at the Vyazemsky district theological school, then he studied at the seminary. After completing his studies with honors, he went to the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. Oddly enough, he only studied there for three weeks. He listened to reports on natural science and became interested in science, was enrolled in the physics and mathematics department of St. Petersburg University. Vasily Vasilyevich needed to study some scientific disciplines himself, from those that were not taught at the university. Works as a tutor in the family of a colleague at the university. He graduated from the university in 1871. Of the sciences, geology, agronomy, botany, and chemistry most strongly influenced him.

Especially Vasily Vasilyevich was fond of geology. Once, on the instructions of a professor, he collected samples of minerals on the river. As a result of this study, he defended thesis and received a diploma. Then he works as a curator of a collection of mineral samples, then he is elected an assistant professor, and a professor of mineralogy. Subsequently, Vasily Vasilyevich taught mineralogy to students for many years. At this time, he studied mainly the latest Quaternary formations and the soil of the European part of Russia. Explores northern and central Russia, as well as southern Finland for the sake of scientific research in the field of river valley geology and river geology. He defended his thesis, which contained a unique theory of the formation of river valleys by the development of linear erosion (1878). The conclusions made in this work gave a serious scientific basis for further geological research. Dokuchaev's student, among many others, was the famous scientist Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky.

Vasily Vasilyevich is also interested in soils. In 1874 he makes his first report on soils, and a year later he participates in the creation of a soil map. Russian Empire, advocates the creation of a soil museum and laboratory. Soil depletion and drought give impetus to the study of this area. The scientist spends time on expeditions to the black earth region of the European part of Russia.

Since 1878, Dokuchaev has been actively teaching mineralogy and other geological scientific disciplines, lecturing on crystallography, mineralogy, and teaching a course on "tertiary formations" and soils. Works as a secretary in the St. Petersburg Society of Naturalists, chairs the Soil Commission, actively participates in the organizational work of many others scientific organizations, edits various scientific texts and collections.

In 1883, the work "Russian Chernozem" was published with detailed information about the chernozems of Russia. Thanks to him, he becomes a doctor of mineralogy and geognosy, and he also receives the Makariev Prize. In 1904 he was called the "father of Russian soil science". One of his last studies is the study of the environs of St. Petersburg and Moscow, but they have not been carried out in full.

As a result of the stormy scientific activity, discussions, disputes with bureaucrats, he suffers from nervous exhaustion and in the summer of 1895 he leaves for the Crimea. But he returns without fully recovering his strength. Continuing to work, he experiences a second attack of the disease, and then a third. He dies in 1903. During his fruitful scientific career, he brought up a galaxy of students, released many scientific papers, was awarded various Russian and foreign awards and world fame.

Biography 2

The pride not only of Russia, but of the whole world, the best soil scientist and geologist of our country is Dokuchaev Vasily Vasilyevich.

The great soil scientist was born on March 1, 1846 in the province near Smolensk in the city of Milyukovo. Vasily's father was a clergyman, and therefore there were many children in the family.

Vasily Vasilyevich studied first at the school in the city of Vyazma, then at the seminary in the city of Smolensk. From the seminary, he entered the Academy of St. Petersburg. Vasily Vasilyevich will study at the academy for only three weeks. Further, at his request, he entered the University of St. Petersburg at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the Natural Department. Vasily Vasilyevich graduated from the university very successfully in 1871.

Among the teachers of the young geologist were famous people, such as Alexander Vasilievich Sovetov, Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev, Alexei Nikolaevich Beketov. But most of all Dokuchaev liked attending lectures on mineralogy taught by Professor Platon Aleksandrovich Puzyrevsky. Therefore, when Dokuchaev graduated from the university, he was left on it as the keeper of the mineralogical collection. Dokuchaev will work at the faculty for six years.

Vasily Vasilyevich successfully defended his dissertation in 1880 and became an assistant professor at the Department of Mineralogy.

While writing his dissertation, Dokuchaev travels extensively in Russia, the Caucasus and the Crimea, and at the same time conducts numerous soil studies. The result of these studies will be the monograph "Russian Chernozem", which he will defend in 1883, and which will bring him worldwide fame. This work is considered the foundation of genetic soil science worldwide.

On this, the great geologist does not stop his studies of soils, but only increases the scope of his work. He publishes a report in 16 volumes on the soils of the Poltava province, creates museums with soil types in the cities of Nizhny Novgorod and Poltava. Vasily Vasilyevich singles out the pattern of soil genesis, i.e. the ability of soils to change, which is recognized even now by specialists from all over the world in this field.

In 1891, there were severe droughts, and Vasily Vasilyevich developed a plan for saving and protecting black earth soils, it is surprising that this plan has not lost its relevance at the present time.

Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev was married once and loved his wife very much, who, unfortunately, died of cancer before him.

Biography by dates and Interesting Facts. The most important thing.

Other biographies:

• Roger Bacon

  The medieval English philosopher Roger Bacon insisted on the importance of the so-called science of experience. In this regard, he is often considered a forerunner of modern science.

• Vladimir Ivanovich Dal

  Vladimir Ivanovich Dal is a great outstanding Russian writer and doctor. The great achievement of this man is the creation explanatory dictionary of our great Russian language.

• Ivan Susanin

  Ivan Susanin is a peasant, a native of the Kostroma district. He is national hero Russia, because he saved the tsar, Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, from the Poles who came to kill him.

• Rasul Gamzatov

  The poet R. Gamzatov was born on September 8, 1923 in the Dagestan village of Tsada. After school, he studied at a pedagogical school, then went to work as a teacher.

• Zhukovsky Vasily

  Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky was born in the Tula province in 1783. Landowner A.I. Bunin and his wife cared about the fate of the illegitimate Vasily and were able to achieve a noble title for him.

Notable students:

V. I. Vernadsky, G. N. Vysotsky, K. D. Glinka, A. N. Krasnov, P. V. Ototsky, N. M. Sibirtsev, P. A. Solomin, G. I. Tanfilyev

Known as:

Founder of modern genetic soil science

Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev(March 1 - November 8) - famous geologist and soil scientist, founder of the Russian school of soil science and soil geography.

The scientific activity of Dokuchaev in the period up to 1878 was devoted mainly to the study of the latest Quaternary formations (alluvium) and soils of European Russia. From 1877 he made a number of expeditions to the northern and central Russia and the southern part of Finland, in order to study the geological structure, the method and time of the formation of river valleys and the geological activity of rivers. In 1878, he defended his master's thesis "Methods of the origin of the river valleys of European Russia", in which he outlined the original theory of the formation of river valleys through the gradual development of linear erosion processes.

Already at this time, soils fell into the field of Dokuchaev's scientific interests. In 1874, he made a report on the podzols of the Smolensk province at a meeting of the St. Petersburg Society of Naturalists. In 1875, Dokuchaev was invited by V. I. Chaslavsky to compile a soil map of European Russia. In Chaslavsky died and an explanatory note to the map in is already Dokuchaev. In the same year, he came up with the idea of ​​creating a soil museum with a laboratory attached to it.

Creation of genetic soil science

Spreading Dokuchaev's ideas

Dokuchaev brought up many students who later became well-known researchers, created a school of soil scientists. His ideas began to spread beyond the borders of Russia. This, among other things, was facilitated by the participation of Dokuchaev and his students in the work of the World Exhibitions (Paris), (Chicago), (Paris), where collections of soils with accompanying material were exhibited. Sold at an exhibition in Chicago English translation book "Our Steppes Before and Now", the soil exposition attracted the attention of M. Whitney, at the Paris exhibition of 1900, the Russian department of soil science received the Grand Prix for the achievements of the Dokuchaev school (in particular, soil maps and collections).

Memory

Tombstone on the grave of V. V. Dokuchaev. Lutheran Smolensk cemetery, St. Petersburg.

Monument to Dokuchaev in Pushkin at the State Agrarian University

Institutes

• Soil Institute. V. V. Dokuchaeva
• Research Institute Agriculture named after V. V. Dokuchaev (Stone steppe of the Voronezh region).
• Kharkov National Agrarian University.

Museum

• Central Museum of Soil Science named after V.V. Dokuchaev

Settlements

• City of Dokuchaevsk in Donetsk Oblast.
  • Monument to Dokuchaev

Streets

Awards

• In March 1946, in connection with the 100th anniversary of his birth, a gold medal and the V.V. Dokuchaev Prize were established, which were awarded by the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences for outstanding scientific work in the field of soil science.

Philately

• In 1949, postage stamps of the USSR dedicated to Dokuchaev were issued.

Printed works

• Dokuchaev V.V. Darwin's theory before the court of St. writings as the most ancient historical botanical and zoological monument. - [St. Petersburg]: Printing house of the spiritual magazine "Wanderer", 1869.
• Dokuchaev V.V. Ravines and their significance, 1876.
• Dokuchaev V.V. Results about the Russian chernozem, 1877.
• Dokuchaev V.V. Preliminary report on the study of the southwestern part of the chernozem zone of Russia, 1878.
• Dokuchaev V.V. Preliminary report on the study of the southeastern part of the chernozem zone of Russia, 1879.
• Dokuchaev V.V. Cartography of Russian soils. Explanatory text for the soil map of European Russia. - St. Petersburg: Kirshbaum Printing House, 1879.
• Dokuchaev V.V. On the issue of the Siberian chernozem, 1882.
• Dokuchaev V.V. Schematic soil map of the chernozem belt of European Russia. - St. Petersburg: Printing house of the partnership "Society. Benefits, 1882.
• Dokuchaev V.V. Materials on the assessment of the lands of the Nizhny Novgorod province (Issue I-XIV, 1882-86. Dokuchaev owns 1 issue and some chapters XIII, XIV and the edition of the entire work)
• Dokuchaev V.V. Russian black earth. Report to the Imperial Free Economic Society. - St. Petersburg: Imperial Free Economic Society, 1883.
• Dokuchaev V.V. On the origin of Russian chernozem, 1884.
• Dokuchaev V.V. About the so-called Yuryevsky chernozem, 1884-85 (2 articles).
• Dokuchaev V.V. On the issue of Russian chernozem, 1885.
• Dokuchaev V.V. On the benefits of studying the local nomenclature of Russian soils, 1886.
• Dokuchaev V.V. Explanations to the soil map of the Nizhny Novgorod province, 1887.
• Dokuchaev V.V. On the normal assessment of the soils of European Russia, 1887.
• Dokuchaev V.V. Methods for researching the question: were there forests in the southern steppe Russia? 1888.
• Dokuchaev V.V. Materials on the assessment of the lands of the Poltava province" (issues 1-13, 1889-1892).
• Dokuchaev V.V. To the question of the relationship between the age and height of the area, on the one hand, the nature and distribution of chernozems, forest lands and solonetzes, on the other. 1891.
• Dokuchaev V.V. Our steppes before and now. - St. Petersburg: Printing house of E. Evdokimov, 1892.
• Dokuchaev V.V. On the origin of Russian loess, 1892.
• Dokuchaev V.V. To the doctrine of the zones of nature. Horizontal and vertical soil zones. - St. Petersburg: Type. St. Petersburg City Administration, 1899.
• Dokuchaev V.V. On zoning in the mineral kingdom (preliminary report) // Notes of the Imperial St. Petersburg Mineralogical Society. 1899. Ch. 37, no. 1. S. 145-158.
• Dokuchaev V.V. The doctrine of the zones of nature. - M.: Geografgiz, 1948.
• Dokuchaev V.V. Works. M.; Leningrad: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. - T. 1: Works in the field of geology. - 1940.; T. 2: Articles and reports on the study of chernozem. Cartography of Russian soils. 1876-1885. - 1950.; T. 3: Russian Chernozem. - 1949.; T. 4: Nizhny Novgorod works. 1882-1887. Part 1. - 1950.; T. 5: Nizhny Novgorod works. 1882-1887. Part 2. - 1950.; V. 6: Transformation of the nature of the steppes: works on soil research and land assessment, the doctrine of zoning and classification of soils. 1888-1900. - 1951.; Vol. 7: Organization of soil institutions and issues of agriculture in Russia: articles and reports, popular lectures. - 1953.; T. 8. Works and performances. - 1961.

Literature

• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
• Russian biographical dictionary: In 25 volumes / under the supervision of A. A. Polovtsov. 1896-1918.
• Krupenikov I. A., Krupenikov L. A. Vasily Vasilievich Dokuchaev. - M.: Selkhozgiz, 1950.
• Dokuchaev V.V. Works. - M.; Leningrad: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. - T. 9: Life and work of V. V. Dokuchaev. Bibliography of works. - 1961.
• Kiryanov G.F. Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev, 1846-1903. - M.: Nauka, 1966.
• Galina Kostina. Color boring globes / Expert magazine. No. 30-31 (764), August 1-14, 2011. P. 20-23.

Links

	Dokuchaev, Vasily Vasilievich at Wikimedia Commons

Dokuchaev Vasily Vasilyevich (02/17/1846-10/26/1903), Russian naturalist, founder of modern scientific soil science and a comprehensive study of nature. Born in the family of a village priest. He graduated from the Smolensk Seminary and St. Petersburg University. In 1877, having compiled (together with V.I. Chaslavsky) an overview soil map of European Russia, he began to study the Russian chernozem, the “king of soils,” as a result of which he laid the foundations for the theory of soil as a special natural-historical body and soil formation factors. In 1886 he gave the world's first scientific classification soils.

As a true patriot and citizen, he devoted all his strength and knowledge to the practical issues of agriculture and, in general, the economic well-being of Russia; he drew up an extensive plan of comprehensive measures to combat drought (restoration of the granular structure of chernozem, forest shelterbelts, snow retention and regulation of melt water runoff, proper tillage, construction of ponds and shallow reservoirs, protection of forests, water and soil erosion control).

On the basis of Dokuchaev's teachings, progressive Russian schools of physical geography, geobotany, botanical geography, geomorphology, dynamic geology, and others arose.

The main works of Dokuchaev were “Russian Chernozem” (1883), “Our Steppes Before and Now” (1892), “On the Teaching about the Genes of Nature” (1899), “The Place and Role of Modern Soil Science in Science and Life” (1899).

Dokuchaev Vasily Vasilievich -. Born in a large family of a rural priest. He studied at the theological school in the city of Vyazma, then graduated with honors from the theological seminary in Smolensk. As the best student was admitted to the St. Petersburg Theological Academy for free education, but a month later he moved to the natural department of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of St. Petersburg University, which he graduated in 1871, receiving a diploma of the 1st category and a Ph.D. scientific work"Geological description of the banks of the Kachka River in the Smolensk province", in which he mainly studied the latest post-Tertiary formations (sediments) and soils of European Russia. The work was published in 1869.

In 1870 he became the curator of the geological faculty of the university.

For many years, as an assistant professor, then a professor at St. Petersburg University, Dokuchaev gave a course of lectures on mineralogy and crystallography. In addition, since 1874, he also taught mineralogy at the Institute of Civil Engineers (until 1877 - a construction school).

From 1871 to 1877, on the instructions of scientific societies: the St. Petersburg Society of Naturalists, the Mineralogical Society, the Imperial Free Economic Society, of which he was elected a full member in 1871 ÷ 1873, Dokuchaev studied loose deposits and the structure of river valleys of the upper Volga basin, the upper reaches of the Dnieper and the Western Dvina . Based on his observations, he put forward ideas about the successive change of erosion cycles and age stages of the relief. The results of these studies were summarized in the master's thesis "Methods of formation of river valleys in European Russia". In this essay, he, having analyzed the views that existed earlier on the methods of origin of the river valleys of Europe. Russia, gives his own hypothesis, according to which their origin is associated mainly with the activity of ravines and gullies. He successfully defended his dissertation in 1878, and in 1880 he was elected assistant professor of mineralogy.

Time from 1877 to 1881 Vasily Vasilyevich was devoted to the study of Russian chernozem; to this end, he made, on behalf of and at the expense of the Imperial Free Economic Society, multiple trips to the south and southeast of Russia, the Crimea and the North. Caucasus. The fruits of many years of research are set forth in the monograph "Russian Chernozem", which was a doctoral dissertation defended by him in 1883. This work brought Dokuchaev world fame and is deservedly considered the basis of genetic soil science. Here he first established the concept of soil as a special body of natural history, which is formed by the interaction of factors of soil formation: the parent rock, climate, vegetation and animals, the relief and geological age of the country. He also considered: the area of ​​distribution, the method of origin, the chemical composition of the chernozem, the principles of classification. Methods for studying soils, their study, genesis, properties, as well as managing their fertility in close connection with soil formation factors, including the effect on soil fertility, are proposed. economic activity person.

In addition to the degree of doctor, he received special gratitude from the Free Economic Society, and from the Academy of Sciences the full Makariev Prize, and in the same year he was elected professor of the Department of Mineralogy.

Back in 1882, Vasily Vasilyevich accepted the proposal of the Nizhny Novgorod provincial zemstvo to carry out, in view of the more correct pricing of land, a complete study of the province in geological, soil, and generally natural-historical terms with the help of specialists trained by him in soil science. At the same time, along with the soil cover, he studied the productivity of grain crops and the effect of manure fertilizer. As a result, in 1886, 14 volumes of "Materials for the assessment of the lands of the Nizhny Novgorod province" were published and soil and geological maps were compiled. Here Dokuchaev for the first time proposed the natural historical method of soil appraisal, which is important in modern methods. qualitative assessment land and land registry.

In 1888, under the chairmanship of Dokuchaev, a permanent Soil Commission was established under the Free Economic Society with the aim of studying soils, further developing soil classification and methods for compiling soil maps. He created a classification of soils based on the genetic principle.

At the invitation of the provincial zemstvo, Dokuchaev researched in 1888 - 1890. Poltava province. His work in the Poltava province finally confirmed him in the patterns of soil genesis; the view of the soil as a dynamic complex capable of evolution is now recognized by soil scientists all over the world. He singled out seven world zones: boreal, northern forest, forest-steppe, steppe, dry steppes, aerial zone of deserts, subtropical. This division is the main one in the Russian school of physical geography. Ideas V.V. Dokuchaev influenced the development of forest science, land reclamation, hydrogeology, dynamic geology and other sciences.

In 1889, at the World Exhibition in Paris, a collection of Russian soils was demonstrated, as well as the published works of V.V. Dokuchaev, who were awarded the gold medal.

In 1891, severe droughts and crop failures in southern Russia caused famine among the population. Vasily Vasilievich, together with well-known scientists - K. A. Timiryazev, P. A. Kostychev and others - took part in the development of a program to eliminate the consequences of this disaster. Dokuchaev's book Our Steppes Before and Now (1892) includes a plan of measures to combat drought in southern Russia. The proceeds from the sale of this book were donated to the hungry.

In the spring of 1892, an expedition was organized under the Forestry Department of the Ministry of State Property for the integrated use various ways forestry and water management in the steppes of Russia, headed by Dokuchaev. Among the experimental works, it was planned to carry out afforestation of watersheds, planting shelter belts. It was planned to plant forests in ravines and around ponds, fix the slopes of ravines and banks of rivers, construct ponds for watering the territory, regulate rivers and streams with the help of hydraulic structures, correct use runoff of surface snow and rain water.

At this time (1892 - 1895), he temporarily acted as director of the Novo-Alexandria Institute and led its transformation into a Higher Agricultural and Forestry Educational Institution.

The first experimental forest planting was carried out in the spring of 1893 in the town of Stone Steppe. After the work of the expedition was curtailed, the Stone-steppe forestry was formed. At present, for more than a hundred years, regular observations of the hydroclimatic regime of the territory have been carried out on the basis of the Research Institute of Agriculture of the Central Black Earth Strip.

Since 1895, Dokuchaev established the first department of soil science in Russia at the Novo-Alexandria Institute; carried out a radical reorganization of teaching and the program of the institute. According to this model, higher agricultural education in Russia was reorganized.

The soil collections collected by Dokuchaev were exhibited at the All-Russian Agricultural Exhibition in Moscow in 1895, and in 1896 at the All-Russian Nizhny Novgorod Exhibition and received a diploma of the 1st category.

Dokuchaev did a lot to promote the science he founded - soil science. Since 1899, on his initiative, the world's first journal Soil Science began to be published. Dokuchaev believed that it was necessary, in addition to scientific institutes, to open as many higher agricultural educational institutions as possible. He was directly involved in the preparation of regulations on the higher agricultural school. In 1900 - 1902, he made every effort not to close the Novo-Alexandria Agricultural Institute, which was supposed to be closed due to student unrest.

On the initiative of Dokuchaev, local history museums were created in Nizhny Novgorod and Poltava, the need to create museums at local branches of the St. Petersburg Society of Naturalists was substantiated.

Expeditionary trips undermined the health of the scientist, he was seriously ill in 1895-1897 and 1900-1903. IN last years Dokuchaev gave lectures on soil science in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Poltava, Tiflis, contributed to the opening of private agricultural courses in St. Petersburg (1898).

In March 1946, in connection with the 100th anniversary of his birth, a gold medal and a prize were established. V. V. Dokuchaev, which was awarded by the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences for outstanding scientific work in the field of soil science. Dokuchaev's name is given to the Soil Institute of the All-Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Research Institute of Agriculture of the Central Chernozem Strip (Stone Steppe, Voronezh Region), Kharkov State Agrarian University.

Sources: article by S. S. Sobolev, TSB, DVD-Soft, Sigma LLC, St. Petersburg, 2003; article by T. G. Dementieva, BEKiM 2006 (2 CD-ROM), LLC "Cyril and Methodius", 117296, Moscow, Lomonosovsky proezd, 18; encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Efron, CD: (P) 2002 IDDK, (C) 2002 Multimedia publishing house "Adept"; V. I. Vernadsky. Philosophical thoughts of a naturalist. M. Nauka, 1988. 520 p. ISBN 5-02-003325-1.

Materials prepared for publication Vadim Vrachev .

Compositions:

Methods for the formation of river valleys in European Russia, St. Petersburg, 1878; Russian black earth. Report to the Free Economic Society, St. Petersburg, 1883; Our steppes before and now, St. Petersburg, 1892: Materials for the assessment of the lands of the Nizhny Novgorod province. Natural history part. Report to the Nizhny Novgorod provincial zemstvo, c. 1 - 14, St. Petersburg, 1884-86 (with others); Place and role of modern soil science in science and life, St. Petersburg, 1899; To the doctrine of the zones of nature. Horizontal and vertical soil zones, St. Petersburg, 1899; Fav. soch., v. 1 - 3, M., 1948 - 49; Works, vol. 1 - 9, M., 1949-61.

Literature:

Chebotareva L. A., Vasily Vasilievich Dokuchaev, in the book: Dokuchaev V. V., Soch., vol. 9, M., 1961; Sobolev S. S., Development of the ideas of V. V. Dokuchaev, ibid., vol. 9, M., 1961; Polynov B. B., Krupenikov I. A., Krupenikov L. A., Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev. Essay on life and creativity, M., 1956; Krupenikovy I. and L., Travels and expeditions of V. V. Dokuchaev, M., 1949; V. V. Dokuchaev and geography (1846 - 1946). Sat. articles, M.-L., 1946; Gerasimov I.P., Great Russian scientist V.V. Dokuchaev (on the occasion of his 125th birthday), Soil Science, 1971, No. 8.

For his first scientific work "Geological description of the banks of the river Kachka in the Smolensk province" V.V. Dokuchaev received a diploma of the 1st category and a Ph.D. But what if we are not all Dokuchaevs? And to get a diploma, a mere meter needs to spend five to six years of his life. Well, if you do not have an inferiority complex about this, and you consider yourself sufficiently developed and well-read, that you yourself (without a diploma!) You can read a meaningful lecture. But then a personnel officer comes to you and discovers that occupying your position requires the very “crust” that you did not acquire ... What to do? Buy a "crust" in the subway passage? How did it go! But there is a more decent way out - to order a diploma, so that skilled people write you a thesis.

Chernozem is the perfect soil...
more expensive than any oil, anything hard coal,
more expensive than gold iron ores

V.V. Dokuchaev

Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev is a well-known geologist, mineralogist, but, above all, he is the founder of the science of soil.

soil science - the science of soils, their formation (genesis), structure, composition and properties, patterns of geographical distribution, rational use.

Initially, people identified the soil with earth- a surface area on which a person lives. With the advent of agriculture, the concept of soil as a relatively loose earthy layer in which terrestrial plants take root and which serves as the subject of agricultural processing.

(1846 – 1903)

This simple idea of ​​the soil persisted until the advent of works Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev.

He discovered the basic patterns of genesis (origin) and geographic location of soils . He pointed out the special position of the soil in nature, which is determined by the fact that both mineral and organic compounds participate in its composition.

Proved that an integral part of the soil - living phase - make up living organisms : root systems plants, soil-dwelling animals, microorganisms.

Vasily Vasilyevich was the first to establish that the soil – it is an independent natural body, qualitatively different from all other bodies of nature.

Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev was born on February 17 (March 1), 1846 in the village of Milyukovo, Smolensk province. He was the third child in a large family of priest Vasily Sergeevich Dokuchaev and Pelageya Trofimovna.

From 1861 he studied at the Smolensk Seminary, fellow students gave him the nickname "Bashka", as he was the first in teaching. After graduating with honors from the theological seminary in 1867, Vasily was sent to the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. There he studied for only three weeks.

At this time, he attended public lectures on natural science, which were given by leading professors of St. Petersburg. Fascinated by science, the young Dokuchaev goes to study at the natural department of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of St. Petersburg University.

The university taught bright personalities, as geologist Alexander Alexandrovich Inostrantsev, agronomist Alexander Vasilyevich Sovetov, botanist Alexei Nikolaevich Beketov, outstanding chemist Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev.

Vasily was especially carried away and his love for science was awakened by the interesting and witty lectures of the professor of mineralogy Platon Alexandrovich Puzyrevsky.

Student Dokuchaev led a half-starved existence, earning a living by tutoring. But despite the hard financial situation, he showed an unprecedented enthusiasm for the sciences. In addition to lectures and seminars, he drew knowledge from books, sitting in the library for a long time. He began to receive a scholarship only in the third year (the scholarship was then a rarity and was awarded only to individual successful students).

After graduating from the university, he was left at the Natural Faculty as a conservator (custodian) of the mineralogical collection and held this position from 1872 to 1878. For many years Dokuchaev taught mineralogy at the Institute of Civil Engineers.

From 1871 to 1877 On the instructions of the St. Petersburg Society of Naturalists and the Mineralogical Society and the Free Economic Society, of which he was a member, the scientist made a number of expeditions to northern and central Russia and southern Finland in order to study the geological structure, method and time of formation of river valleys and the geological activity of rivers.

Dokuchaev managed to collect a lot of factual data that contradicted all existing hypotheses about the origin of the river valleys of the European part of Russia. He put forward his own hypothesis, linking this process mainly with the activity of ravines and gullies.

Interestingly, the 32-year-old scientist was not afraid to criticize the views of recognized authorities and discard outdated hypotheses.

He summarized the results of his research in his master's thesis " Methods for the formation of river valleys in European Russia”, which he successfully defended in 1878, and in 1880 he was elected associate professor of the Department of Mineralogy.

Time from 1877 to 1881 Vasily Vasilyevich was devoted to the study of Russian black soil; to this end, he made, on behalf of and at the expense of the Imperial Free Economic Society, repeated trips to the south and southeast of Russia, the Crimea and the North Caucasus.

The fruits of many years of research are presented in the monograph " Russian black soil”, which was a doctoral dissertation defended by him in 1883. This work brought Dokuchaev world fame and is deservedly considered the basis of genetic soil science .

Studying the black earth belt, Vasily Dokuchaev, of course, did not ignore Ukrainian soils: from the Donetsk region to Bukovina. Gave them a scientific classification. He concluded that “chernozem is an ideal soil”, which can and should become the “king of soils”, because “it is more expensive than any oil, all kinds of coal, more expensive than gold and iron ores”.

At the invitation of the Poltava provincial zemstvo, he was in 1888-1894. conducted a large-scale study of the soils of the Poltava province.

The expedition included both experienced and young pupils of Dokuchaev: Georgy Nikolaevich Vysotsky, Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky, Konstantin Dmitrievich Glinka, Gavriil Ivanovich Tanfilyev and others. The results of the work done were published in 16 volumes of the report.

During this campaign for the first time, gray forest soils were identified and carefully examined , as well as the study of salt licks began .

In Poltava, as well as earlier in Nizhny Novgorod, Dokuchaev created a natural history museum with a soil department.

Work in the Poltava province finally approved him in the patterns of soil genesis, a view of the soil as a dynamic complex capable of evolution, which now recognized by soil scientists around the world .

He singled out seven world zones: boreal, northern forest, forest-steppe, steppe, dry steppes, aerial zone of deserts, subtropical.

In 1889, Dokuchaev prepared a collection of soils for the World Exhibition in Paris. In addition to their samples, it included the corresponding maps, images of sections, tables, diagrams, etc. “As a representative of V. Dokuchaev”, the future creator of the doctrine of the biosphere was engaged in this exposition and demonstrated the collection Vladimir Vernadsky. Collection received gold medal, and Vasily Dokuchaev, as an organizer, was awarded the order " For merit in agriculture».

In 1891, in the south of Russia, severe droughts and crop failure caused famine among the population. Vasily Vasilyevich, together with famous scientists - Kliment Arkadyevich Timiryazev, Pavel Andreevich Kostychev and others - took part in the development of a program to eliminate the consequences of this disaster.

Dokuchaev proposed a plan for the protection of black soil. In fact, this plan provided for the reconstruction of the entire agriculture of the steppe zone in order to obtain stable high yields.

This plan included the following measures: soil protection from washout; regulation of gullies and ravines and soil erosion control; artificial irrigation; afforestation and creation of forest shelterbelts; snow retention and regulation of melt water runoff, construction of ponds and shallow reservoirs; protection of forests, waters; production the best tricks soil cultivation, maintaining the established ratio between meadow, forest and arable land. This amazing plan is relevant in our time.

Vasily Vasilyevich wrote: “If we want to deprive agriculture of the nature of a stock market game ... it is absolutely necessary that all natural factors (soil, climate with water and organisms) be investigated and tested, if possible, comprehensively and without fail in their mutual connection.”

In 1982, Dokuchaev published the work " Our steppes before and now”, which outlines an action plan to combat drought in southern Russia (including the lands of Ukraine).

The proceeds from the sale of this book were donated to the hungry.

Dokuchaev did a lot to promote the science he founded - soil science. Since 1899, on his initiative, the world's first journal "Soil Science" began to be published. He believed that it was necessary, in addition to scientific institutes, to open as many higher agricultural educational institutions as possible and was directly involved in the preparation of the regulation on the higher agricultural school.

The soil map was compiled on the initiative and according to the plan of V. Dokuchaev, Scale 60 versts in an inch, St. Petersburg, 1900.

As a true patriot and citizen, he devoted all his strength and knowledge to the practical issues of agriculture and, in general, the economic well-being of Russia;

According to academician Kliment Arkadyevich Timiryazev, Dokuchaev was a man, " marked by a feature of complete disinterestedness, sometimes reaching almost complete oblivion of personal needs».

Vasily Vasilyevich treated the soil not only with the great interest of a scientist, but also with love. Having characterized the principles of zoning soil cover, Dokuchaev concludes: " Greater connection and genetic affinity, not enough of this - a greater commonwealth and even, so to speak, world self-help and love between individual elements and individual kingdoms of nature cannot even be demanded».

In 1897-1900, Vasily Vasilyevich went on expeditions to the Caucasus, Central Asia and Bessarabia. In 1899, he published two papers in which, based on the dependence of soils on the factors of their formation, he studied zoning law, open A. von Humboldt. Dokuchaev also came up with the idea for the book " On the ratio of living and dead nature”, but managed to write only the first chapter for her.

In 1900, the geologist was overtaken by an attack of a serious illness. At the end of the year, he practically stopped leaving the house. On October 26, 1903, Dokuchaev died.

Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky recalled his teacher: “In the turn of his mind, Dokuchaev was gifted with a completely exceptional plasticity of imagination ...

Everyone who had the opportunity to begin his observations in the field under his direction, undoubtedly experienced the same feeling of surprise that I remember when, under his explanations, the dead and silent relief suddenly came to life and gave numerous and clear indications of the genesis and character of geological processes taking place in its hidden depths.

Vernadsky considered his teacher Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev a great scientist and put him on a par with Lavoisier, Maxwell, Mendeleev, Darwin and other prominent representatives of science of the XIX century.

T.A. Fedorenko