chernozem

[ chur-nuh-zem, chair-; Russian chyir-nuh-zyawm ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a soil common in cool or temperate semiarid climates, very black and rich in humus and carbonates.

chernozem

/ ˈtʃɜːnəʊˌzɛm /

a black soil, rich in humus and carbonates, in cool or temperate semiarid regions, as the grasslands of Russia

1835–45; < Russian chernozëm, equivalent to chërn ( yĭ ) black + -o- -o- + -zëm, variant, in compounds, of zemlyá earth, land; humus

from Russian, contraction of chernaya zemlya black earth

In some ways, chernozems are well-equipped to stop contaminants in their tracks in a matter of months.

Earlier work suggested compaction could impact yields for up to five years if it reached deep enough into the chernozem.

This is the black earth known as chernozem, which is rich in humus.

About 20 percent of the agricultural land is of the chernozem type.

Chernozem soils predominate, and the seasonal distribution of rainfall is more propitious than in Walachia.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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