Global Black Soil Distribution Map
Black soils are considered the food basket of the world. Unfortunately, black soils are at great risk of severe degradation. This is why it has become crucial to develop a deeper understanding of the status of the black soils in the world including their distribution at national and global levels. During the second International Network of Black Soils (INBS) workshop in 2019, members discussed and agreed to develop a Global Black Soil Distribution Map (GBSmap) using a country-driven approach based on the endorsed definition of black soils. Two training sessions were organized in 2020-2021 to support INBS members in developing their national maps. Fourteen INBS countries subsequently developed and submitted their national black soil distribution maps.
There are an estimated 725 million hectares of black soils worldwide. The Russian Federation has the largest area by far, followed by Kazakhstan and China. Black soil distribution strongly correlates with native prairie ecosystems including, but not limited to, other grassland ecosystems with a continental climate. Black soils are most prevalent in the mid-latitudes of North America, Eurasia, and South America. They are also found to a lesser extent in the tropical regions. At a global level, approximately one-third of black soils are covered with crops and another third by grasslands, with forests accounting for the remaining third. However, this distribution varies within each region. Read the press release
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About black soils
Black soils are fundamental for food security globally and most of these special soils are found in the current conflict zone. Black soils also have a very high potential for carbon sequestration, thus key in the fight against climate change.
- Black soils are characterized by a very dark-colored topsoil, rich in soil organic carbon. They are amongst the most productive and fertile soils in the world.
- Black soils are key for food security and the global economy. In 2010, 66 percent of sunflower seed, 30 percent of wheat and 26 percent of potato outputs were harvested from black soils.
- Black soils are paramount for climate change mitigation and adaptation. In Europe alone, black soils contribute to half of the region’s soil carbon sequestration potential.
- Black soils are home to many rural communities. For instance, 93 percent of the Moldovan population and 52 percent of the Ukrainian population live on black soils.
- Black soils are under threat. Two thirds of the black soil area is currently used for agricultural production.
Would you like to know more?
Explore the following resources:
- DEFINITION | What is a black soil ?
- Black soils in the world
- Why are black soils important?
Brochure
Global Map of Black Soils
2022
Considering the great importance of black soils and their risk of severe degradation, it has become crucial to develop a deeper understanding of the...
Methodology
Global Black Soil Map online training session
09/12/2020 - 11/12/2020
Abstract: The INBS of GSP organized a training session From 9 to 11 December 2020 in order to create the Global Black Soil map following the indications...
Countries and institutions contributing to the map
Argentina
- National Institute of Agricultural Technology
Armenia
- Armenian Scientific Center of Soil Science, Agrochemistry and Melioration after H. Petrosyan
Brazil
- Embrapa Solos
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba
- Universidade Federal de Santa Maria
- Universidade do Estado do Amazonas
- Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro
Bulgaria
- Institute of soil science, agrotechnologies and plant protection Nikola Poushkarov
Canada
- Canadian Soil Information Service (CanSIS), Science and Technology Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Chile
- Departamento de Protección y Conservación de Suelos y Aguas, División de Protección de Recursos Naturales Renovables
China
- Heilongjiang Academy of Black Soil Conservation and Utilization, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences
- Institute of Soil Science，Chinese Academy of Science
- Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Science
Colombia
- Agustín Codazzi Geographical Institute
European Union
- Joint Research Centre, European Commission
Georgia
- Head of Laboratory of the Scientific-Research Center of MEPA, Associated professor
Hungary
- Department of Crop Production and Soil Science, University of Pannonia
Indonesia
- Indonesian Center for Agricultural Land Resource Research and Development, Agency for Agricultural Research and Development, Ministry of Agriculture
Iraq
- Office of Planning and Follow-up
Kazakhstan
- Uspanov Kazakh Research Institute on Soil Science and Agrochemisty
Kyrgyzstan
- Chairman of the teaching methods Commission
Mexico
- Centro de Geociencias - Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
- Secretaría de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural
Mongolia
- Mongolian University of Life sciences Darkham-Uul
Morocco
- INRA-Morocco
Mozambique
- Mozambique Agricultural Research Institute
Nepal
- Soil Management Section, Department of Agriculture
Poland
- Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation, State Research Institute - University of Zielona Góra
Republic of Moldova
- Scientific secretary, Institute of Pedology, Agrochemistry and Soil Protection
Russian Federation
- Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute
- Irkutsk State University
- Lomonosov Moscow State University
- Russian State Agrarian University
- Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy
- Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences
- South Federal University
Slovakia
- National Agricultural and Food Centre, Soil Science and Conservation Research Institute, Banska Bystrica
South Africa
- ARC-Institute for Soil, Climate, and Water
Syrian Arab Republic
- General Commission of Scientifics Agriculture Research (GCSAR) Damascus
- Syria/Institute of Geography, FAU Erlangen Nurnberg University
Thailand
- Agricultural Research Officer, Office of Land Use Planning and Policy, Land Development Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
Turkey
- Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock
Ukraine
- National Scientific Center «Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry Research named after O.N. Sokolovsky», Kharkiv
- National Scientific Center «Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry Research named after O.N. Sokolovsky» (NSC ISSAR)
United States of America
- United States Department of Agriculture USDA
Uruguay
- Directorate General of Natural Resources (DGRN) of the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) for Uruguay
- General Direction of Natural Resources-Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries
Zambia
- Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
Publications
Status of the World's Soil Resources - Technical Summary
2018
This document presents a summary of the first Status of the World’s Soil Resources report, the goal of which is to make clear the essential connections...
Key document
Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management
2018
The guidelines provide technical recommendations on how SSM can be achieved. The VGSSM are of a voluntary nature and are not legally binding. They elaborate...
Global Map of Black Soils
2022
Considering the great importance of black soils and their risk of severe degradation, it has become crucial to develop a deeper understanding of the...
Global status of black soils
2022
Black soils are carbon-rich and highly fertile soils known as the world's food basket due to the variability of crops they sustain..