Education
1898 graduate St. Petersburg University.
1898 graduate St. Petersburg University.
1898—1906 head, Soil Department, Samara Province former local government authority. 1908-1914 directed soil studies on Resettlement Board’s expeditions in Centr Asia, Transport- baikal, Semipalatinsk region and Yenisey Province. 1915-1918 directed Don soil expedition of Dokuchayev Soil Committee.
1918-1925 associate, Soil Department, Commission for the Study of Natural Production Resources, USSR Academy of Sciences. 1926-1937 associate, 1937-1948 director, Soil Institute, USSR Academy of Sciences. Specialized in geography, cartography and classification of soils.
Made major contribution to compilation of genetic soil classification. Developed theory of soil provinces, proposed principle of geographical soil zones, and studied origin and geography of a special type of brown forest soil in the Caucasus and Crimea. By tabulating the soil resources in various countries established the existence of extensive, untapped land reserves.
Helped compile soil maps of USSR and a soil map of the world.