Интересно, есть ли термин более простой, чем "edaphic/climatic zone" - чтобы англоязычные читатели СМИ не обращались к словарю?

Diverse soil and weather combinations present in different regions across Russia?

Diffuse pollutant losses are sensitive to environment conditions. Key factors are rainfall and soil type. Rainfall frequency and intensity determines the volume of soil drainage and likelihood of surface runoff - and hence the solute leaching potential and soil erosion risk. Soil type (characterised by texture) determines the relative importance of surface runoff, preferential and matrix flow pathways, and hence the efficiency of leaching and the likelihood of retention (Haygarth et al., 2005). Mitigation measures that affect a specific mobilisation or delivery process (e.g. riparian buffer zones impact on soil erosion loss by surface runoff) will have geographically variable effectiveness.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/01/08094303/19