Land evaluation of Al Marj soils in east Libya using GIS

• Mahmoud El Make

  قسم التربة والمياه ، كلية الزراعة ، جامعة عمر المحتار ، البيضاء ، ليبيا

  Author

• Atia I. A. Abdalmoula

  قسم التربة والمياه ، كلية الزراعة ، جامعة عمر المحتار ، البيضاء ، ليبيا

  Author

The current study was carried out on the soils north of Al Marj, Libya. The study aimed to evaluate the soil capability and to produce soil maps using Geographical Information System (GIS). AGIS Desktop 9.2. Soils are classified according to Soil Taxonomy System, and three soil orders are recognized: Alfisols, Mollisols and Inceptisols, which are further subdivided into 7 subgroups. These orders occupy nearly 62%, 33% and 5% respectively.  Furthermore, the study area is classified into three major soil capability classes (II, III, IV). Nearly 59.6 % of the area is found in class II which includes all Mollisols and some of Alfisols. Whereas Inceptisol areas are divided into class III  (Lithic Xerorthents) and class IV (Lithic Xeropsamments). However, Soil depth, coarse texture, gravel are found to be the major limiting factors of Lithic Xeropsamments.

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