Soil depth in relation to soil properties at Lussaita area, Al-Jabal al Akhdar, Libya

• Murad M. Aburas

  Soil and Water Dept., Faculty of Agriculture, Omar Al-Mukhtar University, Elbeida, Libya.

  Author

• Yousef F. Abdalrahman

  Faculty of Natural Resources, Omar Al-Mukhtar University, Elbeida, Libya

  Author

The relation between total soil depth and top soil properties at Lussaita area north Al-JabalAlkhdar was investigated. The investigated properties included: clay and silt contents, CaCO₃ content, organic matter content, aggregate stability > 0.5 mm, aggregate stability > 1 mm, bulk density and infiltration rate. Top soil samples (0-15 cm) were collected at about 40 sites that varied in slope and soil depth. To achieve the study objective, related field survey and measurements and laboratory analyses were carried out. The study found that most of the top soils under investigation, regardless total soil depth variations, have high clay content, low CaCO₃ content in spite of their calcareous parent material, the soils showed moderate organic matter and aggregate stability percentage, the soils also have moderate infiltration rates. Correlation test did not show significant relation between most of top soil properties under investigation and total soil depth, except limited relation with silt and organic matter contents. Calcareous parent material, soil content of kaolinite and free iron oxides (Fe₂O₃) and the natural plant vegetation could be the main factors that contribute to the low variations between top soil properties. However, soil depth still an essential key to understand soil erosion process and degradation under Al-JabalAlkhdar conditions and this could highlight the importance of more and wider future investigation. 

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