introduction to the soil survey and land management

Introduction to the

Mahmoud AlferihatAmman, 29 -07 December 2015

Soil Survey and Land

Management

History of Soil Survey

Soils information challenging because:

Outdated methods

Several classification systems

Different lab methodologies

Pre-computer logic

What is the rate of soil carbon loss in the Region?

What is the effect on food production and human

health?

How much will it cost to reverse it?

Table of Contents- Manual

Database and Management system

Geographical Information Systems-GIS

Activities

Data Entry

Data Checking

Data maintenance of soil database

Data retrieval

Data security – backup and archive

Digitizing maps

Introduction , Soil database Structure

Sources for data are:

Filed

Lab

Computer

Sources for data are:

Soil Surface Data

Horizon data – pit description

Horizon data – Bore description

Analytical Data – Chemical and Physical

Satellite images

Digital

terrain models

Climate surfaces

Legacy data:

maps & soil profiles

Legacy Data and Soil Covariates

Methodology for preparation of data

Example: Region 15 represents Mafraq area with

20 soil mapping units at scale 1:250000

Unit : 17The big area of unit :Yermic CambisolCalcaric CambisolWRB system

Jordan Soil map

Jordan Profile Distribution

1479 profiles

Syria Soil map

Unit : 14The big area of unit :Aridic Calcisols

WRB system

Palestine Soil map

Unit : 18The big area of unit :Eutric Luvisols

WRB system

Lebanon Soil map

Unit : 14The big area of unit :Lithic Leptosols

WRB system

Surface-sealed sandy soils

Burkina Faso

Erosion rate (tons/ha/year)Warburgia ugandensis pedestals, Tugen Hills, Kenya (2006) ~ 100 yrs. old.

Markus Walsh

Soil Erosion

Nutrient Deficiencies

N

P

Water Storage/Erosion Control

Mountain Province Philippines

Thank You