Semi-detailed soil survey of Merek plain in Kharkeh river basin.
2008
Fatehi, Shah Rokh | Qaderi, Jalal | Mohajer Milani, Parviz | Eftekhari, Kamran
Soil studies have an important role in agriculture, land use planning, and natural resource development projects. Soil properties and their limitations have to be distinguished for landuse planning and suitable management programs. Merek subcatchment covers 24200 ha in Kermanshah province and is 35 km far from the Southeast of provincial capital. Climate is humid and cold in winter and moderately hot and dry in summer. Soil temperature and moist regimes are Thermic and Xeric, respectively. Limestone, dolomite, marl, clay stone, and sandstone are main soil parent materials in the study area. An interpretation map was prepared using aerial photograph according to geopedologic approach. Three landscapes, seven relieves, 21 landforms, associated with three soil orders including Entisols, Inceptisols, and Vertisols were distinguished. Entisols mainly found in mountains and hill lands but Inceptisols and Vertisols found in piedmonts. Parent material, topography, and climate are the main soil forming factors that controls soil formation. Laboratorial results showed that top soil textures are clay or silty clay and soil structures in the most profiles are sub angular blocky. The amounts of fine and coarse gravels are high in the mountains and hill lands area ranging from 25-60%. Soil reaction, EC and soil organic carbon ranges between 7.3-7.9, 0.4-0.8(ds/m), 1 to 3 %, respectively and content of CaCO3 in surface and subsurface horizons ranges between 17-32% and 20-50%, too. This result shows that surface horizons are slowly declassified and secondary CaCO3 accumulated at different depth. The actual depth of calcium carbonate accumulation increases in stable areas (piedmonts).
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by Agricultural Research and Education Organization