Assessing Long-Term Changes of Productivity in Some Floodplain Soils, Egypt, Using Spatial Analyses Techniques

Document Type : Original Article

Abstract

      SOIL productivity evaluation for a long term has been a major …..hotspot in soil science. The current study aims at monitoring soil productivity within the last four decades in the middle of the Nile Delta, Egypt. To fulfill this objective, eleven soil profiles were collected to represent the different mapping units. Landsat ETM+ image dated at 2013 and digital elevation model (SRTM) were processed using ENVI 4.7 software to identify the main physiographic units in the studied area. The results indicate that flood plain is the main landscape, while the main landforms of the area under consideration are grouped as basins, mantles and river terraces. Two soil orders could be identified; Entisols and Aridisols that include four great groups, i.e., Typic Torrifluvents, Vertic Torrifluvent, Vertic Natrargids and Typic Natrargids. The spatial analyst function in ArcGIS 9.3 was used to estimate the rating of moisture content, drainage condition, effective soil depth, texture/structure, soluble salt concentration, organic matter content, mineral exchange capacity/nature of clay and mineral reserve. According to soil productivity in 2013, results showed that 73.46% of the total area have decreased productivity compared with soil productivity in 1968 and this is due to many problems, and the most influencing factors are high soil salinity and high exchangeable sodium percentage and rising soil water table, while about 13.06% of these lands have increased their productivity and thus to improve the properties of these soils and increase the soil productivity, agricultural management must take care to reduce salinity, alkalinity, and improve the drainage system.

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History

  • Receive Date: 18 August 2016
  • Accept Date: 18 August 2016

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