Soil characterization and classification study under topographic position is essential to recognize the effects of slope on soil physicochemical, and morphological properties and to draw promising management practices. In view of this, the present study was implemented to characterize and classify the soils along the toposequence of Medo sub-watershed using the World Reference Base for Soil Resources. First, topographic positions were categorized as upper, middle, and lower slopes position. One representative pedon was opened per each slope position and the profiles were described in situ. Soil morphological properties were influenced by topographic position. Sandy clay loam was the dominant soil textural classes in the surface soils. In all pedons, soil bulk density ranged from 0.8 - 1.2 g cm-3. The soil pH. ranged from 5.43 – 5.81 in the surface to subsurface layers of the three pedons. Soil organic carbon contents were ranged from 1.46 - 2.23 in the upper, middle and lower slope positions, respectively. Total nitrogen contents of the soils were varied from 0.14 to 0.22 and rated as medium to high. The soils present base saturation was categorized as very high (> 80%) in all pedons, respectively. The upper, middle and lower pedons had Mollic epipedon in the surface horizon but they had different sub-surface horizons. The middle and lower pedons had Argic and Cambic sub-surface horizons, respectively. The upper, middle and lower slope pedons had Vitric, Leptic and Cambic principal qualifiers, respectively while Arenic, Arenic and Aric supplemental qualifiers for upper, middle and lower pedons, respectively. Therefore, the studied soils were classified as Vitric Andosols (Arenic), Leptic Retisols (Arenic) and Cambic Phaeozems (Aric) for upper, middle and lower slope positions, respectively. In conclusion, topography remarkably affects soil properties, therefore, site-specific soil management is vital to maintain and improve soil organic matter and essential plant nutrients.
| Published in | International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (Volume 7, Issue 2) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20220702.12 |
| Page(s) | 73-85 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Pedon, Soils Horizons, Soil Properties, World Reference Base
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APA Style
Abreham Yacob, Ashenafi Nigussie. (2022). Characterization and Classification of Soils Along the Toposequence of Medo Sub-watershed at Wondo Genet District, Ethiopia. International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, 7(2), 73-85. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20220702.12
ACS Style
Abreham Yacob; Ashenafi Nigussie. Characterization and Classification of Soils Along the Toposequence of Medo Sub-watershed at Wondo Genet District, Ethiopia. Int. J. Nat. Resour. Ecol. Manag. 2022, 7(2), 73-85. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20220702.12
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Download@article{10.11648/j.ijnrem.20220702.12,
author = {Abreham Yacob and Ashenafi Nigussie},
title = {Characterization and Classification of Soils Along the Toposequence of Medo Sub-watershed at Wondo Genet District, Ethiopia},
journal = {International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management},
volume = {7},
number = {2},
pages = {73-85},
doi = {10.11648/j.ijnrem.20220702.12},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20220702.12},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijnrem.20220702.12},
abstract = {Soil characterization and classification study under topographic position is essential to recognize the effects of slope on soil physicochemical, and morphological properties and to draw promising management practices. In view of this, the present study was implemented to characterize and classify the soils along the toposequence of Medo sub-watershed using the World Reference Base for Soil Resources. First, topographic positions were categorized as upper, middle, and lower slopes position. One representative pedon was opened per each slope position and the profiles were described in situ. Soil morphological properties were influenced by topographic position. Sandy clay loam was the dominant soil textural classes in the surface soils. In all pedons, soil bulk density ranged from 0.8 - 1.2 g cm-3. The soil pH. ranged from 5.43 – 5.81 in the surface to subsurface layers of the three pedons. Soil organic carbon contents were ranged from 1.46 - 2.23 in the upper, middle and lower slope positions, respectively. Total nitrogen contents of the soils were varied from 0.14 to 0.22 and rated as medium to high. The soils present base saturation was categorized as very high (> 80%) in all pedons, respectively. The upper, middle and lower pedons had Mollic epipedon in the surface horizon but they had different sub-surface horizons. The middle and lower pedons had Argic and Cambic sub-surface horizons, respectively. The upper, middle and lower slope pedons had Vitric, Leptic and Cambic principal qualifiers, respectively while Arenic, Arenic and Aric supplemental qualifiers for upper, middle and lower pedons, respectively. Therefore, the studied soils were classified as Vitric Andosols (Arenic), Leptic Retisols (Arenic) and Cambic Phaeozems (Aric) for upper, middle and lower slope positions, respectively. In conclusion, topography remarkably affects soil properties, therefore, site-specific soil management is vital to maintain and improve soil organic matter and essential plant nutrients.},
year = {2022}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - Characterization and Classification of Soils Along the Toposequence of Medo Sub-watershed at Wondo Genet District, Ethiopia AU - Abreham Yacob AU - Ashenafi Nigussie Y1 - 2022/05/12 PY - 2022 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20220702.12 DO - 10.11648/j.ijnrem.20220702.12 T2 - International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management JF - International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management JO - International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management SP - 73 EP - 85 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2575-3061 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnrem.20220702.12 AB - Soil characterization and classification study under topographic position is essential to recognize the effects of slope on soil physicochemical, and morphological properties and to draw promising management practices. In view of this, the present study was implemented to characterize and classify the soils along the toposequence of Medo sub-watershed using the World Reference Base for Soil Resources. First, topographic positions were categorized as upper, middle, and lower slopes position. One representative pedon was opened per each slope position and the profiles were described in situ. Soil morphological properties were influenced by topographic position. Sandy clay loam was the dominant soil textural classes in the surface soils. In all pedons, soil bulk density ranged from 0.8 - 1.2 g cm-3. The soil pH. ranged from 5.43 – 5.81 in the surface to subsurface layers of the three pedons. Soil organic carbon contents were ranged from 1.46 - 2.23 in the upper, middle and lower slope positions, respectively. Total nitrogen contents of the soils were varied from 0.14 to 0.22 and rated as medium to high. The soils present base saturation was categorized as very high (> 80%) in all pedons, respectively. The upper, middle and lower pedons had Mollic epipedon in the surface horizon but they had different sub-surface horizons. The middle and lower pedons had Argic and Cambic sub-surface horizons, respectively. The upper, middle and lower slope pedons had Vitric, Leptic and Cambic principal qualifiers, respectively while Arenic, Arenic and Aric supplemental qualifiers for upper, middle and lower pedons, respectively. Therefore, the studied soils were classified as Vitric Andosols (Arenic), Leptic Retisols (Arenic) and Cambic Phaeozems (Aric) for upper, middle and lower slope positions, respectively. In conclusion, topography remarkably affects soil properties, therefore, site-specific soil management is vital to maintain and improve soil organic matter and essential plant nutrients. VL - 7 IS - 2 ER -
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