Improvement of Soil Physical Properties at B'lay Area in South Syria to Limit Land Degradation


Abstract in English

Land degradation deteriorates environmental systems and has direct and negative effects on crops yield, pastures and forests. Land degradation is an old phenomenon but in the last years it accelerated and spread widely to reach some interne areas in Syria like the studied area (Blay) which situated on the road of Damascus-Sowyda. In this paper morphological, physio-chemical, hydraulic and fertility study was done to clarify and define the reasons of this degradation in this specified area. Three land sections were done and morphologically described on site, soil samples were taken for analyses in the laboratory. Results showed that, the degradation may be related to different reasons like high apparent density which indicates the soil compacting, the low cation exchange capacity (CEC) and the low hydraulic conductivity with a low percentage of available water. Results also showed that the adding different percentage of soil conditioners, like hay, compost, polymer and manure ameliorates in different ratios the physical and hydraulic properties of soil.

References used

Buol, S. W., F. D. Hole, R. J. Mc-Craken, and R. J. Southared. (1997). Soil genesis and classification, 4th edition, Iowa state univ. Press
De coninck, F. (1978). Physico-chemical aspects of pedogenesis I.T.C, state univ. of Ghent, Belgium, 136 p
NRCS. (1996). Soil survey lab. Methods manual, soil survey investigation report No. 42, version 3.0 USDA

Download