PEDOLOGICAL VARIATION IN SOIL BETWEEN ALLUVIAL AND DESERT AREAS IN BASRAH GOVERNORATE 1-VARIATION IN PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Abstract

The study has been conducted to know the pedological variation among alluvial and desert soils and to find out the transition reign in Basrah Governorate. Three studying strip transects were chosen to represent the differences in soil sedimentation sources which include:1-Parallel strip for Shatt al-Arab river by 8 represent pedons (cultivated Al Qurnah, uncultivated Al Qurnah, Almediana, cultivated Al Faw, cultivated Almahmer, uncultivated Al Faw, cultivated Abu al Khasib, uncultivated Abu al Khasib).2-Desert strip by 5 pedons (cultivated Umm Qasr, uncultivated Umm Qasr, uncultivated Umm Qasr/2, cultivated Berjesia, uncultivated Berjesia).3-Translocation region strip by 2 pedons (Shaibah, Shatt al Basrah).The pedons were classified morphologically and soil samples were taken for each pedons horizon to study the distribution of soil particles and the results showed the following: Particle size analysis indicated that there was soil particle stability among various pedons especially at strip 1. Silt and clay particles 117.7-604.3 and 245.0-804.3 gm.kg-1 respectively at strip 1 with fine to moderate texture but in strip 2 sand particles 372.0-888.9 gm.kg-1 with moderate coarse to coarse texture and in strip 3 clay particles 350.6- 798.4 gm.kg-1 with fine texture at Shatt al Basrah region while at Shaibah region silt particles 538.1 gm.kg-1 in surface horizon, whereas in subsurface horizon sand particles 794.7 – 883.3 gm.