Effects of land use changes and soil conservation intervention on soil properties as indicators for land degradation under a Mediterranean climate
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Citation
Yasser Mohawesh, Awni Taimeh, Feras M. Ziadat. (23/7/2015). Effects of land use changes and soil conservation intervention on soil properties as indicators for land degradation under a Mediterranean climate. Solid Earth, 6 (3), pp. 857-868.
Abstract
Land degradation resulting from improper land
use and management is a major cause of declined productivity
in the arid environment. The objectives of this study were
to examine the effects of a sequence of land use changes,
soil conservation measures, and the time since their implementation
on the degradation of selected soil properties.
The climate for the selected 105 km2 watershed varies from
semi-arid sub-tropical to Mediterranean sub-humid. Land
use changes were detected using aerial photographs acquired
in 1953, 1978, and 2008. A total of 218 samples were collected
from 40 sites in three different rainfall zones to represent
different land use changes and variable lengths of time
since the construction of stone walls. Analyses of variance
were used to test the differences between the sequences of
land use changes (interchangeable sequences of forest, orchards,
field crops, and range), the time since the implementation
of soil conservation measures, rainfall on the thickness
of the A-horizon, soil organic carbon content, and texture.
Soil organic carbon reacts actively with different combinations
and sequences of land use changes. The time since
stone walls were constructed showed significant impacts on
soil organic carbon and the thickness of the surface horizon.
The effects of changing the land use and whether the changes
were associated with the construction of stone walls varied
according to the annual rainfall. The changes in soil properties
could be used as indicators of land degradation and to
assess the impact of soil conservation programs. The results
help in understanding the effects of land use changes on land
degradation processes and carbon sequestration potential and
in formulating sound soil conservation plans.