SOIL PROPERTIES AND MAPPING OF THE ARALIK-IĞDIR WIND EROSION AREA-I (SURFACE)

Abstract

In arid and semi-arid regions, one of the biggest problems for soil which is bare and/or has insufficient vegetation is wind erosion caused by strong winds. The second largest wind erosion area of Türkiye is in the province of Aralık-Iğdır. In this study, surface soil analysis of 40 km2 of the wind erosion area (clay,% silt,% sand, carbonate%, OM%, pH and EC), dry sieving analysis (4, 2, 1, 0.84, 0.42, 0.106, 0.020, <0.020 mm), erodible fraction (EF1%, EF2%), stability index (SI) and relative aggregation index (RSI) were determined. In addition, elevation, slope, silt, >0.84 mm, 0.106 mm, >0.020 mm, EF1, EF2, SI and RSI values as percentage were mapped using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). As a result, the texture classes of the wind erosion area of surface soils were determined as S-LS-SL, the carbonate percentages as 0.4-0.8, the organic matter percentages as 0.3-2.4, the pH values as 8.0-9.1, the electrical conductivity measurements as 0.03-0.12. In dry sieving processes; the resistant material (>0.84%) as 0-40, the erosive material (<0.84%) as 43-99; the erodible material percentages calculated with equations EF1 as 50-58, EF2 as 60-100; the stability index SI as 0-1 and the relative aggregation indices were RSI 0-11. It has been determined that the surface soils of all plots in the study area were sensitive to wind erosion, and that some plots were more sensitive.