Spatial Variability of Some Chemical and Physical Soil Properties in Nesho Mountainous Rangelands

Soil is a suitable place for vegetation and plant growth, while this valuable investment is not preserved, shortage of food, erosion and damage natural resources will be respected. Soil is a heterogeneous, diverse and dynamic system and investigation of its temporal and spatial changes is essential. In this paper spatial variability of some chemical and physical soil properties were investigated in mountainous rangelands of Nesho, Mazandaran province, Iran. From the study area 110 soil samples were sampled by a systematic sampling strategy at 0 to 30 cm depth below the surface on a regular grid spacing of 30 × 30 m 2 with different vegetation cover and all the samples were transported to laboratory. Then soil chemical and physical parameters including Acidity (pH), Electrical conductivity, CaCO3, Bulk density, Particle density, total phos- phorus, total Nitrogen, available potassium, Organic matter, Saturation moisture, Soil texture (percentage of sand, silt and clay), Sodium, Calcium, magnesium were measured in laboratory. After data normalization, classical statistical analysis were used to describe soil properties and geo-statistical analysis were used to illustrate spatial correlation of soil characteristics and by using interpolating techniques of maps spatial distribution of these properties was prepared. Results indicated that in the study area saturation moisture and percentage of Sand had highest and lowest spatial correlation respectively.