THE EFFECT OF PEDOLOGICAL VARIATION ON PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF TWO TYPES OF SOIL IN AL-MUTHANNA GOVERNORATE.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of pedological variation on the physical and chemical characteristics and environmental factors of alluvial and desert soils in Al-Muthanna (Badia Al-Samawaa). Six pedons were taken, three pedons from the alluvial plain, at Al-Rumaitha, Al-Suwayr and Al-Khidhur, and three Pedons in desert soils distributed over the Samawah desert at Fadhah Umm Shih, Al-Batah and Al-Rehab. Pedons have been described morphologically in the field. Samples were taken from each horizon of all study pedons to perform the required laboratory analyzes. The results indicated that there was a variation between the desert alluvial soils properties, especially in the ratio of calcium carbonate and electrical conductivity (EC). The alluvial soils were characterized by a high percentage of salinity and a decrease in calcium carbonate, as well as variations in the color of the soil, as for the bulk density, it was revealed that there is a deaf layer in the desert soils at a depth of 30 cm. The electrical conductivity of desert soils was between 1.1-4.5 dSm m^-1, the conductivity of alluvial soils was between 10.5-20.12 dSm m^-1, the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of desert soils was between 10.4-11.0 cmol.kg^-1, the alluvial soils were between 11.0-20.14 cmol.kg^-1, as for the proportion of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), its value in desert soils reached between 200-450 mg kg^-1, its value in alluvial soils was between 210-340 mg kg^-1, the value of gypsum for desert soils was between 0.4-9.0 ml g kg^-1 and for alluvial soils it was between 1.0-5.5 g kg^-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]