Determination of Physiographic Factors and Some Physico-Chemical Soil Properties and Mapping in Madendere Watershed

• Main Authors: Zübeyde GENÇ, Orhan DENGİZ
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Siirt University 2015-03-01
• Series: Türkiye Tarımsal Araştırmalar Dergisi
• Subjects: Soil survey and mapping; soil classification; basin characteristics; Madendere Watershed
• Online Access: http://dergipark.gov.tr/tutad/issue/26713/280985

The aim of this research was to determine the basin characteristics and physical, chemical and morphological properties, classification and mapping of different soils in Madendere Watershed. The study area is located northeastern part of Kocaeli-Kartepe district and it is 14 km from Kartepe center, coordinated as 4515500-4518000 N ve 262400-264800 E (UTM-m). The study area covers approximately 5.5 km2. The study area consists of various topographic features (flat, hilly, rolling etc.). Hilly and rolling physiographic units are particularly common in the study area. Elevation varies from 130m to 440 m above sea level. Average annual precipitation and temperature are 730.4 mm and 11.3 oC, respectively. After examination of topographic, land use, geologic and geomorphologic maps and land observation, 12 soil profile pits were excavated and determined that 10 of them are different from each other in the study area. Detailed land observations were done with grid method and auger examinations. The soil samples were taken from each profile based on genetic horizons and their analyses were done in the laboratory. According to the results of laboratory analyses by taking into consideration of soil taxonomy, these soils were classified and described. The soils were grouped under 4 order, 4 suborder, 6 great groups and 10 subgroups within 10 soil series and soil boundaries were shown on the 1:25.000 scale map. Two of ten soil series were classified as Entisol due to their young age and six are Inceptisol and two were classified as Alfisol and Ultisol. Whereas Gürgenlikdere series has the largest area (22.1%), İsmailinyeri series has the smallest area in the study area (1.9%). In addition, some necessary recommendations were given to solve some soil problems in this study.