4
Soil Classification and Properties
Mukhtar M. Elaalem, Hamdi A. Zurqani, Khaled R. Ben Mahmoud,
and Azzeddin R. Elhawej
Abstract
As mentioned in Chap. 3, soils and their properties in
Libya are influenced to the great extent by nature and
conditions in which these soils were formed. Hence, the
types of soil formed in Libya differ from one place to
another, and this difference is related to the diversity in
the factors responsible for soil formation. In this chapter,
we discussed the most common Soil Classification Units
found in the country and reviewed the main properties of
the Libyan soils. As mentioned also in Chap. 2, Many
soil studies have been carried out in Libya over the last
four decades. These soil survey reports differ in their
contents, types of maps, the scale of mapping, classification systems, methods of soil analysis, and the criteria
on which the interpretation of data is based. The major
soil classification systems used in Libya are the Russian
soil classification system, the U.S.A Soil Taxonomy, and
the FAO soil classification system. In the early 1990s,
Libyan soil experts decided to adopt the U.S. A. Soil
Taxonomy for future soil survey work and converted the
names of soil taxonomic units from the Russian soil
classification system to the U.S.A. one. The taxonomic
units for the Libyan soils were discussed according to the
Russian and U.S.A soil classification systems. According
to the U.S.A. Soil Taxonomy, Soil Taxonomic Units of
Libya are either Entisols or Aridisols. Alfisols, Mollisols,
and Vertisols can only be found in Al Jabal Al Akhdar.
Inceptisols are placed in both Al Jabal Al Akhdar and
Jabal Nafusa. Soil Properties of the main soil taxonomic
units at the great group levels were also discussed. The
major soil limiting factors that are risking the agricultural
activities in the country were also defined and will be
discussed further in the next chapter.
Keywords
Soil formation Á Mediterranean climate Á Soil genesis
and classification Á Soil mapping Á Soil characteristics Á
Agricultural capability
4.1 Introduction
As discussed in Chap. 3, the formation and genesis of soils
(at any region in the world) are quite complex, as they
contain the amassing (adding), loosing, transporting, and
generating processes. As it is widely known, these processes
take place under the effect of factors responsible for soil
formation. The major five factors responsible for soil formation in Libyan soils (like any soils formed in other regions
of the world) are climate, biota (mainly vegetation cover),
parent materials, topography, and time. In 2013, Ben Mahmoud stated that the soil types formed in Libya vary from
one place to another and this variation is related to the diversity found in the factors responsible for soil formation.
It is important here to mention that, by eliminating the
coastline, north mountain areas (in the east and west
regions), and some scattered depressions and old wadis in
southern Libya, which contain relatively developed soils (as
a scientific term), the majority of Libyan lands are covered
with non-soil covers. According to Ben Mahmoud (2013),
this is the case for about 90% of total Libyan lands including
Sands and Sand Dunes, Rocky Deserts (Hammadas), Desert
Pavements (Sarrier), and Saline Depressions (Sebkha). The
reset of the lands (about 3 million hectares in the northern
M. M. Elaalem Á H. A. Zurqani (&) Á K. R. Ben Mahmoud Á
A. R. Elhawej
Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Soil and Water Sciences,
University of Tripoli, Tripoli, 13538, Libya
e-mail: h.zurqani@uot.edu.ly
M. M. Elaalem
e-mail: m.elaalem@uot.edu.ly
K. R. Ben Mahmoud
e-mail: benmahmoud.kh@gmail.com
A. R. Elhawej
e-mail: azzeddin47@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
H. A. Zurqani (ed.), The Soils of Libya, World Soils Book Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66368-1_4
49
Soil Classification and Properties
Mukhtar M. Elaalem, Hamdi A. Zurqani, Khaled R. Ben Mahmoud,
and Azzeddin R. Elhawej
Abstract
As mentioned in Chap. 3, soils and their properties in
Libya are influenced to the great extent by nature and
conditions in which these soils were formed. Hence, the
types of soil formed in Libya differ from one place to
another, and this difference is related to the diversity in
the factors responsible for soil formation. In this chapter,
we discussed the most common Soil Classification Units
found in the country and reviewed the main properties of
the Libyan soils. As mentioned also in Chap. 2, Many
soil studies have been carried out in Libya over the last
four decades. These soil survey reports differ in their
contents, types of maps, the scale of mapping, classification systems, methods of soil analysis, and the criteria
on which the interpretation of data is based. The major
soil classification systems used in Libya are the Russian
soil classification system, the U.S.A Soil Taxonomy, and
the FAO soil classification system. In the early 1990s,
Libyan soil experts decided to adopt the U.S. A. Soil
Taxonomy for future soil survey work and converted the
names of soil taxonomic units from the Russian soil
classification system to the U.S.A. one. The taxonomic
units for the Libyan soils were discussed according to the
Russian and U.S.A soil classification systems. According
to the U.S.A. Soil Taxonomy, Soil Taxonomic Units of
Libya are either Entisols or Aridisols. Alfisols, Mollisols,
and Vertisols can only be found in Al Jabal Al Akhdar.
Inceptisols are placed in both Al Jabal Al Akhdar and
Jabal Nafusa. Soil Properties of the main soil taxonomic
units at the great group levels were also discussed. The
major soil limiting factors that are risking the agricultural
activities in the country were also defined and will be
discussed further in the next chapter.
Keywords
Soil formation Á Mediterranean climate Á Soil genesis
and classification Á Soil mapping Á Soil characteristics Á
Agricultural capability
4.1 Introduction
As discussed in Chap. 3, the formation and genesis of soils
(at any region in the world) are quite complex, as they
contain the amassing (adding), loosing, transporting, and
generating processes. As it is widely known, these processes
take place under the effect of factors responsible for soil
formation. The major five factors responsible for soil formation in Libyan soils (like any soils formed in other regions
of the world) are climate, biota (mainly vegetation cover),
parent materials, topography, and time. In 2013, Ben Mahmoud stated that the soil types formed in Libya vary from
one place to another and this variation is related to the diversity found in the factors responsible for soil formation.
It is important here to mention that, by eliminating the
coastline, north mountain areas (in the east and west
regions), and some scattered depressions and old wadis in
southern Libya, which contain relatively developed soils (as
a scientific term), the majority of Libyan lands are covered
with non-soil covers. According to Ben Mahmoud (2013),
this is the case for about 90% of total Libyan lands including
Sands and Sand Dunes, Rocky Deserts (Hammadas), Desert
Pavements (Sarrier), and Saline Depressions (Sebkha). The
reset of the lands (about 3 million hectares in the northern
M. M. Elaalem Á H. A. Zurqani (&) Á K. R. Ben Mahmoud Á
A. R. Elhawej
Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Soil and Water Sciences,
University of Tripoli, Tripoli, 13538, Libya
e-mail: h.zurqani@uot.edu.ly
M. M. Elaalem
e-mail: m.elaalem@uot.edu.ly
K. R. Ben Mahmoud
e-mail: benmahmoud.kh@gmail.com
A. R. Elhawej
e-mail: azzeddin47@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
H. A. Zurqani (ed.), The Soils of Libya, World Soils Book Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66368-1_4
49