deep soil, light brown, high in CaCO 3 throughout the profile.
it has Ochric and Petrocalcic horizons, present land use:
rangeland)
• (Gypsids): Gypsids are commonly found in Libya, in an
arid, and semiarid climate. They get their name from the
accumulation of gypsum salt that forms what is known as
the gypsic horizon. Gypsum may be present in this soil in
the form of formations of various shapes and sizes, in the
form of scars, tubes, or gypsum veins. The gypsum
horizon may solidify in some types of these soils and
form a gypsum deaf layer known as the petrogypsic
horizon. These soils are usually saline as well. The total
estimated area covered with these soils in Libya is about
124250 hectares. They are commonly spread in some
desert depressions such as the oasis of Ghadames, Daraj,
Jufra, Tawergha, and Ajdabiya, and they are classified
under the great group level of Libyan soils as shown in
Table 4.8 and Fig. 4.9a, b (Ben Mahmoud 2013).
(a) This picture was taken from Jafara area, southern part
of Libya, by Prof. Elhawej, it is a loamy or clay loam textured, deep soil, light brown, high in gypsum throughout the
soil profile, it has Ochric and gypsic horizons, land use: palm
trees).
(b) This picture was taken from Tawergha area, northcentral part of Libya, by Prof. Ben Mahmoud, it is a clay
loam textured, moderately deep soil, light brown, high in
gypsum throughout the soil profile, it has Ochric and Petrogypsic horizons, present land use: rangeland).
• (Salids): Salids are the salty soils that can be found in
many regions near the Libyan coast or in some southern
desert regions. The salts in these soils are accumulated as
a salty horizon known as (Salic horizon) inside the soil
profile. This type of soil is characterized by a large
amount of dissolved salts in the water, which impede or
prevent the normal growth of agricultural crops. Salids
(sometimes referred to as Saline or Sebeka soils by locals)
are divided into two main types; the first is called
Hydromorphic, which spreads in semiarid areas and
consists of materials rich in salts. This type of Salids can
be found mainly in the northeastern region of Libya,
where the groundwater level is relatively deep.
The second and more widespread type of Salids in Libya
is called Automorphic, in which the low local topography
and the high water table level play the major roles in its
formation. In the flat depressions regions, generally close to
the water table with high temperatures, the evaporation of
water occurs rapidly from the soil surface, pushing the
movement of capillary water from the top of the groundwater level to the surface of the soil. Here, the water evaporates leaving the salts flowering on the surface layer of the
soil, and as this process continues, a gradual accumulation of
salts occurs, forming a distinctive salt cover known as the
“salt crust” (see Fig. 1.7, Chap. 1).
Table 4.8 Classification of Gypsids (Ben Mahmoud 2013)
Order
Suborder
Great group
Aridsols
Gypsids
Haplogypsids
Calcigypsids
Petrogypsids
Fig. 4.8 a Haplocalcids (This
picture was taken from Wadi Al
Athal area, south of Zawiya by
Elhawej, it is a loamy or clay
laom textured, deep soil, light
brown, high in CaCO 3 throughout
the profile, it has Ochric and
Calcic horizons, land use: rainfed
wheat and barley) and
b Petrocalcids (This picture was
taken from Dirj area, near
Gadamis by Prof. Elhawej, it is a
sandy loam textured,moderately
deep soil, light brown, high in
CaCO 3 throughout the profile. It
has Ochric and Petrocalcic
horizons, present land use:
rangeland)
4 Soils Classification and Properties
57
it has Ochric and Petrocalcic horizons, present land use:
rangeland)
• (Gypsids): Gypsids are commonly found in Libya, in an
arid, and semiarid climate. They get their name from the
accumulation of gypsum salt that forms what is known as
the gypsic horizon. Gypsum may be present in this soil in
the form of formations of various shapes and sizes, in the
form of scars, tubes, or gypsum veins. The gypsum
horizon may solidify in some types of these soils and
form a gypsum deaf layer known as the petrogypsic
horizon. These soils are usually saline as well. The total
estimated area covered with these soils in Libya is about
124250 hectares. They are commonly spread in some
desert depressions such as the oasis of Ghadames, Daraj,
Jufra, Tawergha, and Ajdabiya, and they are classified
under the great group level of Libyan soils as shown in
Table 4.8 and Fig. 4.9a, b (Ben Mahmoud 2013).
(a) This picture was taken from Jafara area, southern part
of Libya, by Prof. Elhawej, it is a loamy or clay loam textured, deep soil, light brown, high in gypsum throughout the
soil profile, it has Ochric and gypsic horizons, land use: palm
trees).
(b) This picture was taken from Tawergha area, northcentral part of Libya, by Prof. Ben Mahmoud, it is a clay
loam textured, moderately deep soil, light brown, high in
gypsum throughout the soil profile, it has Ochric and Petrogypsic horizons, present land use: rangeland).
• (Salids): Salids are the salty soils that can be found in
many regions near the Libyan coast or in some southern
desert regions. The salts in these soils are accumulated as
a salty horizon known as (Salic horizon) inside the soil
profile. This type of soil is characterized by a large
amount of dissolved salts in the water, which impede or
prevent the normal growth of agricultural crops. Salids
(sometimes referred to as Saline or Sebeka soils by locals)
are divided into two main types; the first is called
Hydromorphic, which spreads in semiarid areas and
consists of materials rich in salts. This type of Salids can
be found mainly in the northeastern region of Libya,
where the groundwater level is relatively deep.
The second and more widespread type of Salids in Libya
is called Automorphic, in which the low local topography
and the high water table level play the major roles in its
formation. In the flat depressions regions, generally close to
the water table with high temperatures, the evaporation of
water occurs rapidly from the soil surface, pushing the
movement of capillary water from the top of the groundwater level to the surface of the soil. Here, the water evaporates leaving the salts flowering on the surface layer of the
soil, and as this process continues, a gradual accumulation of
salts occurs, forming a distinctive salt cover known as the
“salt crust” (see Fig. 1.7, Chap. 1).
Table 4.8 Classification of Gypsids (Ben Mahmoud 2013)
Order
Suborder
Great group
Aridsols
Gypsids
Haplogypsids
Calcigypsids
Petrogypsids
Fig. 4.8 a Haplocalcids (This
picture was taken from Wadi Al
Athal area, south of Zawiya by
Elhawej, it is a loamy or clay
laom textured, deep soil, light
brown, high in CaCO 3 throughout
the profile, it has Ochric and
Calcic horizons, land use: rainfed
wheat and barley) and
b Petrocalcids (This picture was
taken from Dirj area, near
Gadamis by Prof. Elhawej, it is a
sandy loam textured,moderately
deep soil, light brown, high in
CaCO 3 throughout the profile. It
has Ochric and Petrocalcic
horizons, present land use:
rangeland)
4 Soils Classification and Properties
57