Characterization and Classification of Soils along the Toposequence of Kindo Koye Watershed in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

In developing countries, where research funds are limited, the availability of pedogenic information and proper classification of soils will be of great importance. The soils of Kindo Koye watershed were fully characterized along east and west facing toposequences that formed a catena and classified according to the Soil Taxonomy and the WRB Legend to assess the impact of topography on soil development and characteristics. The morphological and physiochemical properties of seven pedons located at the upper, middle and lower slopes of the two toposequences and at the depression were studied. The study revealed the existence of three different soil orders along the toposequences in an area that was previously mapped as Eutric Nitosols. The pedons on the upper and middle slopes of both east and west-facing toposequences and the pedon on the east-facing lower slope were categorized under Ultisols, whereas the pedons on the foot slope west-facing and the depression were categorized under Inceptisols and Entisols, respectively. The Ultisols, Inceptisols and Entisols were further categorized as Acrisols, Cambisols and Fluvisols major groups according to the WRB Legend, respectively. This detail survey and classification of soils shows that topography has a great influence on soil development and characteristics.
Keywords: Catena; Toposequence; Pedon; Soil Taxonomy; WRB Legend