Agropedological characterization of the soils in the region of Djebel El Ouahch, Constantine, Algeria

Abstract

The region of Djebel El Ouahch is characterized by topography very rough, marked juxtaposition high plains, hills, depressions and sharp breaks of slopes, thus yielding a heterogeneous Site. The physicochemical characterization of three soil classes representing the region of Djebel El Ouahch (three depths0-40 cm and 40-80 cm and80-120 cm) allowed to put in evidence the domination of the clay fraction in vertisols and soil calcimagnesic while are the sand and silt that dominate the soil isohumic. In all three types of soils mentioned above the organic matter present low levels of. The capacity of cation exchange is highly related at the mineral fraction and so those are clays who determining the amount of bases exchangeable in soil. The average value of pH (7-7, 4) is the tree type of soil is among the soil neutral to slightly basic. The soil calcimagnesic show the contents of total limestone high compared the vertisols and the soil isohumic. For the majority of the soils studied, contents of Nitrogen and phosphates are relatively important in surface compared in depth.

Keywords: Djebel El Ouahch, Algeria, physicochemical, vertisols, soil calcimagnesic, soil isohumic