The Effect of Some Soil Properties on Water Erosion in Jabal Harim

Abstract

 The study of water erosion of soils, especially on slope soils, is of environmental and economic importance and leads to the loss of soil through erosion, a change in its structure, and the deterioration of vegetation cover.

This research was carried out in Jebel Harem area. Three sites with different soil characteristics were chosen to place experimental ponds in them and study water erosion in the field.

The research aims to quantitatively estimate soil erosion using experimental ponds, and to study the relationship between some soil properties and the degree of soil erosion in the study area.

The soils in the studied sites varied in terms of texture, organic matter content, calcium carbonate, and disintegration rate. The highest erosion rate was in the third site, where it reached (5465.2) kg/ha, while it was (4670.2) kg/ha in the first site, and (3436.7) kg/ha in the second site. The erosion rate was closely related to the soil texture and its granular analysis, as it was directly proportional to the disintegration rate and sand percentage, and inversely proportional to the clay percentage. The results showed a strong inverse correlation between the percentage of organic matter and the erosion rate, with the coefficient of determination reaching (R2=0.958)