Geopedology in complex landform setting: A case study in eastern Parangtritis Village, Indonesia

Abstract

The structural mountain range of Baturagung continue to undergo soil development, influenced by various factors, including landform, geomorphological processes, and land use management. This research is grounded in the potential of soil resources based on landform, demanding precise land management and conservation. The study involved transecting and soil sampling across different landform features in the eastern part of Parangtritis Village. The delineation of these features was aided by the modification of the topographic position index-based landform classification. Research data revealed that the landform types encompass shoulders, backslopes, footslopes, toeslopes, depressions, and floodplains. Each of these landform features exhibits distinct soil characteristics concerning depth, color, texture, and mottling, as well as organic matter, manganese, and carbonate content. These characteristics also represent soil problems that require special management, including shallow soils, steep soils, Vertisols, and anthropogenic soils experiencing compaction. Proper soil management is essential to mitigate land degradation. Therefore, investigating the variations in soil characteristics based on geomorphology is crucial for comprehending their formation and development processes and for factoring them into land management decisions.