Probability mapping of saline and sodic soils in the Harran plain using a non-linear kriging technique

Abstract

In the Harran Plain, southeastern Turkey, soil salinisation causes land degradation threatening the sustainability of agricultural production. According to a recent survey, approximately 18000 ha area has been affected by soil salinity and sodicity at various levels. Determining the distribution of saline and sodic soils in the study area is the first step for effective management of these soils. Over 200 soil samples have been randomly selected across the plain and analyzed for selected soil salinity and sodicity variables in soil salinity laboratory. Indicator kriging (IK), a non-linear interpolation technique, was used to map the probability levels of occurrence of saline and sodic soils across the plain. The results of IK showed the probability distributions of risky areas under different types of soil salinity classes; nonsaline, saline, saline – sodic and sodic.

Keywords

• Harran Plain
• saline-sodic soils
• indicator kriging
• probability distribution