Land Use Change Effect on Physical, Chemical, and Mineralogical Properties of Calcareous Soils in Western Iran

Aims Todays, the change of range land to agricultural uses by unplanned and improper locations of water supply wells would be led to sever reduction of ground water level and subsequently fully land degradation. However, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of land use change on soil physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties. Materials & Methods In this study, 9 soil profiles in Kangavar plain with range and different arable land uses were dug and described. Some properties of soil samples were determined, then, pedons classified to Inceptisols, Entisols, and Mollisols orders. Findings The result showed that with land use change from range land to agriculture, content of soil clay reduces (from average 47.6% to 41.4%). With land use change of range to cropland properties including pH, organic matter and calcium carbonate equivalents contents decreased. The amount of soluble potassium in the surface horizons in range lands was more than arable land. In the cropland pedons, the amount of soluble sodium reduced compared to rangeland pedons. The results showed that land use change had no effect on clay minerals type, but changed those value. According to the results, in range land, illite and vermiculite percentage were greater than crop land soil pedons. The smectite content in arable land use more frequency than range land (data have significant difference at p< 0.05 level). Conclusion It was concluded that long-term agriculture in study area induced to sever reduction of nutrient and consequently caused to soil degradation in whole plain.