Some important properties and classification of vertisols under Mediterranean climate

Vertisols comprise some of the important arable land in northwestern Turkey. Five sites were selected to present Vertisols occurring in different parent materials of the study area. These soils occur on flat to gently sloping plains of the region. Clay content is high in the studied sites. The high cation exchange capacity and CEC/clay ratios suggest montmorillonitic and mixed mineralogy. Calcium was the most dominant extractable cation followed by magnesium. The similar patterns of distribution for the electrical conductivity values and soluble cations throughout the studied soil sites indicate the low leaching rate, eluviation and illuviation processes within these studied sites. All soils belong to the Haploxererts soil great group.