Characterization and Classification of Some Soils Formed on Ophiolitc Rocks in Al-Bassit Region /Northwestern Syria

Abstract

The aim of this study is to characterize and classify soils formed from ophiolitic rocks (mafic and ultramafic) by determining their morphological, physical and chemical properties, petrographic and elemental composition studies. The profiles were prepared under forest vegetation (pines) and described based on the referenced methods in Al-Bassit region (NW Syria) between the coordinates: N: 35° 41` - N: 35° 57`, E: 35° 42` - E: 36° 05`, which belongs to Mediterranean climate regime. Samples were collected from horizons of all profiles and some physical and chemical analyses were performed in addition to petrographic and Chemical composition studies. The horizons were of the form A (Mollic)-Cr-R in profile P1, and A (Mollic)-BW-C- in the profile P2, and of the form A ((Mollic)-C1-Cr2- in the profile P3. They were ordered as: A(Ochric)-C1-C2 in the profile P4. The fires that took place in the region affected the characteristics of surface horizons of some soils, such as the percentage of organic matter, structure, and the degree of soil interaction .The ultramafic derived soils in the P1 profile contained a high level of clay, while the percentage of sand increased in mafic derived soil P2, P4. The soil contained high levels of exchangeable Ca+2 and Mg+2, likely because they are in the structure of the rock. Carbonates are in low levels and are absent in some horizons, this is due to the composition of the parent material. The soil classification for studied profiles show that the profiles (P1, P2, P3) classified as Mollisols and the Profile P4 as Entisols.