Unifying regional soil maps at different scales to generate a national soil map for the United Arab Emirates applying digital soil mapping techniques

Abstract

Soil information and soil maps have been compiled and are available for the entire United Arab Emirates (UAE), however, no national soil map has yet been published. Soil maps of Abu Dhabi Emirate (84% of the UAE), and the Northern Emirates (11%) were published in 2009 and 2012, respectively while a soil map of Dubai Emirate (5%) was published in 2005, but with different standards and procedures. The aim of the present study is to unify the three regional soil maps into a national soil map for the entire UAE. Because the Dubai soil map is different from the other two maps, the original boundaries and soil classifications had to be modified. Digital soil mapping techniques, including use of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation model, were applied to modify, integrate, and correlate the soil map of Dubai Emirate. SRTM was used to guide line placement of the Dubai map units' boundaries. It was especially helpful for the Torripsamments great group, which was separated into three classes based on relief. ArcGIS was used to compile and manage geographic information, and the USDA Soil Taxonomy was used to classify soils. A generalized soil map for the UAE at a scale of 1:700,000 was produced. The map consists of 15 map units named by the great groups that dominate each unit. The overall extent and percentage of each great group within each emirate is calculated and presented. The map provides a general overview of the distribution of soils making up the UAE.