Effects of land use change on the soil physical and chemical properties and fertility of soil in Sajadrood catchment

Abstract

Prioritizing and expanding the agricultural activities by increasing the agricultural commodities are the strategies to create a balance between the increasing population rate and food production to meet the increasing needs of human beings.  The existence of suitable water and soil are the main factors for these activities.  In this study the influence of changing the exploitation of pasture system to farming land system on the physical and chemical properties of the soil in one selection in Sajadrood catchment in the north of Iran was investigated.  Samples were taken at two depths (0-10 cm and 10-20 cm) in four sites.  After experimentation, the gathered data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0 software program.  The results showed that the amount of soil bulk density, amount of organic carbon and the percentage of clay were increased in farming lands in comparison with pasture.  In pasture with the depth increase, there is a reduction in acidity and percentage of the moisture saturation percentage, but there is an increase in the amount of neutral substances and the percentage of clay, with the depth increase (10-20 cm). Generally, in most sections, the amount of physical and chemical change in farm lands by changing the use is lower than pasture.

Keywords: farming land, pasture, physical properties, Sajadrood catchment