This study was conducted to compare some soil physical and chemical properties of Mollisols and Vertisols in Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Four pedons were chosen, two in each location. Soil samples from horizons were taken. Soil samples were air-dried, ground and sieved by (2 mm) sieve in order to be used for physical and chemical analyses. The results indicated that the soil reaction (pH) was slightly alkaline (7.97-8.35). Electrical conductivity in all soil samples of both soil orders Vertisols, and Mollisols are low due to the leaching process by the rainfall additionally; these soil orders have well drainage conditions. Organic matter content was concentrated at the surface horizon (Ap) in both study soil orders, both littering and humification processes are predominant in surface horizon and appear mollic epipedon in Mollisols. The Vertisols contained considerable organic matter content but less than Mollisols. Vertisols contained more carbonates notably in the deep soil horizons. Generally, there is an increase in total carbonates content with depth. High cation exchange capacity (CEC) which decreased directly towards downward of soil profile. CEC values in vertisols were relatively higher than in Mollisols. Fluctuation in bulk density among soil horizons in Vertisols, whereas in Mollisols they were increased in bulk with depth. Clay content in Vertisols increased with depth.
The study area comprises Erbil province, Kurdistan region, Iraq. Thirty-five soil samples have been taken from different districts. Several soil analyses have been performed in order to find soil loss as a criterion for land suitability assessment. The other criteria were elevation, slope, aspect ratio, and land use and land cover (LULC). All used criteria have been weighted using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology to find their priorities in order to use them on weighted overlay methodology (WOM) based on the Geographical Information Systems (GIS) technique. Integration of AHP and GIS have been utilized in purpose to find the land suitability based on five classes; high suitable (S1), moderately suitable (S2), marginally suitable (S3), not suitable (N1), and not suitable permanently (N2). The result of land suitability shows that the S1 class is generally located at the northwest of the middle part in the study area extended to the southwest, and it occupies an area of 1243.94 km2 (8.61%). The S2 class occupies a minimum area of 85.52 km2 (0.59%), while the S3 class occupies a massive area relatively about 4886.75 km2 (33.82%). The N1 class occupies the highest area, around 6538.32 km2 (45.26%). At the same time, N2 class takes 1693.16 km2 (11.72%). Both N1 and N2 have an area of 8,231 km2 (56.98%) of the total area while S1, S2, and S3, which takes only 6,216 km2 (43.02%).In this study we found the possibility of using GIS and AHP in order to find the land suitability assessment.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.