The Soils of Kerman, South Persia

Abstract

WITH FOUR PLATES SummaryNo mature soils were observed in the area round Kennan, much of which was occupied by lithosols and regosols. The profiles of immature soils on the fine outwash alluvium occupying some of the broad valleys suggested that the zonal Great Soil Group would be a Reddish Desert Soil. Phosphate and potassium levels of cultivated soils on the fine alluvium are adequate or good; the total nitrogen content is low, though higher on cultivated than on uncultivated soils. IntroductoryOVER much of the central Persian plateau the general relation between soils of the area it is basin, mutatis catena of mountains-plain-mountains of the Kerman basin may be observed in most parts of the parallel chains of inland basins running from Ardistan to Kerman, and Isfahan to Sirjan (Saidabad). The halfcatena mountains-plain-desert occurs round most of the west, north, and east borders of the plateau, across the boundary between the surrounding mountains and the central desert. Landscape and GeologyFor the purpose of this study the Kerman basin was arbitrarily defined to include parts of two broad valleys, converging on the town and lain of Kerman, and the containing mountains at their junction and &hest point (5,000-6,000 ft. above sea level) (see map).Many of the crests of the surrounding mountains 10,000-13,000 ft.) 1924) which rest on interbedded grits and coloured shales, and brown limestone (Upper Lias). The limestones, and the grits or shales when capped by limestone, weather to roduce a typical arid landscape in fans. Where not protected by overlying limestones the shales and grits weather to form a broken landscape of low rounded hills, as in the rough foothills of the Kuh-i-Jupar. Further isolated outcrops of Cretaceous limestone form steep hills on the plain, risin 500 to 2,000 ft. above conglomerate and pebbly sandstone form the outer edge of the Kuh-ihuman settlement is fairly uniform, so of published descriptions of the legitimate to generalize from the KermanI e plateau in general. The full topographic and the main block of the Kuh-i-Ju ar massif are s ormed of massive red or dark limestones of the middle 8 retaceous (Tipper, 1921 ; Pilgrim, which steep rock slopes rise sharp P y from stony pediments or outwash its general level. In the south-east of the basin f ow rounded ridges of Variously written as Kerrnan, Kirman, Karman.

Assessing geochemical influence of traffic and other vehicle-related activities on heavy metal contamination in urban soils of Kerman city, using a GIS-based approach

“…Soils which contain CaCO 3 show pH values ranging from about 7 to 8.4, due to the formation of calcium hydrogen carbonate. In the study area, soil pH is about 8-8.3 (Hamzeh and Aftabi 2006;Beckett 1958). Calcareous soils have a soil solution dominated by Ca 2?…”

“…Nevertheless, the distribution of trace elements in soils of the study area seems to be associated with clay granulometric soil fractions. Regardless of low microorganism content of Kerman soils, because the soils of Kerman city have high content of clay minerals and medium to alkaline pH (Beckett 1958), mobility of heavy metals in these soils is too low. Zero point of charge (ZPC) for montmorillonite is 2-3 (Berkowitz et al 2008); therefore, in the given pH value of Kerman soils (8-8.3) this clay mineral has absolutely negative charge and adsorbs positively charged metal ions.…”

“…Based on X-ray diffraction analysis, soils and sediment of the Kerman basement consist of clay minerals (30-70%), calcite (16-30%), gypsum, halite and other minor minerals. Based on the Beckett (1958) investigations, cation exchange capacity of soils of Kerman urban areas is 35 meq/ 100gr. Nevertheless, the distribution of trace elements in soils of the study area seems to be associated with clay granulometric soil fractions.…”

“…4). Based on Hamzeh and Aftabi (2006) and Beckett (1958), mean pH value in the area is about 8-8.3. So, in this pH value, all of the selected heavy metals are immobile.…”

Science on the Normandy Beaches: J.D. Bernal and the Prediction of Soil Trafficability for Operation Overlord

“…Bruce Ogden-Smith, were recruited for the task, and took part in a train- (Beckett, 1958), and later obtained his doctorate in soil science at Oxford, where he became a University lecturer. In the course of his career he did considerable research on the problems of soil survey and its quantification.…”