Characterization and Classification of Soils in a Toposequence of the Semi-arid Basaltic Landscape of Western India

Abstract

The pedological investigations were carried out on a soil toposequence of the semi-arid region on the basaltic landscape of western India and landform-soil relationship was established.  In the study, seven soil profiles, representative of the summit, escarpment, lower pediment, undulating lands, plains and valley in a toposequence were studied. The study indicated that the soil development and its properties were following the toposequence. The profile development was least at the summit and best in the plains of the toposequence. The horizon sequences observed from the summit through plains of the toposequence are A-R, Ap-Bw-Cr, Ap-Bw1-Bw2-Bw3-Bw4-Crk, Ap-Bw1-Bw2-Bss1-Bss2-Bss3, Ap-Bw-Bss1-Bss2-Bss3-Bc and Ap-Bw1-Bw2-Bw3-Bw4. The soil colour is brown to very dark greyish brown down the toposequence. The solum depth varied from extremely shallow to very deep. An increasing trend was observed in clay content, cation exchange capacity, soil reaction, electrical conductivity, base saturation and exchangeable cations from summit to plains. The soils of summit, pediments and plains were classified as Entisols, Inceptisols and Vertisols, respectively.