engleski

Spatial variability of selected soil properties in the estuary of Neretva river, Croatia

An understanding of spatial variability of soil properties is increasingly needed, particularly for better soil management and optimal crop allocation. The objectives of this study were to quantify spatial variability of selected soil properties in the estuary of Neretva river and evaluate the appropriation of interpolation procedure for soil data mapping. Based on regionalized variable theory, experimental semivariograms were used to quantify the spatial variability of selected soil properties. In the study area (43°01′20′′ N and 17°31′ 06′′ E) covering 391 ha in total of 190 topsoil samples were taken and analyzed for pH, CaCO3, soil organic carbon (SOC), electrical conductivity (EC dS/m in 1:1 soil : water) and clay content. Semivariograms of the SOC, EC and clay content were the best fitted with spherical model and characterized with a moderate nugget/sill ratios of 43.2%, 37.8% and 47.0% respectively. The ranges of these models for SOC, EC and clay content were 3338 m, 2641 m and 1963 m and exhibited a spatial continuity at the different scales. The soil pH and CaCO3 content experimental semivariograms are the best fitted with exponential model and characterized with short range variation of 369 m and 393 m respectively. These indicate a high proportion of irregular and largely uncorrelated soil spatial variations. Our results suggest that interpolation techniques, like kriging, for making maps of pH and CaCO3 are unsuitable

soil, semivariogram, nugget/sill, interpolation

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