1. Remote Sensing and GIS Applications in Soil Classification of Upper Wadi Rasyan Catchment
Area, Taiz Governorate, Republic of Yemen.
Lutfi Alasbahi, Ahmed Salam, M. Alrakhami, A. Algala
Renewable Natural Resources Research Center, AREA, Yemen
Lotfi.qasem@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Remote sensing provides the basic data to undertake inventory of land, as well as the temporal information required to
monitor sustainable land management practices. Geographic Information System (GIS) and technology has great potential
to improve the efficiency and quality of the methods used to gather spatial soil information. Technological advances in
GIS and remote sensing have created a tremendous potential for improvement in soil resource inventory. In this paper, the
current use of remote sensing for sustainable land management is reviewed, and the soil resources inventory is conducted,
where soil physical and chemical properties were investigated and soil map has been produced for the study area of Taiz
governorate, Republic of Yemen. This paper involves the mapping of soils and physiography of the study area. However
the study will represents an important part of the data base for planning the development and management of available
land resources at regional level.
CONCLUSIONS
Implementation of GIS application development with the remote sensing data (Satellite Imagery) laying of topo. sheet
data (1:50,000 scales) and digitization of different maps were helped to complete the work in much easier way. the soil
classified according to the Soil Taxonomy (USDA, 2010) The soil was classified to the family level. The soil map
indicate that five international soil orders have been recognized in the study area i.e. Aridisol and Entisols. The main
properties used to differentiate soils are texture and degree of stratification, depth, drainage, the presence of calcic
horizon, salinity and/or alkalinity, and the presence of a surface organic horizon. The soil survey provides the foundation
layer for geographic information systems used for land use planning and good land management. It describes the
characteristics, limitations and best potential uses for the different soil types found in the study area.