APPENDIX 2 - Representative Profiles of Gypsiferous Soils

(Source: The Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands "ACSAD")

Profile: 1 Syria

Classification:
	USDA	Calcic gypsiorthids, loamy, gypsic thermic
	Soviet	Grey-brown desertic soil, gypsic, deep saline
	FAO	Gypsic yermosol
	C.P.C.S. (1967)	Sol brun gypseux, à encroûtement gypseux sur alluvion
	C.P.C.S. (1979)	Selsol, halique, gypsique, carboxique
Location:		8 km north of Deir El Zor, Syria
Elevation:		210 m
Physiographic position:		Euphrates river, second terrace
Topography:		Level
Vegetation:		Desert plants
Climate:		Aridic, thermic
Parent material:		Alluvium
General description:		Alluvial fine material overlying gypsiferous sandy loam, uncultivated

Profile description

0-10 cm

A

Light yellowish brown (10 YR 6/4, dry) and dark yellowish brown (10 YR 4/4, moist) loam; weak medium subangular blocky; soft, friable, slightly sticky and plastic; strongly calcareous; few fine roots; gravelly on the surface and within the soil, many fine pores; clear smooth boundary.

10-38 cm

A12

Dark yellowish brown (10 YR 4/4, dry) and brown (10 YR 4/3, moist) loam; weak subangular blocky; soft, friable, sticky and plastic; strongly calcareous, many fine spots of calcium carbonate; few fine roots; many fine pores; clear smooth boundary.

38-70 cm

IIC1cs

Dark yellowish brown (10 YR 4/4, dry and moist) gypsiferous sandy loam; massive; hard, friable, non-sticky, non-plastic; calcareous; clear smooth boundary.

70-120 cm

IIC2cs

Dark yellowish brown (10 YR 4/4, dry and moist) with yellow spots of pyrite, gypsiferous loamy sand; massive: hard, firm, non-sticky, non-plastic; calcareous.

Soil analysis

Depth	CaCO3	Gypsum	pH	EC
(cm)	(%)	(%)	(H2O)	(dS m-1)
0-10	21	tr1	7.9	2.70
10-38	25	4	7.9	9.80
38-70	5	52	8.2	9.65
70-120	6	51	9.2	9.74

¹ tr: traces

Classification:
	USDA	Typic gypsiorthod, sandy, gypsic, thermic
	FAO	Gypsic yermosols
	C.P.C.S. (1967)	Sol brun gypseux
Location:		Schuamri Wildlife Reserve, Jordan
Physiography:		Wadi
Geomorphic position:		Nearly flat
Climate:		Aridic, thermic
Land use:		Pasture

Profile description

0-20 cm

A

Brownish yellow (10 YR 6/6) gravelly silt loam, very pale brown (10 YR 7/4, dry); moderate fine to medium platy structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; a few fine roots; many very fine to fine vesicular pores; strongly effervescent; abrupt wavy boundary.

2-37 cm

Bw1

Yellowish brown (10 YR 5/6) fine sandy loam, very pale brown (10 YR 7/4, dry); structureless; soft, very friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; a few fine roots; many fine interstitial pores; weakly effervescent; clear irregular boundary.

27-62 cm

Bw2

Brownish yellow (10 YR 6/8) fine sandy loam, very pale brown (10 YR 7/4, dry); structureless; soft, very friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; a few fine roots; many fine interstitial pores; non-effervescent; abrupt wavy boundary.

62-84 cm

BYm

Very pale brown (10 YR 7/3) texture not recorded white (10 YT 8/2, dry) structureless; extremely hard, extremely firm; a few fine roots; non-effervescent; abrupt wavy boundary.

84-100 cm

CKL

Yellow (10 YR 7/6) fine sandy loam, white (10 YT 8/2, dry); structureless; very friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; a few fine roots; many fine interstitial pores; violently effervescent; clear wavy boundary.

100-144 cm

Ckz

Light yellowish brown (10 YR 6/4) fine sandy loam, white (10 YR 8/2, dry) a few medium prominent very dark brown (10 YR 2/2) mottles; structureless; friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; a few fine roots; many fine interstitial pores; violently effervescent; abrupt wavy boundary. 30% CaC03 concentrations.

144-170 cm

Cz

Light olive-grey (5Y 6/2) fine sandy loam, light grey (5Y 7/2, dry) a few medium prominent black (5Y 2.5/1) mottles; structureless; friable, non-sticky and non-plastic; a few fine roots; many fine interstitial pores; coarse fragments 10% larger than 2 mm, chert pebbles, weakly effervescent.

Soil analysis

Depth	CaCO3	Gypsum	pH	EC
(cm)	(%)	(%)	(H2O)	(dS m-1)
0-2	7	18	7.8	3.5
2-27	1	61	8.0	3.1
27-62	tr	70	8.0	2.8
62-84	1	70	8.0	10.7
84-100	tr	23	7.9	8.5
100-144	4	3	7.9	39.5
144-170	18	4	7.9	35.5

Profile: 3 USA

Classification:
	USDA	Calcic gypsiorthid, fine-loamy, gypsic, thermic
	FAO	Gypsic yermosol
	C.P.C.S. (1967)	Sol brun gypseux or solontchak à encroûtement gypseux
Location:		Reeves County, Texas, USA
Physiographic position:		Probably terrace of Pecos river, elevation about 1000 m
Topography:		Level
Drainage:		Poorly drained
Vegetation:		Desert plants
Parent material:		Alluvium

Profile description:

0-0.5 cm

A11

Light grey (10 YR 4.5/3) moist, platy crust, slightly hard (dry), very friable (moist); strongly effervescent vesicular peds; evaporite specks; abrupt boundary.

0.5-5 cm

A12

Light grey (10 YR 6.5/2) loam, brown (10 YR 4.5/3) moist; weak to moderate medium platy structure; slightly hard (dry), very friable (moist); strongly effervescent; clear boundary.

5-13 cm

A13

Light brownish grey (10 YR 6.5/2) loam, brown (10 YR 4.5/3) moist; weak to moderate fine subangular blocky structure; hard (dry), friable (moist); strongly effervescent; gradual boundary.

13-33 cm

B21Ca

Pink (7.5 YR 7/3) clay loam, light brown (7.5 YR 5.5/4) moist; weak to moderate and medium fine subangular blocky structure; hard (dry), friable (moist); strongly effervescent with few films and threads of calcium carbonate; few to common wormcasts; insect cavities, roots channels; diffuse boundary.

35-56 cm

B22Ca

Pink (7.5 YR 7/4) clay loam, light brown (7.5 YR 5.5/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; consistence, reaction, wormcasts, insect cavities, root channels and calcium carbonate as above; abrupt wavy boundary varying from 46 to 66 cm below the surface.

56-84 cm

C1cs

Very pale brown (10 YR 8/3) weakly cemented gypsiferous calcareous loam, very pale brown (10 YR 7/3) moist; very hard (dry); friable (moist) and somewhat brittle; few roots; few old root channels filled with greyish brown or brown clay; few fine seams coated with gypsum and darker material.

84-115 cm

C2cs

Similar to the horizon above; split for sampling; gradual boundary.

115-140 cm

C3cs

Light grey (10 YR 7/2), greyish brown (10 YR 5/2) moist; similar to above but contains less calcium carbonate and probably more fine earth; gradual boundary.

140-180 cm

C4cs

Very pale brown (10 YR 7/3), brown (10 YR 5/3) moist; similar to horizon above.

Soil analysis

Depth	CaCO3	Gypsum	pH	EC
(cm)	(%)	(%)	(H2O)	(dS m-1)
0-0.5	12	tr	7.9	2.5
0.5-5	12	tr	7.9	3.8
5-13	12	tr	7.9	4.0
13-33	19	tr	7.8	9.2
33-56	26	tr	7.4	29.1
56-84	10	68	7.6	21.3
84-115	8	68	7.7	17.4
115-140	14	47	7.8	16.6
140-180	11	52	7.9	21.3