Characterization of Major Soil Orders in Syria

Abstract Soil is one of the most important natural resources that should be studied and characterized to provide decision-makers with sufficient information for reconstruction plans after the current war. The objective of this study is to describe the main soil orders in Syria and give an overview of their properties. Therefore, more than 150 soil profiles have been described. Soil samples were analyzed to develop a good database for the study area. Afterwards, the soil profiles were classified according to the USDA Soil Taxonomy. The results showed that the most common orders are Aridisols, Inceptisols, Entisols, Vertisols, Mollisols, and to a certain extent Alfisols. The study also demonstrated the importance of climate and topography for soil formation in Syrian environments.