Soil Classification

Abstract

The global knowledge of soil classification is continually advancing; therefore, soil taxonomies are regularly upgraded as the new soils are identified. Presently, several soil classification systems are used worldwide. Most systems in use generally provide guidelines to key out soils within their national boundaries. Some examples are Soil Classification for England and Wales, the Soil Map Legend of the World, World Reference Base for Soil Resources, the Canadian System of Soil Classification, the Australian Soil Classification, the New Zealand Soil Classification and the Russian Soil Classification System. The US Soil Taxonomy is a comprehensive system to be used globally, and has been used extensively in over 75 countries. No one country has within its boundaries all the soils identified in any soils key: therefore the user in the UAE has to go through all the list of potential soils to key out a specific soil in the study area. This issue suggests a need to develop Keys to Soil Taxonomy addressing the soils within the national boundaries of any country; for example the UAE. The United Arab Emirates Keys to Soil Taxonomy is a collection of information from UAE soil surveys and is specifically useful at the national level, or for other Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia) where these soils have been mapped in national soil inventories.