الفهرس 
Material and methodsOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The Sinai Peninsula covers an area of about 61.000 lcin2, extending between latitudes 27° 15- and 31° 10- North and longitudes 32° 10- and 34° 10- East .Sudr , Wardan and Lahta wadis are considered of the most promising wadies in the south western side of the Sinai peninsula due to the promissing soils and water potentialities.
Sixteen soil profiles represented the dominant soils in Such, Lahta and Wardan Wadies, These profiles were morphological described and sampled for physical, chemical and mineralogical analyses. Based on the field morphological description and laboratory analyses the investegation soils are classified to two soil orders , namely ; Entisols and Aridisols. Three subgroups of the Entisols and three subgroups of the Aridsols were identified in the investegated area. The Entisols included Typic Torriorthents, Typic Torripsamments , and Typic Torrifluvents. The Aridisols subgroups were Leptic Haplogypsids, Typic Haplosalids and Typic Haplogypsids The obtained data could be summarized in the following:-
1.Physical and chemical properties A-.Soil of Typic Torriorthents
These soils are represented by profiles 1,4,5 and 7 the texture class is mostly sand , while the surface layers are sandy loam or loamy sand. CaCO3 content ranges between 9.5 and 25.7 % with an increase with the entire profile depth. Organic matter content is very low due to the desertic conditions prevailing in the area , while gypsum content ranges from 0.1 to 4.5 % pH values ranged between 7.2 and 8.1 indicate that the soils are netural to moderately alkaline . ECe values ranging between 2.7 to 15.1 dS/m indicating that the soils are non saline to strongly saline Soluble cations of the soil saturation extract shows that Cr and / or Nat are the dominant cations followed by Mg” and K .Soluble anions are dominated with 504 - and /or a , while HCO3 is the least abundant soluble anions. B — Soils of Typic Torripsamments
These soils are represented by profiles 6 , 10 and 11 Soil texture is sandy throughout the entire profile depth. CaCO3 content ranges from 20.5 to 80.5 % which is true reflection of the significant influence of parent material on the formation of these soils. Both organic matter content which not exceed 0.3 % and gypsum content are very low. Soluble salts indicate that the soils are non saline. The pH values ranges from 7.6 to 8.7 indicating that the soils are mildly alkaline to strongly alkaline. Soluble cations characterized by the dominance of Nat, while CT presdominates.in soluble anions. C -Soils of Typic Torrifluvents
These soils have variable texture , silty clay loam , loamy sand and sand . This texture variation is due to the modes of deposition prevailing during soil formation. CaCO3 content ranges from 23.2 to 27.6 % with no sepcific pattern with depth. Organic matter and gypsum content is very low.
Soil reaction is mildly alkaline as the pH values range from 7.9 to 8.1. ECe values range from 2.4 to 6.7 dS/m indicating that the soils are non saline to slight saline Soluble cations are dominated by Na+ followed by Ca” , Mg ++ and K+ , while the pattern of soluble anionic composition are in the following order Cl > SO4- > HCO3.- D-Soils of Typic Haplosalids
Texture class of these soils varied from sand to clay loam
CaCO3 varies within the layers of the soil profiles and ranges between 13.5 and 22.5 % . Organic matter content is extremely low and ranges from 0.3 to 0.5 , while gypsum content ranges from 0.1 to 6.4 % with a tendency of decrease downward the soil profiles. Soil reaction is mildly alkaline to moderately alkaline as shown by pH values which range between 7.5 to 8.3 . Soil salinity ranges from6.7 to 46.0 dS/m indicating that the soils are slightly saline to extremely saline . The surface layers are more saline than those in the deeper layers. Soluble cations are dominated by Na’ followed by CC and Mg” , while le ions are the least abundant soluble cations , while soluble anions generally follow the order Cl > SO4- >HCO3. E-Soils of Typic Haplogypsids
These soils are characterized by sand and sandy loam texture classes. CaCO3 content ranges from 13.2 to 22.6 % indicating calcareous nature of their soils . Organic matter content is extremely low , not exceeding 0.25 . Gypsum content ranges from 2,8 to 14.9 % with an irregular distribution pattern with depth.The PH values ranged from 7.2 to 7.5 indicate neutral to mildly alkaline. ECe of the soil saturation extract ranges from 6.2 to 15.4 dS//m indicating that the soils are slightly saline to extremely saline. Soluble salts consistprincipally of cations Na’ >Cat >Mg > IC and these patteren of anions show that >SO4 > HCO3. F- Soils of Leptic Haplogypsids
This texture of these soils are characterized by sand, loamy sand or sandy loam and clay loam texture classes. CaCO3 content ranges between 13.2 and 26.5 % . Organic matter content is very low and not exceed 0.4 % . Gypsum content is very high and ranged from 2.9 to 21.1 % . Soil reaction is slightly alkaline or moderately alkaline (pH values ranged from 7.4 and 8.4 ) . ECe ranges from 1.1 to 22.8 dS/m indicating that the soils are non saline to extremely saline . Soluble cations are dominated by Na+ followed by CC , Mg ++ and IC , while soluble anions have the desending order Cl- > SO4 > HCO3.
2.Cation exchange capacity.
CEC vary from one profile to another. CEC values of the studied soil profiles ranges from 4.0 to 21.14 me/100 g.soil The highest value is found in the soils of Leptic Haplogypsids, while the lowest are detected in the soils of Typic Torripsanunents Exchangeable cations of the studied soils profiles characterized by the dominance of exchangeable CC and /or Mg” followed by Na’ , while exchangeable IC is the least exchangeable cations.
3-Statistical size parameters.
Applying sorting and skeweness indices on the studied soil profiles. Sorting values indicate that the sediments are poorly, moderately and well sorted suggesting that transportationand deposition of parent materials occurred by water, or water and wind and wind actions.
Skewness values indicate that the studied soils are commonly positively skewed except for some layers of profiles 2,13 and 14 which are negatively skewed.
4-Total micronutrients
Total iron content varies widely from 2780 to 30210 ppm with its highest content in the soils of Typic Torriorthents , while its lowest content characterizes the soils of Leptic Haplogypsids
Total manganese content ranges from 20 ppm in the soils of Leptic Haplogypsids to 430 ppm in the soils of Typic Torrifluvents.
Zinc content ranges from 50 to 210 ppm with its lowest content in the soils of Typic Torriorthents , while its highest content characterizes the soils of Typic Torrifluvents and Typic Haplosalids
Copper content varies from 3 to 116 ppm with its highest content in the soils of Typic Torripsamments , while its lowest values are associated with the soils of Leptic Haplogypsids.
The vertical distribution of trace elements is discussed in light of the statistical measures , i.e. weighted mean , tend and specific range , suggested by Oertel & Giles (1963).
5-Mineralogy of the sand fraction a-Light mineral
Quartz predominantes the light minerals content with less prononuced amounts of feldspars of which orthoclasse andplagioclase are the principle member while microcline is the least abundant. b-Heavy minerals
The heavy minerals are dominated by opaques and constitutes 40.4 to 59.2 . Non opaques are dominated with pyrpoboles (pyroxene +amphiboles) , Zircon , Tourmaline , Rutile , Biotite and Epidote are present in moderate amounts , while garnet , staurolite , lcyanite , Silimmaunite and monazite are of less pronounced occurrence or even absent.
Index figure ranges from 2.1 to 9.0 % Moreover , a test of uniformity and development of soil profiles leads to the conclusion that the soils constituting each profile are heterogenous either due to their multi- origin or due to the subsequent variation along the course of sedimentation . Therefore they are still considered young from the pedological view point
6-Clay mineralogy
Mineralogical identificatioin of eight clay samples , using X-ray diffraction reveals the dominancy of Kaolinite followed by smectite (montmorillonite) with less pronounced occurrence of illite , chlorite and interstratified minerals. The identified accessory minerals are domintly quartz and Feldspars . Calcite , gypsum and dolomite are also detected in tracable amounts.