THE ERODIBILITY OF 3 LIBYAN SOIL TYPES IN RELATION TO THEIR PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL-PROPERTIES

The erodibility of three Libyan soil types were investigated. For this purpose surface soil materials were collected and packed in wooden boxes 61 × 15·2 × 13·2 cm, where the front edge was set 2·5 cm below the rest of the walls, and maintained at 9% slope. Soil erosion was measured by applying simulated rainfall storms over the boxes. The erodibility factor K was calculated from (K = A/EI30LSCP). The physical and chemical properties of the soils were also measured and tested with K values using regression techniques. The results showed a high variability in erodibility factor values, which ranged from 0·27 for the torrorthent soils to 0·81 for camborthid soils. The statistical analysis showed that the most important soil parameters which related and predicted the K values for the three soils studied were: percentages of very fine sand, fine sand, and the degree of permeability. © 1994 Academic Press Limited.