EFFECTS OF LAND-USE CHANGE ON SOME HYDRO-PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different land-use types on hydro-physical properties of topsoil in Bartin-Iskalan Creek Catchment located in Western Black Sea region. Duplicate topsoil samples were taken using steel cylinders (400 cm 3) at 100 different sampling points from 3 different land-use types (34 from farmlands, 34 from rangelands and 32 from forests). Data were analyzed using ANOVA, and means were compared by Tukey's test. Results indicated that forests had the highest organic matter content (4.17%), total porosity (46.66%), water holding capacity (34.19%), hydraulic conductivity (24.75 cm/h), moisture content at field capacity (29.62%) and available water (6.94%), whereas rangelands had the lowest hydraulic conductivity (2.33 cm/h), water holding capacity (29.46%), total porosity (43.08%), and organic matter content (2.73%), and farmlands had the lowest moisture content at the field capacity (28.73%) and available water capacity (3.01%) in their topsoils.