Soil physico-chemical, mineralogical, and micromorphological changes due to desertification processes in Yazd region, Iran

Nine pedons and 30 surface samples were taken, described, and analyzed to investigate the effect of desertification on soil quality indices, mineralogical, and micromorphological properties of three regions (desert, semi-desert, non-desert) in central Iran. The results showed that moving from a non-desert to a desert area decreased soil quality indices such as organic matter (from 0.5% to 0.2 %) and microbial respiration (from 1.59 to 0.11 mgCO(2) g(-1) soil). By contrast, increases were recorded for bulk density (1.2 to 1.9 Mg m(-3)) and soil salinity (5 to 19 dS m(-1)). Soil in the non-desert area had a sandy texture that led to good drainage conditions, while soil in the desert area had a clayey texture that led to poor drainage conditions. The mineralogical assemblage of the soil was approximately the same for all the three areas, with illite and chlorite being the main minerals. Kaolinite and smectite were present in lower concentrations. The micromorphological evidence showed that the main microstructure of the non-desert region was granular, probably because of the higher organic matter content in this area. In the desert region, platy structure was abundant. Overall, a more thorough perception of the desertification process was gained by studying its impact on soil properties.