This study aims to assess Sustainable Land Management Index (SLMI) for the soils in El-Minufiya Governorate through five indices (productivity index, security index, protection index, economic viability index and social acceptability index). The studied area, lies between latitudes 31° 5' and 31° 25' N and longitudes 30° 10' and 30° 40' E, and occupied 217160 hectares. The two Nile branches (Rosetta and Damietta branches) pass the Governorate. Thus, the land use in rural areas of the Governorate is mainly agriculture. The area included two landscapes; Flood plain and Aeolian plain. Soils in the investigated area were classified under one soil order, Entisols and classified as Typic Torrifluvents, Vertic Torrifluvents and Typic Torripsamments. Fifteen soil profiles were dug to represent El-Minufiya Governorate soils. An SLMI model was designed using the spatial geoprocessing tools of ArcGIS by integration between biophysical, socioeconomic and environmental factors for soils of each mapping unit. Four SLMI classes were outlined; the overflow mantles, overflow basins mapping units (Class I) representing 24.1 % (52333 ha) of the total area, the river levees, decantation basins, high river terraces, moderate river terraces and low river terraces mapping units (Class II) covering 48.3% (104991 ha) of the total area, turtle backs mapping unit (Class III) occupying 0.3% (642 ha) of total area and Class (IV) that not meeting sustainability found in sand sheets mapping unit occupying 16.7% (36255 ha) of the total area. |
