Long-term effect of intensive irrigated agriculture on dryland soil quality within the vicinity of Thymelea hirsuta shrubs in the Negev Highlands

Abstract

The increased demand for agricultural land has led to dryladn areas being converted into irrigated farmlands. This has resulted in land degradation and hence poor soil quality. Within the Negev Highalands, loessal soil carbon, salinity and microbial respiration were compared above and below an eroded patch created by erosion resulting from intensive irrigation as well as beneath the canopy of Thymelea hirsuta shrubs and in adjacent open areas. The objective the study was to determine effects of erosion on some biochemical characteristics of loess soil, i.e. organic carbon, soil salinity and soil respiration in areas located above versus those below waterfalls. Sixty soil samples were taken from the topsoil (30 above and 30 below waterfall)…