Comparative study of interpolation methods for mapping soil pH in the apple orchards of Murree, Pakistan

Abstract

Abstract

Arsenic and other water‐quality issues affecting groundwater, Indus alluvial plain, Pakistan

“…The As in irrigation water and groundwater used for irrigation is sorbed to sediments in the soil zone and the unsaturated zone in both Punjab (Nickson et al, ) and elsewhere (Evans, Mitchell, & Salau, ; van de Graaff, Suter, & Lawes, ) and does not pass into the aquifer. This is not surprising, as soils across the Indus River plain are Calcisols (Food and Agricultural Organization, ) and so buffered by calcite to a pH of around 8.0 ± 0.3 (Ahmed et al, ) and so is usually insufficiently high (i.e., >8.5) to drive alkali desorption and so leach As into infiltrating waters. The potential for As to accumulate in irrigated soils of the Indus River plain is therefore clear and should be investigated in view of its potential for adversely affecting crops (McLaughlin, Parker, & Clarke, ; Meharg & Hartley‐Whitaker, ; et seq.…”

Spatial Distribution of pH in the Soil Profiles of Representative Soil Series from Rice Producing Area, District Sheikhupura

“…The validation and the fitness of the interpolation method were tested via cross validation (Leuangthong et al, 2004). Cross validation estimation is obtained by leaving one sample out and using the remaining data to estimate the value (Ahmed et al, 2017). This test allows evaluating the goodness of fit of the method and the appropriateness of neighborhood, while the interpolation values are compared to the real.…”

“…One of the important distinctive characteristics of the soil variables is to show a continual spatial variability. Exploring spatial variability of soil variables serves as scientific basis for the generation of soil management strategies (Ahmed et al, 2017). Quantification of these variables from place to place and from each and every corner of the area is not possible due to laborious soil sampling analysis and usual statistical methods.…”

“…Predominant alkaline pH due to higher calcium carbonate content in the soils of Pakistan is considered as one of the restraining factor for nutrient availability to plants (Rashid et al, 1997;Ahmed et al, 2017). Acidic pH results in the enhanced bioavailability of nutrients like B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn.…”

Spatial variability of soil properties in the urban park before and after reconstruction

“…Relationships between different soil properties were analyzed through Pearson"s correlation coefficient. Soil maps were created in QGIS software (http://www.qgis.org) by IDW at a Distance coefficient P value of 2, which is widely used for mapping soil properties affected by landuse change (Hengl et al, 2007;Ahmed et al, 2017).…”