Thirteen soil profiles were selected to represent the soils of the college of agriculture farm, Sohag, South Valley University to estimate and evaluate the changes in these soils. A rating scale was developed to quantitatively evaluate several important morphological properties of soils. It was used in two ways 1) to determine the relative horizon distinctness (RHD), by a comparison of adjacent horizons 2) to determine the relative profile development (RPD), by a comparison between C horizon and the horizons above it in the profile. Also, a mineralogical study of the sand fraction was conducted on soils to evaluate the origin, uniformity and weathering status of these soils.
Data obtained show that soils of the Typic Haplocalcids subgroup are of clearer horizontation than Typic Torriorthents or Typic Torripsamments; as indicated by the morphological RHD. The RPD values of the studied soils reveal that soils of the Typic Torriorthents have higher values compared with other soils.
Microscopic examination of the sand fraction shows that the minerals of the light fraction are mainly dominated by quartz followed by feldspars beside small amount of calcite. On other hand, opaque minerals dominate the heavy fraction of all studied soils of both locations. The non-opaques are composed essentially of epidotes, zircon and amphiboles and are present in relatively high amounts. Pyroxenes, garnet, biotite and rutile are found in pronounced amounts while other minerals are found in minor quantities.
Uniformity and weathering ratios indicate that the soils are heterogeneous, either due to their multi-origin or to the multi-depositional regime. Thus, the soils are weakly developed, pedogenically young and are formed from heterogeneous parent materials.