In Morocco, irrigated agriculture is still very much linked to the climate and the water retention of dams. With climate change, this country is experiencing recurrent drought, which has led to deficits in water inflow from the rivers to the various dams. The Al Massira dam, the area of study, does not escape this trend. This dam is the only surface water source for the irrigated area of Doukkala. Therefore, special attention must be paid to monitoring this resource at this dam. Thus, the proposed study examined the possibilities offered by spatial remote sensing to improve the current information system. It aims to evaluate this dam’s reservoir by exploiting the data generated by using satellite images. The Landsat satellite images were used to assess the area of this dam by adopting an approach combining spectral indices with thresholding. Then, the existing relationship between the area of the dam lake were examined, determined by spatial remote sensing and its water retention measured in situ. The results obtained revealed a strong correlation between the two parameters. Therefore, a study was conducted to find the best model for predicting the dam’s impoundment based on its lake. The second-degree polynomial model showed a better performance. Given the results obtained, it is recommended to use geospatial methods in the current and prospective monitoring and steering system of water resources.
Studies assessing the environmental risks related to metal pollution in agricultural soils are lacking in the coastal area of Doukkala, with is one of Morocco’s most agricultural regions. To overcome the shortcomings of such studies, trace element (As, Cd, Pb, and Zn) analyses were carried out at four sampling points in agricultural surface soils, a total of sixty-six surface soil samples were raised with an auger at a depth of (0–20 cm) from the study area. This study examined the classification and levels of heavy metals in agricultural soil and applied the pollution score and ecological risk index to the Doukkala coastal area (Morocco). This study used pollution indicators, a geo-accumulation index, and potential ecological risk indices to examine the distribution and quantity of heavy metals in agricultural soils in the coastal region of Doukkala (Morocco). This study provides significant information for policymakers and environmental specialists to quantify soil contamination in the coastal area of Doukkala (Morocco).
This research aimed to determine the physicochemical characteristics and heavy metal concentrations of agricultural soils used for grape and wheat production in Morocco in the Mohammedia Benslimane area. The organic matter (OM) content ranged from 0.6% to 2.93%. The degree of total nitrogen was higher in the wheat plots than in the vine plots in the Mohammedia and Benslimane regions. Total nitrogen average rates ranged from 0.04 to 0.5% and from 0.07 to 0.8% in the vine and wheat plots. These results imply that the soil was silty clay and clay texture, neutral to slightly acidic at all stations. The P2O5 concentrations were 11.15 ppm and 68.14 ppm under the vine and the wheat plots, respectively, while the potassium concentration ranged from 33.1 to 287.9 ppm and from 26.9 to 184.75 ppm under the vine and the wheat plots, respectively. Furthermore, the concentrations of Cd at a few stations exceeded the standard value (2 ppm), reaching 10.375 ppm. The Pb and Zn concentrations were higher in vineyard plots than in wheat plots. The Pb and Zn concentrations were 20.22 ppm and 148.60 ppm, respectively. This study reports updated information on the states of eight stations in Mohammedia and Benslimane. However, further research is necessary to determine the pollution factors in local practice crops and naturally growing plants at these stations to assess their impact on livestock and humans.
Understanding the spatial variability of soil organic matter (SOM) is critical for studying and assessing soil fertility and quality. This knowledge is important for soil management, which results in high crop yields at a reduced cost of crop production and helps to protect the environment. The benefits of an accurate interpolation of SOM spatial distribution are well known at the agricultural, economic, and ecological levels. It has been conducted this study for comparing and analyze different spatial interpolation methods to evaluate the spatial distribution of SOM in Sidi Bennour District, which is a semi-arid area in the irrigated scheme of the Doukkala Plain, Morocco. For conding this study, it was collected 368 representative soil samples at a depth of 0–30 cm. A portable global positioning system was used to obtain the location coordinates of soil sampling sites. The SOM spatial distribution was performed using four interpolation methods: inverse distance weighted and local polynomial interpolation as deterministic methods, and ordinary kriging and empirical Bayesian kriging as geostatistical methods. High SOM levels were concentrated in vertisols, and low SOM levels were observed in immature soils. The average SOM value was 1.346%, with moderate to high variability (CV = 35.720%). A low SOM concentration indicates a continuous possibility of soil degradation in the future. Ordinary kriging yielded better results than the other interpolation methods (RMSE = 0.395) with a semivariogram fitted by an exponential model, followed by inverse distance weighted (RMSE = 0.397), empirical Bayesian kriging (RMSE = 0.400), and local polynomial interpolation (RMSE = 0.412). Soil genetics and the strong influence of human activity are the major sources of SOM spatial dependence, which is moderate to low. Low SOM content levels (< 1.15%) were present in the southwestern and eastern parts of the digital map. This situation calls for the implementation of specific soil recovery measures.
JavaScript jest wyłączony w Twojej przeglądarce internetowej. Włącz go, a następnie odśwież stronę, aby móc w pełni z niej korzystać.