This study addresses date palm growth and Saharan agriculture’s substantial environmental changes in Ziban agroecosystems (ZAE). Arid climate and vulnerable soils make oasis environments fragile. Most soils are sandy and rich in saline accumulations. This study characterised ZAE dry soils, determined its typology using the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) classification and US soil taxonomy (ST), and assessed their degradation using remote sensing (RS). Fieldwork identified representative oasis based on gypsum, calcareous crusts, and salinity. Ten soil profiles were selected using two topo-sequences, and 27 samples were obtained at 0-30, 30-60, and 60-120 cm. Analyses were carried out on organic matter (OM), pH, electrical conductivity (diluted extract 1:5), CaCO 3 , gypsum, and soil texture. Oasis soils are dominated by gypsum and are all affected by salinity. The rates of OM and CaCO 3 are low to moderate. The land use and degraded areas were identified using RS data, field research, and soil analytical results. Soil classification revealed variability in soil diversity. The Typic and Gypsic Haplosalids’ ST soil group (SG) and the WRB Reference Soil Group (RSG) of Gypsic Solonchaks (Hypersalic) and Yermic Gypsic Solonchaks are equivalent. The Typic Haplogypsids and Typic Petrogypsids (ST) correspond to the Gypsisols (WRB). The Typic Torripsamments (ST) are correlated with the Arenosls (WRB). Differentiating degraded areas according to their degree of degradation and specific soil features is made possible by characterising the soils and identifying their typology. Farmers must use the right management strategies for each situation to sustain the oasis agroecosystem.
The aim of the study was to analyse the potential of production and utilization of biochar as a marketable product in agriculture for Turkey. Towards this aim, the distribution of arable land, crop residues and soil types of Turkey were identified. The biochar production potential was evaluated depending on prominent residual biomass streams in Turkey. In addition, how much biochar would be needed for arable soil types found in Turkey was estimated according to previous studies which investigated the effect of biochar on similar soil taxonomy and/or plant grown. Total crop production is focused on southern, western and central Anatolia, although the arable lands of Turkey prevail in seven regions. The residues of wheat, barley, corn and cotton stalk, tea, banana, hazelnuts and forest were found to be higher than other residuals in different regions and they could be suitable for biochar production. Furthermore, it was highlighted that the low water holding capacity of soil, alkalinity, salinity and soil pollution impeded the crop productivity. Although, the biochar produced from prominent residues was one-fiftieth less than that of total estimated amount of biochar needed for arable soils, it obviously improves the plant growth and soil characteristics, when used together with fertilizer, especially for zonal and intrazonal soils. At this point, it could be focused on the long-term field experiments due to determine the special and productive addition rate of biochar for Turkey, and biochar addition to the soil could be channelled into threatened priority arable lands by the public authorities.