European Soil Bureau  Research Report No. 9
Soil Survey and Monitoring in Cyprus
Costas Hadjiparaskevas
Department of Agriculture (Soil and Water Use Sector), Ministry of Agriculture, Natural
Resources & Environment, CYPRUS, dagrwuse@cytanet.com.cy
Introduction
Cyprus is an island with an area of 9,251km2. The
topography includes two mountain ranges, one in
the north and the other in the centre. Between them
lies a plain. The cultivated area is estimated at
1,340km2. The state forest land is 18% of the total
area.
The Status of Soil Mapping
in Cyprus
In Cyprus systematic soil studies and soil
classification started in 1957, aimed at collecting
information and data about the physical and
chemical properties of soils.
The first soil classification system used was based
mainly upon the formation, origin and parent
material of the soils.
The first efforts to map the soils of Cyprus used
topographical sheets at scale 1:5,000. The next step
in soil mapping was the preparation of the General
Soil Map of Cyprus at a scale of 1:200,000.
The soil classification system adopted was based
mainly upon the formation, origin and parent
materials of the soils, as with the previous
mapping.
Sedentary soils
These soils were classified into soil series
according to the type of parent material, which
constituted the D horizon. Soil series have in many
cases the same names as the geological formations.
Alluvial or colluvial soils
The classification is into soil series according to
their origin and their physical and chemical
properties. Local names have also been used for
soil series.
Later, in 1970, the FAO soil classification system
was introduced. Through this system a new effort
was undertaken to establish a common
international language in soil classification. Based
on our observations and soil studies the following
diagnostic horizons from the FAO system have
been adopted: Mollic, Ochric, Argillic, Natric,
Cambic, Calcic and Gypsic.
In order to separate soil units, some diagnostic
properties from FAO (UNESCO) system were
used and a number of soil orders and sub-orders
recognised, corresponding to the following general
definition:
Lithosols
Accordingly, soils were classified mostly as Red,
Sedentary and Alluvial or Colluvial soils. Usually
an examination of the main horizons, A, B, C, D,
together with soil physical and chemical analyses,
was carried out in order to classify the soils of
these groups into soil series identified by local
names.
Soils limited in depth by continuous coherent and
hard rock within 10cm of the surface. Lithosols are
divided into two sub-orders:
Red soils
Soils from recent alluvial deposits, having no
diagnostic horizons other than an Ochric A or a
histic H horizon.
In general, these have been classified into soil
series according to the C and D horizons.


Calcaric
Eutric.
Fluvisols
Soil Survey and Monitoring in Cyprus. Costas Hadjiparaskevas
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European Soil Bureau  Research Report No. 9
Regosols
New Soil Map
Soils from unconsolidated material, having no
diagnostic horizons other than an ochric A horizon.
Regosols and Fluvisols have been divided into
calcaric and eutric sub-rders.
Rendzinas
Soils having a mollic horizon, immediately
overlying extremely calcareous material.
Solonchaks
Soils having high salinity within 125cm of the
surface (EC > 15mmhos). Solonchaks have been
separated into Gleyic and Orthic sub-orders.
Solonetz
Soils having a natric B-horizon.
Vertisols
These soils have 40 percent or more clay in all
horizons, developing wide cracks from the soil
surface downwards. Furthermore, they have
slickensides and unfavourable physical properties.
Cambisols
These soils have a cambic B-horizon and no
diagnostic horizon other than an ochric or an
umbric A horizon, a calcic or a gypsic horizon.
Soils classified into Cambisols occupy extensive
areas and are subdivided into the following suborders:





Vertic
Calcaric
Calcic
Eutric
Chromic.
Luvisols
These soils have an argillic B-horizon and they are
subdivided into:



Vertic
Calcic
Chromic.
During the last decades interest in soil surveys and
mapping has been very limited due to the
continuously diminishing contribution of the
agricultural sector to the economy of the country it is currently about 4% of the GNP.
In areas where soils have not been surveyed, other
methods have been used, such as extrapolation,
photo interpretation and the general soil map of
Cyprus.
A number of important information sources have
been used in the preparation of the new soil map of
Cyprus:
Geological Map of Cyprus, scale
1:250,000
Geological survey has been used to identify parent
material of the soils.
Other soil surveys
Soil surveys, carried out in different areas of the
country at different times, are the most useful pool
of information.
Many of these surveys were carried out by
different soil scientists using in many cases
different soil taxonomic systems. They were
working on aerial-photos at scale 1:10,000 and
preparing a soil map at scale 1:25,000.
The main purpose of each soil survey project was
to cover the most fertile soils and all the
agricultural development areas. The majority of the
existing soil maps were prepared mainly for
agricultural purposes. For soil mapping and other
relevant soil activities, the Soil and Water Section
of the Department of Agriculture is the only
government section responsible.
Cyprus- cooperation
Land Use Classification
A land use map of Cyprus showing classes of
agriculture use and natural vegetation is shown in
Figure 1. A land suitability classification map of
Cyprus has also been prepared mainly for
agricultural purposes. Its main objective is to
classify the land according to its suitability for
irrigation.
98
The new soil map of Cyprus, printed in 2002 at
scale 1:250,000 (Figure 2), is based on previous
classifications and was adjusted to the new FAO
classification system (WRB, 1998).
In Cyprus there is no specific institution dealing
with soils and because of this it is important to
establish technical scientific cooperation with other
international soil centres. The study of calcareous
soils was carried out in cooperation with the
Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural
Resources, Hanover, Germany. About 36% of the
total area of Cyprus is categorised as having
slightly to high calcareous soils.
Soil Survey and Monitoring in Cyprus. Costas Hadjiparaskevas
European Soil Bureau  Research Report No. 9
Recent Work
Using the newly secured data, a digital soil map of
Cyprus has been prepared at scale 1:250,000 in
collaboration with the remote sensing centre of the
Ministry of Agriculture.
An extension of this work has been preparation of
a soil map of Cyprus at scale 1:1,000,000 based on
the creation of soil associations of the main group
of soils.
Figure 2: Land use map of Cyprus: natural vegetation & agricultural use
Soil Survey and Monitoring in Cyprus. Costas Hadjiparaskevas
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European Soil Bureau  Research Report No. 9
Figure 2: Soil map of Cyprus
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Soil Survey and Monitoring in Cyprus. Costas Hadjiparaskevas
European Soil Bureau  Research Report No. 9
This map was prepared for inclusion in the
European Soil Database.
National and Regional
Maps in a Global Context
The problems envisaged in adapting the national
and regional soil maps using the global
methodology of soil taxonomy include:
1.
2.
Various soils occupying small areas, as
remnants of erosion, were mapped as
associated soil groups. Other soils developed
in depressions and on slopes of mountainous
areas were also mapped as associations.
In a general soil map at small scale
(1:250,000
to
1:1,000,000),
where
generalisation is necessary, small areas with
different soil groups are blended. As a result,
detailed information about the physical and
chemical properties of these soils may be
obscured.
Soil Monitoring
Monitoring activities are concentrated on
establishing Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZ) as
required by the EC Nitrate Directive. A map
showing the NVZs at a scale of 1:250,000 is in
the final stage of preparation.
The next step will be to prepare a map showing
the areas where sewage sludge can be applied.
Suggestions
The revised classification system of the FAO
(WRB, 1998) seems to have improved the
classification structures by the introduction of
Soil Groups, Diagnostic Horizons, properties and
materials. Using this terminology and coding,
soils can be classified to a lower category level in
an international system, which obviates the need
to use local names of soil series names.
Problems that occur by the use of different scales
can be overcome through using digital mapping.
Surveys can be carried out at different detailed
scales without any difficulty in the eventual
printing of any scale map.
References
FAO (1998). World References Base for Soil
Resources.
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