Abstract
Nepal exhibits unique topographic features with great biodiversity variation within a short gradient. The variation, along with the gradient, is coupled with heterogeneous soil types. Entisols, Inceptisols, Alfisols, and Mollisols are commonly found soils in Tarai and the Middle Mountain physiographic regions. Similarly, the Siwaliks and High Mountain physiographic regions are dominated with Entisols and Inceptisols. The High Himalayan physiographic region is dominated with Inceptisols and Spodosols with rock outcrops. However, a different topo-sequence of soil is observed even in different aspects of the same topography. Soil variation with a microclimatic difference manifests the possibility of growing a wide range of crops that can contribute to the country’s gross domestic product. Additionally, different soil types are promising for maintaining soil biodiversity which can be nurtured with proper identification and conservation of the soils in the region. As such, proper management of soil is necessary to keep up diversity to secure and foster the Nepalese economy.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Bajracharya RM (2013) Soils. In: Jha PK, Neupane FP, Shrestha ML, Khanal IP (eds) Environment and natural resources. Pulb. Nepal Academy and Science and Technology, Khumaltar, Lalitpur, pp 447–452
Barrera-Bassols N, Alfred Zinck J, Van Ranst E (2006) Symbolism, knowledge and management of soil and land resources in indigenous communities: ethnopedology at global, regional and local scales. Catena 65:118–137; Brady, NC and Weil, RC. 1996. The Nature and Properties of Soils
Baulmer R, Zech W (1994) Soils of the high mountain region of Eastern Nepal: classification, distribution and soil forming processes. Catena 22(2):85–103
Brady NC, Weil RR, Weil RR (2008) The nature and properties of soils. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, USA
Carson B (1992) The land, the farmer and the future: a soil management strategy for Nepal. ICIMOD Occasional Paper No. 21. ICIMOD, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Carson B, Maharjan PL, Shah PB (1986) Soil landscapes of Nepal; land systems report; land resources mapping project Nepal. Kenting Earth Sciences Ltd. Ottawa, Canada
Fitzpatrick RW (2013) Demands on soil classification and soil survey strategies: special-purpose soil classification systems for local practical use. In: Shahid SA et al (eds) Developments in soil classification, land use planning and policy implications: innovative thinking of soil inventory for land use planning and management of land resources. Springer Science+Business Media, Dordrecht, pp 51–80
Ghimire SK, Higaki D, Bhattarai TP (2013) Estimation of soil erosion rates and eroded sediment in a degraded catchment of the Siwalik Hills. Nepal. Land 370–391. https://doi.org/10.3390/land2030370
IUSS Working Group WRB (2007) World reference base for soil resources 2006, first update 2007. World Soil Resources Reports No 103. FAO, Rome
Land Management Division, Department of Survey (2020) Soils of Chandannath, Jumla, Nepal
LRMP (1986) Land capability report. Land resource mapping project, Kenting Earth Sciences Limited, Ottawa, Canada
Mishra BB (2016) Indian system of soil classification: a way forward. Agri Res Tech: Open Access J 3(2). https://doi.org/10.19080/ARTOAJ.2016.03.555606 (0042)
Nath AJ, Lal R, Das AK (2015) Ethnopedology and soil quality of bamboo (Bambusa sp.) based agroforestry system. Sci Total Environ 521–522:372–379. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.03.059
National Land Use Project (2011) Soils of Pithuwa Village Development Committee, Chitwan, Nepal
National Land Use Project (2012) Soils of Dumkibas Village Development Committee, Nawalparasi, Nepal
National Land Use Project (2017) Soils of Nidahawa Village Development Committee, Rupandehi, Nepal
National Land Use Project (2018) Soils of Tansen, Palpa, Nepal
Righi D, Lorphelin LP (1987) The soils of a typical slope in the Himalayas (Nepal): their main characteristics and distribution. CATENA 14:533–551
Shah PB (1995) Indigenous land and soil classification. In: Challenges in mountain resource management in Nepal: processes, trends and dynamics in middle mountain watersheds; Proceedings of a workshop held in Kathmandu, Nepal. 10–12 April, 1995, pp 203–210. International centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu, Nepal
Soil Survey Staff (2010) Keys to soil taxonomy. 11th ed. USDA/NRCS. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC. Available online at ftp://ftpfc.sc.egov.usda.gov/NSSC/Soil_Taxonomy/keys/2010_Keys_to_Soil_Taxonomy.pdf (verified January 24, 2011)
USDA (2014) Key to soil taxonomy.12th edn. USDA, Washington, DC
Vaidya SN, Maskey SL (2000) Soils of the middle mountain region of Nepal; improved soil fertility management for sustainable maize production; proceeding of a working group meeting of the Hill Maize Research Project, Lumle, Nepal
Vaidya SN, Sah K (2014) Harmonized world soil data (HWSD) upgrading work Nepal, Final report; soil science division, Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Vaidya, S.N. et al. (2021). Soil Types, Soil Classification, and Mapping. In: Ojha, R.B., Panday, D. (eds) The Soils of Nepal. World Soils Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80999-7_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80999-7_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-80998-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-80999-7
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)