Diversity of Landforms and Soil Types within the Haiti Cul-De-Sac Plain Pilot Area.

Diversity of Landforms and Soil Types within the Haiti Cul-de-Sac Plain Pilot Area

The Haiti Ministry of Agriculture with technical assistance from USDA/NRCS conducted a detailed 3000 ha pilot soil survey (1:24,000) using digital and traditional soil mapping techniques within the Haiti Cul-de-Sac plain. The objective was to build capacity within the Ministry to lead the development of soil information technology to improve conservation planning, agricultural productivity land use planning, environmental stewardship and climate change mitigation. Activities included training of Ministry of Agriculture National Leaders, Soil Scientists, Agronomists, Laboratory Technicians, Database Managers and Geographic Information Specialists to support soils investigations and to demonstrate the value and utility of soil information technology as a proof of concept. Using LiDAR, preliminary digital soil maps were developed from slope, curvature, and a topographic wetness index using clustering algorithms and an inference rule-based approach with fuzzy logic. About 100 observation sites were identified for using the Latin Hypercube methodology to assure representative sampling in delineating preliminary soil map units. About xx Haitian Scientists and Leaders were trained to describe and document field observations i.e. slope gradient, length, and shape; general drainage patterns; bedrock and parent material depositions; and native or cultivated species. Traditional methods included soil profile characterization: soil color, texture, kind and amount of rock fragments, soil reaction, size and shape of soil aggregates, plant root distribution etc., needed to assign taxonomic classes (units). Approximately 60% of the area was dominated by flood plains, while foothills, hills and dissected alluvial fans made up the remaining 40%. Dominant parent materials were marine sediments and limestone bedrock. Eleven soil types and map units were identified in the study area. The wide diversity of landforms, landscapes, parent materials, and climatic conditions resulted in highly diverse soils with different physical and chemical properties and hence land use capabilities and limitations, suggesting different land management requirements for sustainable land use.