Preliminary assessment of geochemistry and grain-size distribution of soils in Qatar

Soil plays an important role in life, especially in the cycling and supply of nutrients and water. Soil degradation is a serious global problem. It is caused by improper use of soil for different human activities. Soil degradation can lead to a significant decline in the productivity of agricultural lands. On a global scale, the annual loss of 75 billion tons of soil (mostly through desertification and soil erosion) costs the world about US$ 400 billion. Over 33% of the global land surface is affected by desertification, while only about 11% of global soil is considered to be stable. This study aims to perform a preliminary assessment of the soil quality at different locations in Qatar. Samples were collected from 14 sites at 8 different locations in the central east of Qatar, in May 2012. These locations are representative of a variety of desert soils (Umm Al-Zubar, Sealine, Semeisma, and Umm Al-Amad), farmland (Al Sailiya), a wastewater pond (Abu-Nakhala), a sandy beach (Katara Beach) and a protected ar...