Spatial Distribution of Major Soil Order in Davao del Norte , Philippines Under Agriculture and Forestry Land-use

Abstract

Soil survey and classification provides basic information that is helpful to local government units for agriculture and disaster management in formulating land-use plan. This study used the soil classification and land use data obtained from the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) to develop a GIS-generated map of the spatial distribution of major soil order in the province of Davao del Norte, Philippines. Using the World Base Refence (WBR) of FAO, there were seven soil orders found in Davao del Norte namely; Eutric Regosols, Gleyic Cambisols, Humic Acrisol, Humic Luvisols, Orthic Acrisol, Orthic Luvisol and Eutric Cambisol. Orthic Acrisol is the largest order found in Davao del Norte covering 102,364.2847 hectares or 30% of the province’s total land area. Also known as “Ultisol” in the USDA soil taxonomy, this type of soil is low in fertility due to high leaching and high erodibility. If utilized in agriculture, sufficient application of lime and fertilizer must be applied to supply the nutrients needed by the plants and to attain maximum yield. This is especially important for Davao del Norte with an economy that is primarily agricultural-based. It is however recommended that field investigation must be conducted to validate the existence of these seven soil orders in the province.