Questions and answers about the department:

Ten questions and answers about the department:

Q1: When was the Land Survey Department established?

 The Soil Survey Department was established in 1955 AD

Q 2: Who is the first head of the Soil Survey Department?

The first head of the land surveying department is Dr. Mohamed Abdel Aziz Ghaith.

Q3: What is the number of employees in the Soil Surveying and Classification Department?

The number of employees in the Soil Surveying and Classification Department is 96, distributed as follows:

 - 75 pension researchers

- 10 head of research

- 1 senior researcher

- 1 researcher

- 1 assistant researcher

- 2 Agricultural engineers

 – 4 administrative employees

- 2 workers

Q4: Does the department have other branches in the research stations of the institute?

The department does not have any other branches

Q5: What are the types of Soil inventory carried out by the department?

 • Regional survey

 • Reconnaissance survey

• Semi-detailed survey

 • Detailed survey

 • Intensive survey

Q6: What are the steps of analyzing soil samples in the laboratory and what are the types of analysis?

 - Drying, pounding and sieving the soil samples with a 2 mm sieve to separate the gravel and stones, and estimate their grain size distribution.

The following laboratory analyzes are performed on fine soil:

- Making soil saturation paste with distilled water, estimating saturation capacity (SP), measuring pH, filtration of the sample, estimating salinity by measuring electrical conductivity (EC) in soil extract, and estimating dissolved cations (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium) and dissolved anions (carbonate, bicarbonate, chloride, sulfate), and calculate the sodium adsorption Ratio (SAR).

- Determination of the cation exchange capacity and the exchangeable sodium (ESP).

 - Determination of the amount of carbonates, gypsum, organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorous.

 - Mechanical analysis to find out the grain size distributions of sand, silt and clay, and to determine the texture of the soil using the texture triangle.

 - Conducting water relations studies to determine the ability of the soil to retain water, estimating the field capacity and wilting point, and the soil water that facilitates the plant.

Q7: What does the final technical report include for Soil survey, classifying and evaluating lands?

 The technical report includes the following:

1. Contents, tables and figures.
2.  Introduction.
3.  General description of the area, including: location and area, climate, geology and geomorphology of the area, water resources, natural plants or cultivated crops.
4.  The method used in the study.
5.  The results of the study include: Soil formation factors and processes. General characteristics of the soil. Describe soil units in terms of surface features, morphological, physical and chemical characteristics. Classification of soil according to the latest international methods of classification. - Assessing the current and future suitability of lands for agricultural use and their suitability for cultivating certain crops.
6.  Recommendations.
7.  References.
8.  Appendices include:

-Morphological description of the soil sections.

 -Laboratory analyzes of soil samples. Maps include:

-Map of locations of sectors

-Soil map.

-Validity maps for agricultural use and suitability for cultivating certain crops.

-Maps of individual characteristics such as texture, salinity, alkalinity, ground water --level, ground water salinity, drainage condition, gypsum needs…etc.

Q8: What are the research units of the department and what do they do?

 - The unit of remote sensing and geographic information systems, which produces maps and satellite images for any project or scientific research.

Q 9: What is the department’s contribution to national projects?

 - The department has contributed and is still studying the lands of a number of national projects, including, for example, the Toshka Project and the Future of Egypt Project (New Delta).

Q10: What does the department need to complete its research thesis?

The department is in dire need of appointing a number of young researchers, as most of the department's employees are on pension (full-time professors).