ERDOGAN, H. E. & T. TÓTH 2014. Potential for using the world reference base for soil resources to identify less favoured areas. Soil Use and Management. 30:560-8.


Abstract
The European Commission (EC) has adopted a communication that is seeking to test a proposed set of eight soil and climate criteria to objectively assess and delimit agricultural areas suffering from natural handicaps. In areas designated as ‘Less Favoured Areas’ (LFA) agricultural production is
hampered by natural handicaps, for example difficult climatic conditions, steep slopes in mountain areas or low soil productivity. To delineate LFAs, a set of factsheets were provided by the EC Joint Research Center for mapping the proposed common soil, climate and terrain criteria. The present
study was performed to determine the suitability of the World Reference Base for Soil Resources, 2006 (WRB) soil classification system in terms of estimating LFA thresholds. It was concluded that the WRB soil categories are directly applicable for delineating areas affected by the LFA criteria for
soil constraints Organic Soil and Vertic Properties. The WRB categories correctly defined areas constrained by Salinity and Sodicity, but since they are stricter, than the LFA criteria, further analysis is needed to delineate the larger areas corresponding to LFA criteria. The climate and terrain criteria of LFA are only broadly indicated by WRB categories.