Nuristan Reserve

Location:Afghanistan
Area:1,419,914 acres (574,619 hectares)
Species:All  Endangered  Invasive
Climate:View Climate Data
Land Use:View Land Use Data
Köppen climate classification:ET (Climate: polar; Temperature: polar tundra)

Ecoregions

Afghan Mountains semi-desert
Baluchistan xeric woodlands
East Afghan montane conifer forests
Hindu Kush alpine meadow
Northwestern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows

Soils

Protected Area Boundary
 AB
   
Share25 %25 %25 %60 %20 %20 %
Soil TypeLithosolsRankersCambisolsHaplic XerosolsCalcic XerosolsRendzinas
Topsoil TextureMediumMediumMediumMediumMediumMedium
Reference Depth10 cm30 cm100 cm100 cm100 cm30 cm
DrainageImperfectlyImperfectlyModerately wellModerately wellModerately wellImperfectly
Available Water Capacity15 mm50 mm150 m100 m150 m50 mm
Phase 1   Stony  
Topsoil Properties
Gravel26 %10 %8 %4 %4 %10 %
Sand43 %48 %43 %39 %40 %42 %
Silt34 %31 %36 %40 %37 %38 %
Clay23 %21 %21 %21 %23 %20 %
USDA TextureLoamLoamLoamLoamLoamLoam
Reference Bulk Density1.39 g/cm³1.42 g/cm³1.4 g/cm³1.4 g/cm³1.39 g/cm³1.41 g/cm³
Bulk Density1.3 g/cm³1.45 g/cm³1.35 g/cm³1.32 g/cm³1.31 g/cm³1.3 g/cm³
Organic Carbon1.4 %1.43 %1.04 %0.7 %0.56 %1.96 %
PH7.65.16.38.27.97
Clay Cation Exchange Capacity42 cmol kg⁻¹18 cmol kg⁻¹44 cmol kg⁻¹72 cmol kg⁻¹93 cmol kg⁻¹47 cmol kg⁻¹
Soil Cation Exchange Capacity15 cmol kg⁻¹9 cmol kg⁻¹13 cmol kg⁻¹14 cmol kg⁻¹18 cmol kg⁻¹16 cmol kg⁻¹
Base Saturation100 %47 %78 %100 %100 %87 %
Total Exchangeable Bases15.6 cmol kg⁻¹3.7 cmol kg⁻¹9.8 cmol kg⁻¹14.3 cmol kg⁻¹33.2 cmol kg⁻¹21.4 cmol kg⁻¹
Calcium Carbonate3.9 %0 %0 %14.5 %9 %0.2 %
Calcium Sulphate0 %0 %0 %0 %0.4 %0 %
Exchangeable Sodium4 %2 %1 %2 %3 %1 %
Electrical Conductivity0.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.7 dS m-10.8 dS m-10.1 dS m-1
Subsoil Properties
Gravel  13 %3 %4 % 
Sand  42 %36 %37 % 
Silt  34 %40 %36 % 
Clay  24 %24 %27 % 
USDA Texture  LoamLoamClay loam 
Reference Bulk Density  1.38 g/cm³1.37 g/cm³1.36 g/cm³ 
Bulk Density  1.4 g/cm³1.42 g/cm³1.33 g/cm³ 
Organic Carbon  0.43 %0.29 %0.33 % 
PH  6.68.38 
Clay Cation Exchange Capacity  41 cmol kg⁻¹39 cmol kg⁻¹65 cmol kg⁻¹ 
Soil Cation Exchange Capacity  12 cmol kg⁻¹13 cmol kg⁻¹20 cmol kg⁻¹ 
Base Saturation  92 %100 %100 % 
Total Exchangeable Bases  11 cmol kg⁻¹22.7 cmol kg⁻¹41.4 cmol kg⁻¹ 
Calcium Carbonate  0 %14.9 %9 % 
Calcium Sulphate  0 %0.1 %0.3 % 
Exchangeable Sodium  1 %3 %7 % 
Electrical Conductivity  0.1 dS m-11.6 dS m-11 dS m-1 
Soil data provided by FAO/IIASA/ISRIC/ISSCAS/JRC, 2012. Harmonized World Soil Database (version 1.2). FAO, Rome, Italy and IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria.
Köppen climate classification provided by Kottek, M., J. Grieser, C. Beck, B. Rudolf, and F. Rubel, 2006: World Map of Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification updated. Meteorol. Z., 15, 259-263