TY - JOUR

T1 - An indigenous soil classification system for Bellona Island - a raised atoll in the Solomon Islands

AU - Elberling, Bo

AU - Breuning-Madsen, Henrik

AU - Bruun, Thilde Bech

PY - 2010

Y1 - 2010

N2 - One of the challenges of evaluating existing traditional farming systems is to combine localknowledge and modern scientific methods and terminology. This requires an evaluation of indigenoussoil classification in modern terms. This paper focuses on an indigenous soil classificationsystem developed by local farmers on the island of Bellona, Solomon Islands. The definitions of thedifferent soil types are described and the principles of the classification system and the applicabilityof ethnopedology in soil surveys are discussed. Based on interviews with about 20 per cent of thefarmers on the island as well as standard soil chemical and physical determinations on main soiltypes, an evaluation of the soil types for cultivation of various crops is carried out. The soils onBellona are developed on oolitic or clayey phosphate-rich deposits forming the basis for theagriculture production on the island. The Bellonese soil classification system is mainly based on thephysical properties of the humus-containing top layer. Subsoil layers are only used for classificationif they are very close to the surface and may be mixed with the topsoil. Results show a generalagreement among farmers, who perceive the same four out of seven soil types as highly useful forcultivation and rank these soil types similarly according to their suitability for different crops suchas yam, watermelon, cassava and sweet potato. It is concluded that the indigenous soil classificationis in line with the soil production potential and useful for land evaluation on Bellona.

AB - One of the challenges of evaluating existing traditional farming systems is to combine localknowledge and modern scientific methods and terminology. This requires an evaluation of indigenoussoil classification in modern terms. This paper focuses on an indigenous soil classificationsystem developed by local farmers on the island of Bellona, Solomon Islands. The definitions of thedifferent soil types are described and the principles of the classification system and the applicabilityof ethnopedology in soil surveys are discussed. Based on interviews with about 20 per cent of thefarmers on the island as well as standard soil chemical and physical determinations on main soiltypes, an evaluation of the soil types for cultivation of various crops is carried out. The soils onBellona are developed on oolitic or clayey phosphate-rich deposits forming the basis for theagriculture production on the island. The Bellonese soil classification system is mainly based on thephysical properties of the humus-containing top layer. Subsoil layers are only used for classificationif they are very close to the surface and may be mixed with the topsoil. Results show a generalagreement among farmers, who perceive the same four out of seven soil types as highly useful forcultivation and rank these soil types similarly according to their suitability for different crops suchas yam, watermelon, cassava and sweet potato. It is concluded that the indigenous soil classificationis in line with the soil production potential and useful for land evaluation on Bellona.

U2 - 10.1111/j.1467-9493.2010.00390.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1467-9493.2010.00390.x

M3 - Journal article

VL - 31

SP - 85

EP - 99

JO - Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography

JF - Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography

SN - 0129-7619

IS - 1

ER -