Assessing the Impact of Climate Change on Soil Moisture and Temperature Regimes in Northern Algeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54386/jam.v28i2.3263Keywords:
Soil moisture regime, Climate change, Java Newhall simulation model, Soil classification, Algeria , Soil temperature regimeAbstract
This study analyzes the evolution of hydric and thermal regimes in the main soils of the Algiers region, including the Sahel and the Mitidja Plain, using climatic data from several representative stations. The results show significant spatial and temporal variability linked to recent climatic fluctuations. Most stations exhibit a xeric moisture regime typical of Mediterranean climates, with alternating wet and dry periods. Since the 2000s, the Mitidja Plain has shown a gradual trend toward wetter conditions, marked by more wet days and fewer dry days. Temperature data indicate an increase of about 0.8 °C since 1984, from 17.3 °C to 18.1 °C on average, with all stations classified within the thermic regime (mean annual temperature > 8 °C). These changes illustrate the effects of regional climate change—greater rainfall variability and general warming—which affect soil classification and pedogenesis through changes in water availability, leaching, and oxidation. The study underscores the importance of sustainable land management to mitigate soil degradation and erosion.
References
Barredo, J. I., Mauri, A., Caudullo, G., & Dosio, A. (2018). Assessing shifts of Mediterranean and arid climates under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 climate projections in Europe. Pure and Applied Geophysics, 175, 3955–3971.
Billaux, P. (1978). Estimation du régime hydrique des sols au moyen des données climatiques par la méthode graphique et son utilisation dans le cadre de la taxonomie américaine. ORSTOM Série Pédologique, 16(3).
Brar, L. K., Sharma, P., Chugh, P., Kaur, P., Sharma, R., & Banga, S. S. (2022). Effect of elevated temperature on phenology and yield of Brassica juncea. Journal of Agrometeorology, 24(4), 359–366.
Bünemann, E. K., Bongiorno, G., Bai, Z., Creamer, R. E., De Deyn, G., de Goede, R., et al. (2018). Soil quality – A critical review. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 120, 105–125.
Dar, E. A., Brar, A. S., & Yousuf, A. (2018). Growing degree days and heat use efficiency of wheat. Journal of Agrometeorology, 20(2), 168–170.
Douvis, K., Kapsomenakis, J., Solomos, S., Poupkou, A., Stavraka, T., Nastos, P., & Zerefos, C. (2023). Change in aridity index in the Mediterranean region under different emission scenarios. Environmental Sciences Proceedings, 26(1), 171.
Essa, Y. H., Hirschi, M., Thiery, W., El Kenawy, A. M., & Yang, C. (2023). Drought characteristics in the Mediterranean under future climate change. npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, 6(1), 133.
FAO (2015). Status of the world’s soil resources (SWSR): Main report.
FAO (2022). The state of the world’s land and water resources for food and agriculture: Systems at breaking point.
Giorgi, F. (2006). Climate change hot-spots. Geophysical Research Letters, 33(8), L08707.
Haied, N., Foufou, A., Khadri, S., Boussaid, A., Azlaoui, M., & Bougherira, N. (2023). Spatial and temporal assessment of drought hazard, vulnerability and risk in three climatic zones of Algeria using meteorological indices. Sustainability, 15(10), 7803.
IPCC (2021). Climate change 2021: The physical science basis. Cambridge University Press.
Karaca, S., & Sargın, B. (2022). Determination of soil moisture and temperature regimes using the Newhall simulation model: Van Province case study. Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 32(2).
Lal, R. (2003). Soil erosion and the global carbon budget. Environment International, 29(4), 437–450.
Lal, R. (2020). Soil science beyond food and fuel security. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 75(5), 97A–104A.
Lamaoui, M., Jemo, M., Datla, R., & Bekkaoui, F. (2018). Heat and drought stresses in crops and approaches for their mitigation. Frontiers in Chemistry, 6, 26.
Meddi, M., Assani, A., & Meddi, H. (2010). Temporal variability of annual rainfall in the Macta and Tafna catchments, northwestern Algeria. Water Resources Management, 24, 3817–3833.
Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change. (2020). Climate and environmental change in the Mediterranean Basin: Current situation and risks for the future. First Mediterranean Assessment Report.
Merabti, A., Darouich, H., Paredes, P., Meddi, M., & Pereira, L. S. (2023). Assessing spatial variability and trends of droughts in eastern Algeria using SPI, RDI, PDSI and MedPDSI—A novel drought index using the FAO56 evapotranspiration method. Water, 15(4), 626.
Newhall, F. (1972). Calculation of soil moisture regimes from climatic records. Soil Conservation Service, USDA.
Newhall, F., & Berdanier, C. R. (1996). Calculation of soil moisture regimes from climatic data. Soil Survey Investigations Report No. 46, USDA–NRCS.
NRCS (2016). Java Newhall simulation model (jNSM) and user’s guide (Version 1.6.1).
Onwuka, B., & Mang, B. (2018). Effects of soil temperature on soil properties and plant growth. Advances in Plants & Agriculture Research, 8(1), 34–37.
Pettitt, A. N. (1979). A non-parametric approach to the change-point problem. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series C, 28(2), 126–135.
USDA (2014). Kellogg soil survey laboratory methods manual (Soil Survey Investigations Report No. 42, Version 5.0).
Sunkad, G., Dore, D., Patil, M., Joshi, R., & Kumar, M. (2023). Impact of temperature, moisture and CO₂ on dry root rot disease of chickpea. Journal of Agrometeorology, 25(2), 312–319.
Taibi, S., Meddi, M., Mahé, G., & Assani, A. (2017). Relationships between atmospheric circulation indices and rainfall in northern Algeria. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 127, 241–257.
Taibi, S., Meddi, M., Souag, D., & Mahé, G. (2013). Évolution et régionalisation des précipitations au nord de l’Algérie (1936–2009). IAHS Publication, 359, 191–197.
Taibi, S., Zeroual, A., & Meddi, M. (2022). Effect of autocorrelation on air temperature trends in northern Algeria. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 147, 959–984.
Tavernier, B. (1976). Connaissances des sols du Maghreb. Annales de l’Institut National Agronomique, 6(2).
Tavernier, R., & Van Wambeke, A. (1976). Détermination du régime hydrique des sols du Maghreb d’après Newhall. Pedologie, 26(2), 168–178.
Van Wambeke, A. (2000). The Newhall simulation model for estimating soil moisture and temperature regimes. Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University.
Verheye, W., & de la Rosa, D. (2009). Mediterranean soils. Land Use and Land Cover, Soil Sciences, 7, 96–120.
Winzeler, H. E., Owens, P. R., Waltman, S. W., Waltman, W. J., Libohova, Z., & Beaudette, D. (2013). Changes in soil climate geography through time in the USA. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 77(1), 213–225.
Zdruli, P., Kapur, S., & Çelik, I. (2010). Soils of the Mediterranean region, their characteristics, management and sustainable use. In Sustainable land management: learning from the past for the future (pp. 125-142). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2026 NADIA AYACHE, SABRINA TAIBI, NADIA BOUREGHDA
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
This is a human-readable summary of (and not a substitute for) the license. Disclaimer.
You are free to:
Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material
The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation.
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
