Effects of Different Land Uses on Soil Quality Indicators in and around Mount Erciyes

Background/Aim: Land use changes alter soil physical and chemical properties, with significant consequences for soil quality and ecosystem sustainability. This study aimed to determine the effects of different land use types (pasture, meadow, field, orchard-garden, coniferous forest, oak forest, recreation, and wetland) on soil quality indicators in and around Mount Erciyes.Methods: Soil samples were collected from depths of 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm. Texture, organic matter, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), lime (CaCO₃), available phosphorus (P₂O₅), aggregate stability, exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, K, and Na), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were analyzed.Results: Land use type had statistically significant effects on most of the soil properties examined (p≤0.01). In surface soils, meadow and pasture areas exhibited higher organic matter (2.95-3.18%), aggregate stability (0.63), and CEC (10.51-27.31 me 100 g⁻¹) values, while these were lower in field and recreation areas. Wetlands differed from other land use types with higher CaCO₃ (13.13%), EC (1.03 dS m⁻¹), exchangeable K (1.92 me 100 g⁻¹), and Na (2.91 me 100 g⁻¹) contents. Similar trends were observed at 10-20 cm depth: meadow, pasture, and oak forest areas showed higher organic matter and aggregate stability values, whereas these were lower in field areas. Wetlands again stood out with high EC, Na, and CEC values.Conclusion: Soil quality was higher in meadow, pasture, and forest areas with preserved natural vegetation, whereas agricultural and recreational use led to decreases in some soil quality indicators. These findings provide important insights for developing sustainable land management strategies in semi-arid and volcanic ecosystems.