The northeastern sector of the Lesser Caucasus, particularly the Shamkirchay reservoir basin in Western Azerbaijan, faces soil fertility degradation due to anthropogenic pressures and limited soil conservation efforts. In the region’s foothills, the said area is strategically vital for agriculture yet contains fewer, however, important forest ecosystems, notably alluvial meadow-forest soils. These soils covering around 558.76 hectares were evidently crucial for ecological and agricultural stability. From 2018 to 2025, six representative soil profiles (Sections 85, 126, 127, 128, 143, and 144) entailed studies to determine their ecological conditions. The soils’ morphological and chemical properties assessment included humus content, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and potassium, pH, calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), and granulometric composition (sand, silt, clay, and dust). The data, as statistically analyzed, determined the present fertility level as well as identified their degradation trends. The emerging results underscore the urgent need for targeted conservation measures to preserve these vulnerable soil systems and support sustainable agricultural practices in this fundamental region.
Alluvial meadow-forest, soil profile, morphological description, granulometric composition, fertility, diagnostic parameters, basin
In the Shamkirchay reservoir basin, the alluvial meadow-forest soils revealed medium to heavy clay textures with a high fine particle accumulation in surface horizons and elevated humus and nitrogen levels in the AUca (dark humus/organic-rich) layer, indicating active organic cycling. Consistent calcium carbonate presence supports buffering capacity, while neutral to slightly alkaline pH and the moderate phosphorus and potassium levels sustain fertility.