The study area is located in the North-Eastern part of the Nile Delta, northern of Ismailia canal and western Suez Canal. It comprises an area of about 3,058.8 km2 (728,285.38 feddans). This work aims to identify the main physiographic units and its features, as well as emphasise the importance of combining soil taxonomy (2014) and WRB classification (2022) systems.
Two main physiographic units were distinguished in the study area according to the previous studies, interpretation of satellite image and digital elevation model (DEM) as well as field observations; the first consists of fluvio-marine flats and the second river terraces which include the fluvial and deltaic origin.
According to field morphological descriptions as well as chemical and physical analyses, representative profiles are classified by using both Soil Taxonomy and WRB systems. The current study is the third manuscript to emphasise the importance of using both systems together in order to obtain maximum possible characteristics of the earth. Below are examples that illustrate this importance.
Soils of profile No. 4 which represent the fluvio-marine soils are classified according to soil taxonomy as follows: Typical Haplosalids, fine silty, mixed, thermic.
While these soils are classified according to WRB as follows: Fluvic Sodic Solonchaks (Siltic/Loamy/Clayic, Chloridic, Evapocrustic, Ochric, Hypersalic).
Soils of gypsiferous which represent soils of profile No. 6 are classified according to Soil Taxonomy as: Gypsic Aquisalids, loamy over sandy, mixed, thermic, whereas the application of the WRB system reveals the following: Fluvic Calcic Gypsic Sodic Gleyic Solonchaks (Loamic, Chloridic, Hypersalic).

This study addresses date palm growth and Saharan agriculture’s substantial environmental changes in Ziban agroecosystems (ZAE). Arid climate and vulnerable soils make oasis environments fragile. Most soils are sandy and rich in saline accumulations. This study characterised ZAE dry soils, determined its typology using the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) classification and US soil taxonomy (ST), and assessed their degradation using remote sensing (RS). Fieldwork identified representative oasis based on gypsum, calcareous crusts, and salinity. Ten soil profiles were selected using two topo-sequences, and 27 samples were obtained at 0–30, 30–60, and 60–120 cm. Analyses were carried out on organic matter (OM), pH, electrical conductivity (diluted extract 1:5), CaCO₃, gypsum, and soil texture. Oasis soils are dominated by gypsum and are all affected by salinity. The rates of OM and CaCO₃ are low to moderate. The land use and degraded areas were identified using RS data, field research, and soil analytical results. Soil classification revealed variability in soil diversity. The Typic and Gypsic Haplosalids’ ST soil group (SG) and the WRB Reference Soil Group (RSG) of Gypsic Solonchaks (Hypersalic) and Yermic Gypsic Solonchaks are equivalent. The Typic Haplogypsids and Typic Petrogypsids (ST) correspond to the Gypsisols (WRB). The Typic Torripsamments (ST) are correlated with the Arenosls (WRB). Differentiating degraded areas according to their degree of degradation and specific soil features is made possible by characterising the soils and identifying their typology. Farmers must use the right management strategies for each situation to sustain the oasis agroecosystem.