Distribution d'un horizon à forte cohésion au sein d'une couverture de sol aride du Nord-Cameroun : apport d'une prospection électrique (Distribution of hardpan in soil cover of arid zones. Data from a geoelectrical survey in northern Cameroon)

Abstract : A study of arid-soil cover was carried out by resistivity survey and morphological observations. The main differentiation concerns a sandy hardpan that has a low resistivity. Its distribution is closely associated with differences in vegetation: it is (i) present and continuous at shallow depth (<1.5 m) in bare or herbaceous zones and (ii) deeper than 1.5 m or absent in arboreous zones. It is also suggested that the presence of hardpan is related to a clayey substratum, whereas its absence or deepening is related to a sandy substratum