Cegin soil series GB
A representative soil profile of the Cegin series (Dystric Stagnosols) in England. (Cranfield University 2021. The Soils Guide. Available: www.landis.org.uk. Cranfield University, UK.)
Soils classified and described by the World Reference Base for England and Wales:
www.landis.org.uk/services/soilsguide/wrb_list.cfm
The Cegin series comprises seasonally waterlogged loamy and clayey cambic stagnogley soils. They are intractable for much of the year unless artificially drained and their slowly permeable subsoils are coarsely structured and often compact at depth. These soils are widespread over Silurian and Ordovician sedimentary rocks in Wales but also occurs in the Midlands and Northern England, commonly on undulating till-covered lowlands or on footslopes and valley floors. Hallsworth, Nercwys, Barton and East Keswick series are minor components occurring locally.
The nature of Cegin soils varies with topography and parent material (Thompson 1982). On convex hilltops compact slowly permeable material may be near the surface as a result of truncation. On footslopes, profiles have permeable finely structured upper horizons in colluvium overlying the more compact layers characteristic of stagnogley soils. In some Cegin soils there is a thin clayey horizon possibly formed by in situ weathering.
Cegin soil absorbs only a small proportion of winter rain. In wet districts Cegin. Grass, much of it long-term, is the main crop but a little barley and roots are grown. Potential grass yields are large because growth is rarely or only slightly restricted by droughtiness but surface wetness can delay early fertilizer applications and the land may remain too wet for grazing cattle many weeks after growth starts. The autumn flush of growth potentially provides useful late grazing but it cannot always be used as the grazing season is several weeks shorter than the growing season. Grazing, silage harvesting and slurry spreading on wet land all lead to poaching or compaction of surface horizons with consequent deterioration of sward composition, soil drainage and yield. Land work is best done in autumn and, in normal years, opportunities for spring cultivation are very limited although some is carried out on adequately drained land. Cereal cropping is often affected by poor weather causing delays at harvest time. Late harvesting then prevents the land being worked when conditions are otherwise suitable. As with other wet soils, fungal diseases transmitted on stubble infect susceptible cereal crops and limit productivity.
In Wales and the North some of this land is afforested. For new coniferous plantations, the Forestry Commission recommends deep double mouldboard ploughing at 4 m spacing downslope with connecting cross drains before planting either Sitka or Norway spruce. Trees normally respond to phosphorus fertilizers given either at planting or as a subsequent top-dressing. Unless controlled, grass growth smothers young trees.
For additional information about the soil association, visit:
www.landis.org.uk/services/soilsguide/mapunit.cfm?mu=71304
For more information on the World Reference Base soil classification system, visit:
www.fao.org/3/i3794en/I3794en.pdf
Cegin soil series GB
A representative soil profile of the Cegin series (Dystric Stagnosols) in England. (Cranfield University 2021. The Soils Guide. Available: www.landis.org.uk. Cranfield University, UK.)
Soils classified and described by the World Reference Base for England and Wales:
www.landis.org.uk/services/soilsguide/wrb_list.cfm
The Cegin series comprises seasonally waterlogged loamy and clayey cambic stagnogley soils. They are intractable for much of the year unless artificially drained and their slowly permeable subsoils are coarsely structured and often compact at depth. These soils are widespread over Silurian and Ordovician sedimentary rocks in Wales but also occurs in the Midlands and Northern England, commonly on undulating till-covered lowlands or on footslopes and valley floors. Hallsworth, Nercwys, Barton and East Keswick series are minor components occurring locally.
The nature of Cegin soils varies with topography and parent material (Thompson 1982). On convex hilltops compact slowly permeable material may be near the surface as a result of truncation. On footslopes, profiles have permeable finely structured upper horizons in colluvium overlying the more compact layers characteristic of stagnogley soils. In some Cegin soils there is a thin clayey horizon possibly formed by in situ weathering.
Cegin soil absorbs only a small proportion of winter rain. In wet districts Cegin. Grass, much of it long-term, is the main crop but a little barley and roots are grown. Potential grass yields are large because growth is rarely or only slightly restricted by droughtiness but surface wetness can delay early fertilizer applications and the land may remain too wet for grazing cattle many weeks after growth starts. The autumn flush of growth potentially provides useful late grazing but it cannot always be used as the grazing season is several weeks shorter than the growing season. Grazing, silage harvesting and slurry spreading on wet land all lead to poaching or compaction of surface horizons with consequent deterioration of sward composition, soil drainage and yield. Land work is best done in autumn and, in normal years, opportunities for spring cultivation are very limited although some is carried out on adequately drained land. Cereal cropping is often affected by poor weather causing delays at harvest time. Late harvesting then prevents the land being worked when conditions are otherwise suitable. As with other wet soils, fungal diseases transmitted on stubble infect susceptible cereal crops and limit productivity.
In Wales and the North some of this land is afforested. For new coniferous plantations, the Forestry Commission recommends deep double mouldboard ploughing at 4 m spacing downslope with connecting cross drains before planting either Sitka or Norway spruce. Trees normally respond to phosphorus fertilizers given either at planting or as a subsequent top-dressing. Unless controlled, grass growth smothers young trees.
For additional information about the soil association, visit:
www.landis.org.uk/services/soilsguide/mapunit.cfm?mu=71304
For more information on the World Reference Base soil classification system, visit:
www.fao.org/3/i3794en/I3794en.pdf