Buried soil
A buried soil is a sequence of genetic horizons in a pedon that is covered with a surface mantle of new soil material that is 50 cm or more thick. In his profile, the surface mantle is about 60 cm thick over a buried soil with well-expressed genetic horizons (an ochric epipedon and an argillic horizon). The buried soil is a soil profile of the Helena soil series located at the head of a drainageway that is receiving overwash (local alluvium) from the surrounding eroding sideslopes. Note the uneven surface of the Ab horizon formed by fast moving water at the time of initial overwash/deposition.
The rules for the taxonomic classification of pedons that include a buried soil are given in Chapter 4, Keys to Soil Taxonomy.
This soil classifies as an Oxyaquic Udifluvent. These soils are like Typic Udifluvents, but they are saturated with water in one or more layers within 100 cm of the mineral soil surface for either or both 20 or more consecutive days or 30 or more cumulative days in normal years. Some of these soils have redox depletions with low chroma (2 or less) at a depth below 100 cm from the mineral soil surface. Oxyaquic Udifluvents are considered intergrades to Aquents.
If a soil has a surface mantle and is not a buried soil, the top of the original surface layer is considered the “soil surface” for determining depth to and thickness of diagnostic horizons and most other diagnostic soil characteristics. The only properties of the surface mantle that are considered are soil temperature, soil moisture (including aquic conditions), and any andic or vitrandic properties and family.
Buried soil
A buried soil is a sequence of genetic horizons in a pedon that is covered with a surface mantle of new soil material that is 50 cm or more thick. In his profile, the surface mantle is about 60 cm thick over a buried soil with well-expressed genetic horizons (an ochric epipedon and an argillic horizon). The buried soil is a soil profile of the Helena soil series located at the head of a drainageway that is receiving overwash (local alluvium) from the surrounding eroding sideslopes. Note the uneven surface of the Ab horizon formed by fast moving water at the time of initial overwash/deposition.
The rules for the taxonomic classification of pedons that include a buried soil are given in Chapter 4, Keys to Soil Taxonomy.
This soil classifies as an Oxyaquic Udifluvent. These soils are like Typic Udifluvents, but they are saturated with water in one or more layers within 100 cm of the mineral soil surface for either or both 20 or more consecutive days or 30 or more cumulative days in normal years. Some of these soils have redox depletions with low chroma (2 or less) at a depth below 100 cm from the mineral soil surface. Oxyaquic Udifluvents are considered intergrades to Aquents.
If a soil has a surface mantle and is not a buried soil, the top of the original surface layer is considered the “soil surface” for determining depth to and thickness of diagnostic horizons and most other diagnostic soil characteristics. The only properties of the surface mantle that are considered are soil temperature, soil moisture (including aquic conditions), and any andic or vitrandic properties and family.