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A representative soil profile of an Arenic Plinthic Kandiudult from Florida. (Photo provided by M. Collins.)
Arenic Plinthic Kandiudults have a layer, starting at the mineral soil surface, that has a sandy or sandy-skeletal particle-size class and is between 50 and 100 cm thick. They also have 5 to 50 percent (by volume) plinthite in one or more horizons within 150 cm of the mineral soil surface. These soils are of very small extent in the United States.
Kandiudults are the Udults that are very deep and have a kandic horizon and a clay distribution in which the percentage of clay does not decrease from its maximum amount by as much as 20 percent within a depth of 150 cm from the mineral soil surface, or the layer in which the clay percentage decreases has at least 5 percent of the volume consisting of skeletans on faces of peds and there is at least a 3 percent (absolute) increase in clay content below this layer. These soils do not have a fragipan or a horizon in which plinthite either forms a continuous phase or constitutes one-half or more of the volume within 150 cm of the mineral soil surface. Kandiudults are of moderate extent in the
Udults are the more or less freely drained, humus-poor Ultisols that have a udic moisture regime. They are in humid climates, and most receive well distributed rainfall. Most have light colored upper horizons, commonly a grayish horizon that rests on a yellowish brown to reddish argillic or kandic horizon. A few that developed from basic rocks have a dark brown or reddish brown surface horizon that rests on a dark red or dusky red argillic or kandic horizon. Some have a fragipan or plinthite, or both, in or below the argillic or kandic horizon. Udults developed in sediments and on surfaces that range from late Pleistocene to Pliocene or possibly older. Many are cultivated, either with the use of soil amendments or in a system in which they are cropped for a very few years and then are returned to forest to allow the trees to regather in their tissues the small supply of nutrients. Most of these soils have or had a forest vegetation, but some have a savanna that probably is anthropic.
For more information about soils and the Michigan State University-Department of Geography, visit:
project.geo.msu.edu/soilprofiles/
For additional information about soil classification, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/survey/cla...
Soil profile: A representative soil profile (Typic Kanhapludult) in Xinxing County, Guangdong Province, China (PRC-07).
Landscape: These soils are on gently sloping to moderately steep sideslopes and narrow lower ridges. Most are used for growing local crops such as vegetables, peanuts, or sugarcane. A few small areas are in woodland.
The central concept of the Typic subgroup of Kanhapludults is fixed on freely drained, deep soils. They have a kandic soil horizon with an accumulation of iron and aluminium oxides and low-activity silicate clays.
Typic Kanhapludults are of large extent in the Southeastern United States. The natural vegetation consisted of forest plants. Slopes range from nearly level to steep. Where slopes are suitable, many of the soils are used as cropland. The steeper soils are used as forest. Some of the soils are used as pasture or homesites.
For additional information about soil classification, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/soils/survey/class...
A representative soil profile of a Lithosolic Clastic Rudosol in a map unit of stony soils. These soils have rocks, stones or coarse gravels as a dominant profile feature, often overlying bedrock. These soils are from the Stirlings to Ravensthorpe area of Australia. (Base photo provided by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Agriculture and Food, Government of Western Australia with revision.)
Profile:
Rocks, stones or course gravels dominant throughout
Sandy through to loamy matrix
Mainly acid ranging to neutral pH at depth
Shallow depth to bedrock
For more information about these soils including common management constraints, visit:
www.agric.wa.gov.au/mycrop/mysoil-stony-soils-stirlings-r...
In the Australian soil classification system, the soils in this unit include Rudosols. Rudosols are soils with negligible (rudimentary) pedological development, apart from minimal development of a surface (A) horizon. Two types of Rudosols are associated with this unit:
Clastic Rudosols - These are soils where at least the upper 50 cm of the soil profile mainly consists of mineral materials that are gravelly i.e. more than 10% of the material is greater than 2 mm in size. The gravel may be in distinct layers, or uniformly or irregularly distributed.
Leptic Rudosols - These are soils that within 50 cm of the surface there is hard unweathered rock, other hard materials, or partially weathered or decomposed saprolite.
For more information about the Australian Soil Classification System, visit;
www.clw.csiro.au/aclep/asc_re_on_line_V2/soilhome.htm
In Soil Taxonomy, these soils are primarily Alfisols. For more information about Soil Taxonomy, visit:
A plinthic horizon contains a significant amount of plinthite. If the horizon constitutes a "continuous phase", zones that roots can enter are more than 10cm apart and plinthite makes up 50 percent or more of the volume of the horizon (proposed). Plinthite (Gr. plinthos, brick) is an iron-rich, humus-poor mixture of clay with quartz and other highly weathered minerals. It commonly occurs as reddish redox concentrations in a layer that has a polygonal (irregular), platy (lenticular), or reticulate (blocky) pattern.
Plinthite irreversibly hardens upon exposure to repeated wetting and drying, especially if exposed to heat from the sun. Other morphologically similar iron-rich materials that do not progressively harden upon repeated wetting and drying are not considered plinthite. The horizon in which plinthite occurs commonly has 2.5 percent (by mass) or more citrate dithionite extractable iron in the fine-earth fraction and a ratio between acid oxalate extractable Fe and citrate-dithionite extractable Fe of less than 0.10.
Soils that classify as Plinthudults have one or more horizons within 150 cm of the mineral soil surface in which plinthite either forms a continuous phase or constitutes one-half or more of the volume.
For more information about a plinthic horizon, visit;
www.researchgate.net/publication/242649722_Rationale_for_...
or;
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S00167061220043...
For more information about describing and sampling soils, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/field...
or Chapter 3 of the Soil Survey manual:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/The-Soil-Su...
For additional information on "How to Use the Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils" (video reference), visit:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_hQaXV7MpM
For additional information about soil classification using USDA-NRCS Soil Taxonomy, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/keys-...
or;
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/soil-...
Columnar structure has vertically elongated units with rounded tops. Columnar soil structure looks very similar to prismatic structure, except the tops of the prisms in prismatic structure are flat or irregular. Columnar structure occurs in arid climates where there is a higher concentration of sodium and salts in the soil.
There are five major classes of macrostructure seen in soils: platy, prismatic, columnar, granular, and blocky. There are also structureless conditions. Some soils have simple structure, each unit being an entity without component smaller units. Others have compound structure, in which large units are composed of smaller units separated by persistent planes of weakness. (Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils; pp. 2-53.)
For more information about describing and sampling soils, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/field...
or Chapter 3 of the Soil Survey manual:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/The-Soil-Su...
For additional information on "How to Use the Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils" (video reference), visit:
“As a Soil Scientist at NRCS, I have the opportunity every day to make a difference in the lives of people and the world that we live in. The opportunities at NRCS seem just about limitless. I started with NRCS as an intern while I was still in college. Today I’m a Resource Soil Scientist working on projects across entire regions of the country. No matter what our job titles are, working at NRCS feels like family to me – because we care about what we’re doing. For me, NRCS is the best place to work”. (Greg Hammer, soil scientist, Virginia.)
Soil scientists are actively involved in solving many of society's most pressing problems. World hunger, environmental quality, urban growth, and climate change are all issues currently being addressed by soil scientists around the world.
A soil scientist is a person who is qualified to evaluate and interpret soils and soil-related data for the purpose of understanding soil resources as they contribute to not only agricultural production, but as they affect environmental quality and as they are managed for protection of human health and the environment. The university degree should be in Soil Science, or closely related field (i.e., natural resources, environmental science, earth science, etc.) and include sufficient soils-related course work so the Soil Scientist has a measurable level of understanding of the soil environment, including soil morphology and soil forming factors, soil chemistry, soil physics, and soil biology, and the dynamic interaction of these areas.
The layers within a soil are called soil horizons. The arrangement of these horizons in a soil is known as a soil profile. Soil scientists, who are also called pedologists, observe and describe soil profiles and soil horizons to classify and interpret the soil for various uses.
A description of the soils is essential in any soil survey. Standard technical terms and their definitions for soil properties and features are necessary for accurate soil descriptions. For some soils, standard terms are not adequate and must be supplemented by a narrative. Some soil properties change through time. Many properties must be observed over time and summarized if one is to fully understand the soil being described and its response to short-term environmental changes. Examples are the length of time that cracks remain open, the patterns of soil temperature and moisture, and the variations in size, shape, and hardness of clods in the surface layer of tilled soils.
For more information about describing and sampling soils, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/field...
For additional information on "How to Use the Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils" (video reference), visit:
Within the alluvial plains sediments, there are small areas of lacustrine deposits. These lakebeds are small in surface area and where they occur they form low-relief plains in interdune areas. There is currently very little runoff from the Hajar Mountains, except in areas to the north and east, where the mountain front is close to the sea. However, the alluvial plains are evidence of former wet periods when considerably more water must have flowed from the mountains, carrying sediments and depositing them extensively over the western half of the Northern Emirates.
The relatively harsh production environment of Abu Dhabi Emirate allows only a limited range of rural production possibilities. Crop production is largely confined to fresh vegetables, fodder and dates.
Most of the UAE's cultivated land is taken up by date palms, which in the early 1990s numbered about 4 million. They are cultivated in the arc of small oases that constitute the Al Liwa Oasis. Both federal and emirate governments provide incentives to farmers. For example, the government offers a 50 percent subsidy on fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides. It also provides loans for machinery and technical assistance. The emirates have forty-one agricultural extension units as well as several experimental farms and agricultural research stations. The number of farmers rose from about 4,000 in the early 1970s to 18,265 in 1988.
An Aqui-Gelic Cambosol and landscape. These soils distribute oddly in valley plains on plateau, as well as in part of both sides of river valley, valley plain and terraces, as well as depressive flatland of Sanjiang Plain and Songhuajiang-nenjiang Plain. All those areas are with cryic soil temperatue regime and aquic moisture regime. Parent materials are alluvial and lacustrine deposits. Presence of a seasonally frozen layer, and water above the frozen layer create good conditions for the growth of meadow plants and development of these soils. (Photos and notes courtesy of China Soils Museum, Guangdong Institute of World Soil Resources; with revision.)
In Chinese Soil Taxonomy, Cambosols have low-grade soil development with formation of horizon of alteration or weak expression of other diagnostic horizons. In Soil Taxonomy these soils are commonly Inceptisols, Mollisols, or Gelisols. (Photos and notes courtesy of China Soils Museum, Guangdong Institute of World Soil Resources; with revision.)
For additional information about this soil and the Soils Museum, visit:
www.giwsr.com/en/article/index/231
For additional information about Soil Taxonomy, visit:
Durinode.—A pedogenically formed nodule or concretion that is cemented by silica as opal or microcrystalline silica. It is often associated with soils containing volcanic glass as the silica source. Durinodes are used as diagnostic criteria for several subgroups in Soil Taxonomy. By definition, a durinode has a rupture resistance class of weakly or more cemented and has a diameter of 1 cm or more. To confirm that silica is the cementing agent (rather than calcium carbonate), the durinode is first treated with HCl, which removes any carbonates, and then subjected to hot KOH, which dissolves the silica cement.
Figure 36.—Soil profile and landscape of Portneuf soil (coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Durinodic Xeric Haplocalcid). The Portneuf series consists of deep and very deep, well-drained, moderately to moderately slowly permeable soils that formed in loess and silty alluvium. They are on fan terraces, terrace side slopes, basalt plains and hillsides, and have slopes of 0 to 20 percent. Portneuf soils have a layer greater than 15 cm thick with more than 20 percent durinodes (Bkq horizon).
A Typic Hapludalf from south-west Poland--lower Silesia region and the Sudetes Mountains formed in loess. (Photo provided by Cezary Kabala, Institute of Soil Science, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.)
Hapludalfs are the Udalfs that do not have a glossic, kandic, or natric horizon or a fragipan within 100 cm of the mineral soil surface. They do not have very dark red colors throughout the argillic horizon. The base of the argillic horizon is normally less than 150 cm below the soil surface and, in many areas, is less than 100 cm below the surface. In an undisturbed soil, there generally is a thin, very dark brown A horizon, 5 to 10 cm thick, over a lighter colored brownish eluvial horizon. The eluvial horizon grades into a finer textured argillic horizon, generally at a depth of about 30 to 45 cm in loamy materials. Because the Hapludalfs have been cultivated extensively, many of those on slopes have lost their eluvial horizons. These soils formed principally in late-Pleistocene deposits or on a surface of comparable age. They are extensive soils in the Northeastern States, excluding New England, and in Europe, excluding most of Scandinavia. The vegetation on Hapludalfs in the United States was a deciduous broadleaf forest, but the soils are now mostly farmed. Temperature regimes are mesic or thermic.
These soils are classified as Albic Lamellic Luvisols (Ochric, Siltic, Bathycalcic) by the World Reference Base (WRB).
For more information about this soil, visit:
karnet.up.wroc.pl/~kabala/Plowe.html
For more information on the World Reference Base soil classification system, visit:
www.fao.org/3/i3794en/I3794en.pdf
For additional information about the US Soil Taxonomy soil classification system, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/survey/cla...
A representative soil profile of the Lucedale soil series. (Soil Survey of Clarke County, Alabama; by Sanderson Page, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Lucedale series consists of deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in loamy sediments. These are nearly
level to strongly sloping soils in uplands of the Southern Coastal Plain Major Land Resource Area. Slopes are from 0 to 15 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, siliceous, subactive, thermic Rhodic Paleudults
Thickness of the solum ranges from 60 inches to more than 80 inches.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Lucedale soils are cropped to cotton, soybeans, corn, and small grains. Some areas are used for growing pasture and hay. Principal vegetation of wooded areas is mixed hardwoods and longleaf, slash, and loblolly pines.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The Lucedale series is of moderate extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/alabama/AL025/...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/L/LUCEDALE.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Pararock fragments.—Pieces of paralithic material 2 mm or more in size. Individual fragments are referred to as paragravel, paracobbles, etc. As with rock fragments, textural modifiers are used in soil descriptions depending on the amount of pararock fragments present (i.e., paragravelly sand, very paracobbly loam, etc.). Due to their relatively weak consolidation, pararock fragments may be broken apart and/or crushed during routine laboratory sample preparation. Consequently, the reported particle-size distribution results may indicate a pararock content lower than that observed in the field. See paralithic materials
Figure 82.—The soil on the left is a profile of the Bethlehem series (fine, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Kanhapludults). These soils are underlain by paralithic materials (primarily soft, weathered sillimanite schist). The BC horizon has about 10 to 15 percent pararock fragments of schist. The soil on the right is a Btv horizon from Dothan soil (fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Plinthic Kandiudults) that has been exposed along a road bank. Nodular plinthite ranges from 5 to 35 percent or more in the lower subsoil.
Note: From the standpoint of soil interpretations or engineering application, no distinction is made between geogenic fragments (pieces of soft rock) and pedogenic fragments (plinthite nodules, ortstein fragments, petrogypsic fragments, etc.). For soil interpretations, any consolidated material greater than 2mm is considered a “pararock fragment” if less than strongly cemented.
A representative soil profile of the Cloongeel series in an area of improved grassland from Ireland. These soils formed in fine loamy material over sandstone bedrock.
For detailed information about this soil, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/rep_profile_sheet.php?series_code=10...
For information about the soil series of Ireland, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/soilguide.php
In the Irish soil classification system these soils are Typical Luvisols. These soils have distinct topsoil, without any distinguishing features.
For more information about describing and classifying soils using the Irish Soils Classification System, visit:
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/downloads/SIS_Final_Technical_Report...
Soil profile: A Typic Petrogypsid from north-central UAE.
Center: Typical landscape associated with Petrogypsid soils.
Soil feature: Various gypsum crystals on soil surface.
Petrogypsids are the Gypsids that have a petrogypsic or petrocalcic horizon that has its upper boundary within 100 cm of the soil surface. These soils occur in very arid areas of the world where the parent material is high in content of gypsum. When the petrogypsic horizon is close to the surface, crusting forms pseudohexagonal patterns on the soil surface. Petrogypsids occupy old surfaces. In Syria and Iraq, they are on the highest terraces along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. These soils are not extensive in the United States but are extensive in other countries.
Gypsids are the Aridisols that have a gypsic or petrogypsic horizon within 100 cm of the soil surface. Accumulation of gypsum takes place initially as crystal aggregates in the voids of the soils. These aggregates grow by accretion, displacing the enclosing soil material. When the gypsic horizon occurs as a cemented impermeable layer, it is recognized as the petrogypsic horizon. Each of these forms of gypsum accumulation implies processes in the soils, and each presents a constraint to soil use. One of the largest constraints is dissolution of the gypsum, which plays havoc with structures, roads, and irrigation delivery systems. The presence of one or more of these horizons, with or without other diagnostic horizons, defines the great groups of the Gypsids. Gypsids occur in Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Somalia, West Asia, and some of the most arid areas of the western part of the United States. Gypsids are on many segments of the landscape. Some of them have calcic or related horizons that overlie the gypsic horizon.
Aridisols, as their name implies, are soils in which water is not available to mesophytic plants for long periods. During most of the time when the soils are warm enough for plants to grow, soil water is held at potentials less than the permanent wilting point or has a content of soluble salts great enough to limit the growth of plants other than halophytes, or both. The concept of Aridisols is based on limited soil moisture available for the growth of most plants. In areas bordering deserts, the absolute precipitation may be sufficient for the growth of some plants. Because of runoff or a very low storage capacity of the soils, or both, however, the actual soil moisture regime is aridic.
For more information about soil classification in the UAE, visit:
"United Arab Emirates Keys to Soil Taxonomy" and "ICBA News"
NOTE:
Original classification based on USDA-Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 10th Edition, 2006:
Typic Torripsamments, carbonatic, hyperthermic
Updated classification based on UAE-Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 2014:
Salidic Torripsamments, carbonatic, hyperthermic, petrogypsic
AD154 soils are deep, sandy soils with carbonatic mineralogy. Theses soils are moderately to strongly saline in a layer 10 cm or more thick, within 100 cm of the soil surface and have a petrogypsic layer from more than 100 to 200 cm below the soil surface. They occur on hummocky undulating to rolling plain or undulating sand sheets mostly in northern parts of the Emirate and are frequently associated with the coastal plain. They are typically excessively drained or somewhat excessively drained and have rapid or very rapid permeability.
These soils remain as barren land or in some places have been leveled for agroforestry/farming or sometimes used for low intensity grazing by camel, sheep or goats. They frequently have less than 5% vegetation cover of Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, Cyperus conglomeratus, Fagonia ovalifolia, Halopeplis perfoliata, Haloxylon perscium, Haloxylon salicornicum, Stipagrostis plumosa, Tribulus
spp, or Zygophyllum spp.
These soils are common in northern and north-east parts of the Emirate, close to the coastal plain and a source of sand sized shell fragments that give the soils their carbonatic mineralogy. The soil type has been identified as a component of many map units in these areas.
Plate 52: Typical soil profile and associated landscape for Typic Torripsamments, carbonatic, hyperthermic (Soil AD154).
Surface mantle of new soil material.—A technical phrase used to describe a particular kind of recent surface deposit. The deposit is composed of mineral soil material at least 50 cm thick, has a zone at least 7.5 cm thick at its base that fails the criteria for any diagnostic horizon, and is underlain by an older soil with a sequence of one or more pedogenically developed horizons. The presence of a surface mantle of new soil material is a requirement for recognizing a buried soil for purposes of soil classification. Where a surface mantle of new soil material overlies a buried soil, the soil profile essentially contains two soils, a newer one overlying an older one. Special care is needed to correctly classify such soils. Specific rules are provided in chapter 4 of the Keys to Soil Taxonomy. See buried soil and buried horizon.
Figure 114.—In his profile, the surface mantle of new soil 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.
A representative soil profile of a Nitisol from Italy. (Photo provided by Yakov Kuzyakov, revised.)
Nitisols are deep, well-drained, red tropical soils with diffuse horizon boundaries and a subsurface horizon with at least 30 percent clay and moderate to strong angular blocky structure breaking into polyhedral or flat-edged or nut-shaped elements with, in moist
state, shiny aggregate faces. Weathering is relatively advanced but Nitisols are far more productive than most other red tropical soils. Many Nitisols correlate with Nitossolos (Brazil), Kandic Great Groups of Alfisols and Ultisols and different Great Groups of Inceptisols and Oxisols (United States of America), Sols fersialitiques or Ferrisols (France) and Ferrosols (Australia).
Haplic (from Greek haplous, simple): having a typical expression of certain features (typical in the sense that there is no further or meaningful characterization) and only used if none of the preceding qualifiers applies. (WRB)
For more information, visit;
wwwuser.gwdg.de/~kuzyakov/soils/WRB-2006_Keys.htm
For more information about Dr. Kuzyakov, visit;
www.uni-goettingen.de/de/212970.html
For more information about soil classification using the WRB system, visit:
A representative soil profile of the Castletown series in an area of improved grassland from Ireland. These soils formed in decalcified loamy material over lithoskeletal limestone.
For detailed information about this soil, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/rep_profile_sheet.php?series_code=04...
For information about the soil series of Ireland, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/soilguide.php
In the Irish soil classification system these soils are Typical Lithosols. Typical Lithosols have a distinct topsoil, without any distinguishing features.
For more information about describing and classifying soils using the Irish Soils Classification System, visit:
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/downloads/SIS_Final_Technical_Report...
This soil has more than 5 cm of mucky sand, starting at the surface.
These soils have a layer of mucky modified mineral soil material 5 cm (2 inches) or more thick, starting at a depth ≤15 cm (6 inches) from the soil surface.
User Notes: “Mucky” is a USDA texture modifier for mineral soils. The content of organic carbon is at least 5 percent and ranges to as high as 18 percent. The percentage required depends on the clay content of the soil; the higher the clay content, the higher the content of organic carbon required. For example, a mucky fine sand soil contains between 5 and 12 percent organic carbon. When the amount of clay is increased as in a mucky sandy loam, the organic carbon content increases to between 7 and 14 percent.
Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States; A Guide for Identifying and Delineating Hydric Soils, Version 9.0, 2024.
A soil profile of a Georgeville soil. Georgeville soils formed from felsic volcanic rocks within the Carolina Slate Belt. They are very erosive because of their high silt content. Depth to bedrock is more than 150 centimeters (Soil Survey of Randolph County, North Carolina; by Perry W. Wyatt, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources)
The Georgeville series consists of very deep, well drained, moderately permeable soils that formed in material mostly weathered from fine-grained metavolcanic rocks of the Carolina Slate Belt. Slopes are 2 to 50 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Kanhapludults
Thickness of the clayey part of the Bt horizon ranges from 24 to 48 inches. Depth to the bottom of the clayey Bt horizon exceeds 30 inches. Depth to a lithic contact is more than 60 inches. The soil is very strongly acid to neutral in the A horizon and very strongly acid or strongly acid throughout the rest of the profile. Content of rock fragments ranges 0 to 20 percent in the A and E horizons, and 0 to 10 percent in the Bt, BC and C horizons. Few fine flakes of mica are in the lower part of the solum of some pedons, and some pedons may have few fine manganese concretions in the surface and upper subsoil horizons.
USE AND VEGETATION: Cleared areas are used for cotton, small grains, tobacco, corn, hay, and pasture. Forested areas are in mixed hardwood and pines.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Piedmont of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The series is extensive.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/north_carolina...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/G/GEORGEVILLE.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Dothan soils consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in thick beds of unconsolidated, medium to fine-textured marine sediments that contain 5 percent or more plinthite in the subsoil. This pedon contains about 5 percent nodular plinthite. Individual components within the map unit range from 3 to 10 percent plinthite. Soils with less than 5 percent plinthite are within the range in characteristics of the Barnwell soil series.
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/B/BARNWELL.html
Plinthite commonly occurs as reddish redox concentrations if a nodular, platy, or blocky form. it irreversibly hardens upon exposure to repeated wetting and drying, especially if exposed to heat from the sun.
The upper soil is commonly underlain by a dense compact layer. This horizon exhibits very weak very coarse blocky structure with very thick clay coating on internal seams or cracks. Clay coating is common in the very deep layers (3-4 meters or more below the soil surface) where pedogenesis is thought to be minimal or not present. The red area has a sandy loam to sandy clay loam texture, whereas the gray area has texture of clay loam or clay.
These tubes or channels are thought to be formed by biological activity at a time when the sediments were being deposited. In the current environment, they commonly contain coarse roots within elongated macropores. The macropores may be completed filled with soil material or they be open (areas that once contained live roots but currently void of roots due to decomposition), allowing for the transmission of air and water within the channel.
Some soil scientists have described these layers as BCd horizons and as densic materials (see Barnwell soil series); however, densic properties by definition cannot be pedogenic. Densic materials are relatively unaltered materials (do not meet the requirements for any other named diagnostic horizons or any other diagnostic soil characteristic). The bulk density or the organization is such that roots cannot enter, except in cracks.
Densic materials slake when an air-dry sample is placed in water and thus differ from paralithic materials and the material below a lithic contact, neither of which slake due to their degree of coherence. Densic materials have, at their upper boundary, a densic contact if they have no cracks or if the spacing of cracks that roots can enter is 10 cm or more. These materials can be used to differentiate soil series if the materials are within the series control section.
Because of the dark red color and dense characteristics, these layers are referred to by the local soil scientists as the "brick" layer. Additional investigation is needed to distinguish these aquitard layers (or brick layers) from those with fragic soil properties.
For a detailed description of the soil, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/D/DOTHAN.html
For acreage and geographic distribution of the soil series, visit:
casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see/#dothan
For more information about describing and sampling soils, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/guides-and-instructions/field...
or Chapter 3 of the Soil Survey manual:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/The-Soil-Su...
For additional information on "How to Use the Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils" (video reference), visit:
A representative soil profile of a Ferric Kandosol. These soils formed in ironstone gravels (Albany to Esperance). They are white, grey or pale yellow sands overlying gravelly sands and clays. Gravel content greater than 20% and is a dominant feature of the profile. (Notes and photo provided by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Agriculture and Food, Government of Western Australia with revision.)
For more information about these soils, visit;
www.agric.wa.gov.au/mycrop/mysoil-ironstone-gravels-alban...
For more information about the Australian Soil Classification System, visit;
www.clw.csiro.au/aclep/asc_re_on_line_V2/soilhome.htm
For more information about Soil Taxonomy, visit:
This photo accompanies Figure 19.—Indicator A14 (Alaska Redox). [Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States].
A typical landscape of the Piledriver soil series (Aquic Cryofluvents). The Piledriver series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, moderately permeable soils on floodplains. They formed in stratified silty and sandy alluvium overlying sand and gravel. The climate is subarctic continental with long, cold winters and short, warm summers. Slopes range from 0 to 2 percent.
Runoff is slow. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high to high in the upper part and high to very high in underlying material. These soils are subject to rare or occasional flooding. A water table is present at a depth of 3 to 6 feet for some period in most summers, allowing capillary rise of water into the soil profile. They have low chroma redoximorphic depletions from 3 to 33 inches and irregular decrease in organic carbon with depth.
The series is of minor extent in the Interior Alaska Lowlands. Most areas are in native forest consisting of white spruce, cottonwood and quaking aspen with alder shrubs.
A representative soil profile of the Clonroche series in an area of improved grassland from Ireland. These soils formed in fine loamy drift with siliceous stones.
For detailed information about this soil, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/rep_profile_sheet.php?series_code=11...
For information about the soil series of Ireland, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/soilguide.php
In the Irish soil classification system these soils are Typical Brown Earths. These soils have distinct topsoil, without any distinguishing features.
For more information about describing and classifying soils using the Irish Soils Classification System, visit:
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/downloads/SIS_Final_Technical_Report...
A representative soil profile of the Curracitty series in an area of improved grassland from Ireland. These soils formed in clayey material over shale bedrock.
For detailed information about this soil, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/rep_profile_sheet.php?series_code=11...
For information about the soil series of Ireland, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/soilguide.php
In the Irish soil classification system these soils are Stagnic Brown Earths. These soils display stagnic properties as a result of the presence of a slowly permeable sub-surface horizon. Stagnic soils have a subsurface horizon that is at least 15 cm thick, which displays evidence of reduced iron and manganese as a result of a perched watertable, from a significant barrier to water movement for a period long enough to allow reducing conditions to occur.
For more information about describing and classifying soils using the Irish Soils Classification System, visit:
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/downloads/SIS_Final_Technical_Report...
EXCAVATION DIFFICULTY—The relative force or energy required to dig soil out of place. Excavation Difficulty Class and the moisture condition (moist or dry, but not wet) are described. Estimates can be made for either the most limiting layer or for each horizon.
"Moderate" excavation difficulty by tile spade requires impact energy or foot pressure; arm pressure is insufficient.
"High" excavation difficulty by tile spade is difficult but easily done by pick using over-the-head swing.
The layer being examined required overhead impact energy--both foot pressure or arm pressure was insufficient and an over head swing with a tile spade was difficult--indicating a "high" excavation difficulty. This degree of difficulty is common for root limiting layers such as soils high in plinthite, fragipans, densic materials, or paralithic materials.
The massive root limiting layer being tested was not cemented.
www.flickr.com/photos/jakelley/51836600265/in/album-72157...
www.flickr.com/photos/jakelley/51835707726/in/album-72157...
Soil profile: A typical profile of a Gilpin soil. Gilpin soils have a moderate available water capacity and have soft shale bedrock at a depth of 50 to 100 centimeters. (Soil Survey of Overton County, Tennessee; by Carlie McCowan, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landscape: Gilpin, Bouldin, and Petros soils are on the Cumberland Mountains in Anderson County in the background. (Soil Survey of Roane County, Tennessee; by Harry C. Davis and Jennifer R. Yaeger, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
Landscape: Upland
Landform: Ridge, hill, and hillslope
Geomorphic Component: Interfluve, head slope, nose slope, or side slope
Hillslope Profile Position: Summit, shoulder, or backslope
Parent Material Origin: Nearly horizontal, interbedded gray and brown acid siltstone, shale, and sandstone
Parent Material Kind: Residuum
Slope: 0 to 70 percent
Elevation: 91 to 1097 meters (300 to 3600 feet)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Typic Hapludults
Depth to the top of the Argillic: 13 to 38 cm (5 to 15 inches)
Depth to the base of the Argillic: 53 to 94 cm (21 to 37 inches)
Solum Thickness: 45 to 91 cm (18 to 36 inches)
Depth to Bedrock: 51 to 102 cm (20 to 40 inches)
Depth Class: Moderately deep
Rock Fragment content: 5 to 40 percent, by volume, in the solum and 30 to 90 percent, by volume, in the C horizon. The rock fragment content is less than 35 percent, by volume, in the upper 20 inches of the argillic horizon. Rock fragments are mostly angular to subangular channers of shale, siltstone, and sandstone.
Soil Reaction: Extremely acid through strongly acid throughout, except where limed
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Hayland, pasture, cropland, and woodland
Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated--Grass-legume hay, corn, soybeans, wheat, or oats. Where wooded--Oaks, maple, hickory, and yellow-poplar.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Pennsylvania, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia
Extent: Large, over 6 million acres, at the time of this revision
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/G/GILPIN.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of a Duric Red Kandosol in a map shallow loams from Mullewa to Morawa Australia. (Notes and photo provided by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Agriculture and Food, Government of Western Australia with revision.)
Topsoil:
Brown or red loams
Stones may be present on the surface
Acidic pH to neutral (521) pH
Subsoil:
Loam to loamy sand grading to clays at depth above hardpan/rock
Neutral pH to alkaline pH
Rock, hardpan or cemented layer within 80cm
Calcrete or limestone maybe present at depth.
In the Australian soil classification system, the soils in this unit include:
Mesotrophic Red Kandosols
Paralithic or Lithic Calcic Calcarosols
Duric Red Kandosols
For more information about these soils including common management constraints, visit:
www.agric.wa.gov.au/mycrop/mysoil-shallow-loams-mullewa-m...
Kandosols are non texture contrast soils (with little or gradual increase in clay content with depth) that have massive (i.e. weakly to non structured) subsoils (B horizons). They are found mainly in the upland areas, often in association with Dermosols, Chromosols and Kurosols. These soils can vary from stony hardsetting soils to deeper friable soils. Some may almost be texture contrast and have a bleached subsurface (A2) horizon. Using the Australian Soil Classification,
Kandosols can be grouped further (into Suborders) based on the colour of the upper 20 cm of the subsoil (i.e. Red, Brown, Yellow, Grey and Black). These can be further differentiated based on subsoil characteristics such as nutrient level capacities and ratios and the presence of carbonate or lime.
For more information about the soils of Western Australia, visit;
www.agric.wa.gov.au/climate-land-water/soils
In soil taxonomy, these soils are commonly Alfisols or Aridisols. For more information about Soil Taxonomy, visit;
Soil profile: A representative soil profile of Unbong soil in Korea.
Landscape: An area of Unbong soil growing peppers and corn in a footslope position.
The Unbong series are members of the fine-loamy, mixed, mesic family of Typic Haplohumults [Cutanic Alisols (Alumic Hyperdystric) classified by WRB].
These soils have umbric epipedons and argillic horizons. The solum thickness ranges from 100 to 150 cm and depth to hard rock is more than 3 meters. Base saturation is less than 35 percent. Reaction is strongly to medium acid. Ap horizons are very dark brown or very dark grayish brown gravelly loam. Bt horizons are dark grayish brown loam or clay loam. These soils have 10 to 35 percent of gravels and cobbles throughout the profiles.
The Unbong soils are on mountain foot slopes in high mountainous areas. The slope range is 2 to 30 percent and the dominant slope is 7 to 15 percent. Most of these soils are used for uplands, and the vegetations are buck- wheat, tobacco and sweet potato. Few areas are grass land.
For more information about soils in Korea, visit:
Plate 19: Typical soil profile and associated landscape for the Ghayathi series, saline phase (soil AD219).
Taxonomic classification: Typic Haplogypsids, sandy, mixed, hyperthermic
The Ghayathi series saline phase is a very deep sandy soil. It is a phase of the Ghayathi series in that at least one soil horizon presents slightly elevated EC1:1 values suggesting some limited accumulation of secondary salts. The soils are typically well to excessively drained. They occur on flats and gentle slopes within level to gently undulating deflation plains and occasionally within stable sand sheets. They are formed from eolian sands and occur in older landscapes.
These soils are used for rangeland grazing of camels though vegetation cover is frequently less than 5%. Common vegetation species recorded are Haloxylon salicornicum with occasional Zygophyllum spp. and Stipagrostis plumosa.
This soil is widespread and has been recorded from all sub-areas except Madinat Zayed.
The main feature of this soil is the presence of gypsum in the profile below 18cm. The soil material is sandy contains and has slightly elevated EC1:1 levels. The presence of gypsum is the main issue for irrigated agriculture. Under irrigation subsidence may occur as gypsum is leached from the soil. The presence of gypsum and the slightly elevated EC1:1 value also suggests that salinity could become a problem under irrigation. The sandy soils have a low moisture retention and nutrient storage capacity. The soil is unsuitable for irrigated agriculture.
Often you can learn a lot about soils by simply observing exposed materials as these ortstein aggregates and plinthite nodules exposed on an eroded soil surface.
Ortstein is part of a spodic horizon. When moist, it is at least weakly cemented into a massive horizon that is present in more than half of each pedon. Ortstein forms in acid sandy soils where pines are the dominant vegetation. The acidity puts organic acids, aluminum and sometimes iron into solution. A high water table prevents the downward movement of the dissolved chemicals, which then cement the soil particles together.
Plinthite is an iron-rich, humus-poor mixture of clay with quartz and other minerals. Plinthite is a redoximorphic feature in highly weathered soil. The product of pedogenesis, it commonly occurs as reddish redox concretions that usually form platy, polygonal, or reticulate patterns in the soil. Plinthite changes irreversibly to an ironstone or to irregular soil aggregates on exposure to repeated wetting and drying, especially if it is exposed to heat from the sun.
For more information about a plinthic horizon, visit;
www.researchgate.net/publication/242649722_Rationale_for_...
or;
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S00167061220043...
Profile of Monwebb clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes, occasionally flooded. The presence of slickensides (starting at at depth of about 25 cm) indicates the high shrink-swell potential of this soil. Other soil features influencing soil properties are the presence of secondary calcium carbonates, gypsum crystals, and salt crystals. (Soil Survey of Duval County, Texas; by John L. Sackett III, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Monwebb series consists of very deep, moderately well drained, very slowly permeable soils that formed in saline, clayey alluvium derived from the tertiary aged sediments. These nearly level to very gently sloping, occasionally flooded soils are on floodplains. Slope ranges from 0 to 2 percent. Mean annual temperature is about 22 degrees (72 degrees F) and mean annual precipitation is about 584 mm (23 in).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Sodic Haplusterts
Soil Moisture: An aridic ustic moisture regime. The soil moisture control section is moist in some or all parts for less than 90 consecutive days in normal years. June to August and December to February are the driest months, while September to November and March to May are the wettest months.
Mean annual soil temperature: 22 to 23 degrees C (72 to 74 degrees F)
Particle size control section (weighted average)
Clay content: 40 to 55 percent
Rock Fragments: 0 to 5 percent
USE AND VEGETATION: Used primarily for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. The grasses consist primarily of buffalograss, sideoats grama, curlymesquite, hairy tridens, Southwestern bristlegrass, and threeawn. Woody vegetation is mostly acacia, condalia, prickly pear, mesquite, Texas persimmon, and huisache.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Western Rio Grande Plain, Texas; LRR I, MLRA 83B; moderate extent. These soils were previously included with the Montell series. Montell soils are not flooded.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/texas/TX131/Du...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/M/MONWEBB.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Soil profile: A Vertic, Mottled-Subnatric, Brown Sodosol. Original notes and photos provided by the State of Victoria (Agriculture Victoria) with revision.
Landscape: A lower midslope of down hill (10% slope). The soils formed in sediments weathered from Tertiary basalt.
Sodosols have a strong texture contrast between surface (A) horizons and subsoil (B) horizons and the subsoil horizons are sodic. Using the Australian Soil Classification, Sodosols can be grouped further (Suborder) based on the colour of the upper 20 cm of the subsoil i.e. red, brown, yellow, grey and black. These can be further differentiated based on subsoil characteristics (Great Groups) such as the level of sodicity (in the upper B horizon) and the presence of carbonate or lime (Subgroup).
For more information about these soils, visit;
vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/portregn.nsf/pages/ppw...
In soil taxonomy, these soils are commonly Alfisols or Ultisols. For more information about Soil Taxonomy, visit;
A representative soil profile of the Tonka series. The Tonka series consists of very deep, poorly drained, slowly permeable soils that formed in local alluvium over till or glaciolacustrine deposits. These soils are in closed basins and depressions on till and glacial lake plains and have slopes of 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual air temperature is 42 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is 20 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, frigid Argiaquic Argialbolls
Depth to carbonates commonly is 28 to 40 inches but ranges from 20 to more than 60 inches. The depth to the Bt horizon ranges from 12 to 28 inches. The soil commonly is free of rock fragments, but in some pedons the lower part of the solum and the substratum contain pebbles. Some pedons have surface stones.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for small grains, hay and pasture. Native vegetation is tall grasses, sedges and rushes.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Widely distributed on the glaciated plains of North Dakota, northeastern South Dakota, and western Minnesota. The series is extensive.
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/T/TONKA.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of the Bree series in an area of improved grassland from Ireland. These soils formed in coarse loamy drift igenous and metamorphic stones.
For detailed information about this soil, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/rep_profile_sheet.php?series_code=06...
For information about the soil series of Ireland, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/soilguide.php
In the Irish soil classification system these soils are Humic Undifferentiated Gleys. These soils have evidence of gleying within 40 cm and humose topsoil
For more information about describing and classifying soils using the Irish Soils Classification System, visit:
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/downloads/SIS_Final_Technical_Report...
A representative soil profile of the Brosna series in an area of improved grassland from Ireland. These soils formed in fine loamy over sandstone bedrock.
For detailed information about this soil, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/soilguide.php
For information about the soil series of Ireland, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/soilguide.php
In the Irish soil classification system these soils are Gleyic Brown Earths. These soils display gleyic features due to the presence of a shallow fluctuating groundwater table.
For more information about describing and classifying soils using the Irish Soils Classification System, visit:
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/downloads/SIS_Final_Technical_Report...
An Unltic Hapludalf from south-west Poland--lower Silesia region and the Sudetes Mountains formed in granodiorite eolian silt (loess) over granodiorite saprolite. (Photo provided by Cezary Kabala, Institute of Soil Science, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.)
Ultic Hapludalfs have a base saturation (by sum of cations) that is less than 60 percent at a depth of 125 cm below the top of the argillic horizon, at a depth of 180 cm below the soil surface, or directly above a densic, lithic, or paralithic contact, whichever is shallowest. In addition, the Ap horizon or the surface soil to a depth of 18 cm after mixing is permitted, but not required, to have a color value, moist, of 3 or less. Commonly, the argillic horizon has hue of 7.5YR or redder or has chroma of more than 4. Some Typic Hapludalfs have these same colors. Ultic Hapludalfs are intergrades between Hapludults and Hapludalfs. They are moderately extensive in the United States. Most of them developed from weathered country rocks but not from acid rocks. Ultic Hapludalfs are mostly in highly dissected areas where the landscape is hilly or mountainous. Their slopes range from gentle to strong. Where slopes are suitable, most of the soils have been cleared and are used as cropland or pasture. Some of the soils, mostly the most sloping ones, are used as forest.
These soils are classified as Albic Leptic Alisols (Neocambic, Cutanic, Siltic) by the World Reference Base (WRB).
For more information about this soil, visit:
karnet.up.wroc.pl/~kabala/Plowe.html
For more information on the World Reference Base soil classification system, visit:
www.fao.org/3/i3794en/I3794en.pdf
For additional information about the US Soil Taxonomy soil classification system, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/survey/cla...
Soil profile: A representative soil profile of the Casino soil series. (Soil Survey of Pinnacles National Monument, California; by Ken Oster, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Casino series consists of moderately deep, moderately well drained soils that formed in residuum weathered from andesite. The Casino soils are on hills. Slopes range from 20 to 70 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 17 inches (432 millimeters) and the mean annual air temperature is about 61 degrees F (16 degrees C).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, thermic Pachic Argixerolls
Depth to bedrock: 20 to 40 inches (50 to 100 centimeters).
Mean annual soil temperature: 61 to 63 degrees F (16 to 17 degrees C).
Soil moisture control section: dry in all parts from about June 15 to November 15 (90 days), and moist in all parts from about January 15 to April 15 (105 days).
Particle size control section: 38 to 60 percent clay, 0 to 35 percent rock fragments from andesite.
Base Saturation by ammonium acetate: 93 to 100%
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for watershed, wildlife habitat and recreation. Vegetation is blue oak with an understory of grasses.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: San Benito and Monterey Counties, California in MLRA 15 -- Central California Coast Range. These soils are of small extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/california/CA7...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/C/CASINO.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of the Poquonock series. (Photo provided by Mark Stolt University of Rhode Island's Dept. of Natural Resources Science; New England Soil Profiles)
The Poquonock series consists of very deep, well drained, soils formed in sandy eolian or glaciofluvial material over loamy or sandy lodgement till on uplands. They are moderately deep to a densic contact and very deep to bedrock. They are nearly level through moderately steep soils on till plains, moraines and drumlins. Slope ranges from 0 through 25 percent. Saturated hydraulic conductivity ranges from high or very high in the solum and low or moderately low in the substratum. Mean annual temperature is about 51 degrees F. (11 degrees C.) and mean annual precipitation about 46 inches (1168 millimeters).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, mesic Typic Udipsamments
Thickness of the solum and depth to the densic contact ranges from 20 through 39 inches (50 through 100 centimeters). Depth to bedrock is commonly more than 6 feet (1.8 meters). Rock fragments range from 0 through 25 percent in the surface layer, 0 through 15 percent in the subsoil, and from 10 through 34 percent in the substratum. Stones and boulders range from 0 through 20 percent in the surface layer and from 0 through 5 percent in the subsoil and substratum. Cobbles range from 0 through 10 percent in the surface layer, 0 through 5 percent in the subsoil, and 0 through 15 percent in the substratum. Gravel ranges from 0 through 10 percent in the solum and from 5 through 30 percent in the substratum. Unless limed, the soil is moderately acid through extremely acid.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are cleared and used for cultivated crops, tobacco, vegetables, nursery stock, hay or pasture. Some areas are used for community development. A few areas are idle or wooded. Common trees are northern red, white, and black oak, hickory, gray birch, aspen, white ash, and eastern white pine.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Massachusetts and eastern Rhode Island. MLRA 144A. The series is of small extent.
For additional information about New England soils, visit:
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/P/POQUONOCK.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
The Houston Black soil series is found only in Texas, and was first described in 1902, the third year of the National Soil Survey program, in Brazoria County, TX. The Professional Soil Scientists Association of Texas chose Houston Black as the state soil of Texas. While the Houston Black has not been officially declared the state soil of Texas, it is considered a soil of state-wide importance, and thus is the unofficial state soil.
Most Houston Black soil is used as farmland, with the majority growing cotton, sorghum, and corn, but hay and pastureland are also common. It is one of the highest agricultural producing soils in Texas. Houston Black occurs in the area where millions of people live and work, including three of the largest metropolitan areas in Texas. While the soil and the landscape make the Blackland prairie very fertile agriculturally; the high clay content causes the soil to be very hard when dry and very sticky when wet, and it tends to shrink when dry and swell when wet. These properties pose limitations to how the land is worked for farming and construction. There are special management issues associated with the soil due
to these properties.
For more information about this and other State Soils, visit the Soil Science Society of America "Around the World-State Soils" website.
A representative soil profile of the Medoc soil series. (Soil Survey of Jasper County, Missouri; by Alan C. Peer, Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Medoc series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils that formed in a thin mantle of silty loess over residuum of the Cherokee Prairies (MLRA 112). Medoc soils are on uplands and the slope ranges from 0 to 1 percent. Mean annual precipitation is 40 inches and the mean annual temperature is 57 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, mixed, active, thermic Aeric Albaqualfs
Soil moisture control section: aquic
Depth to abrupt textural change: 12 to 20 inches
Depth to albic horizon: 6 to 10 inches
Depth to argillic horizon: 12 to 20 inches
Depth to redox concentrations: 6 to 10 inches
Depth to redox depletions: 14 to 32 inches
Depth to episaturation: 12 to 18 inches from February to April
Particle-size control section (weighted average):
Clay content: 35 to 60 percent
Sand content: 6 to 20 percent
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are used for cropland. A few areas are used for native hayland or pasture. Principal crops are wheat, corn, milo, and soybeans. Native vegetation is prairie grasses, mainly big and little bluestem.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwest Missouri and possibly Southeast Kansas and Northeast Oklahoma. The soils are of minor extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/missouri/MO097...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/M/MEDOC.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
The Khatt series is a very deep soil formed in loamy alluvial deposits. (UAE (NE018).
Taxonomic classification: Sodic Haplocambids, coarse-loamy, mixed, active, hyperthermic
Diagnostic subsurface horizon described in this profile is: Cambic horizon 15 to 110 cm.
The pH (1:1) ranges from 7.0 to 8.8 throughout the profile. The EC (1:1) is generally less than 2.5 dS/m in all horizons, but ranges to 10 in some areas that have been irrigated. The lower pH values are generally associated with the higher EC (1:1) values. SAR ranges mostly from 2 to 60 throughout the profile and is 13 or more in one or more layers within a depth of 100 cm. Some pedons have a deflation gravel lag on the surface covering 2 to 10% of the area. Gravel content is mostly 0 to 5% throughout the profile, but some pedons have layers with up to 55% gravel below depths of 100 cm.
The A horizon ranges from about 10 to 25 cm thick. It has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 to 7, and chroma of 3 or 4. Texture is fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or loam.
The B horizon commonly extends to between 100 and 170 cm in most pedons, but may extend to more than 200 cm. Hue is 7.5YR or 10YR, value is 4 to 7, and chroma is 3 or 4. Texture is sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or loam. In some pedons there is a 2Bkb horizon below 100 cm with 5 percent or more secondary calcium carbonate. It has color and texture similar to the B horizon.
The C horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value 5 or 6, and chroma 3 or 4. It is very fine sandy loam, or loam, including gravelly or very gravelly texture modifiers. The C horizon is massive and generally contains some very fine stratification. It may be extremely weakly cemented to moderately cemented with carbonates. However, roots appear to be able to penetrate with a spacing of less than 10 cm. Some pedons do not have a C horizon within 200 cm.
A representative soil profile of a Red Kandosol (DARWIN DISTRICT, NORTHERN TERRITORY) (Photo by Alan Stewart, 1966). Kandosols are non texture contrast soils (with little or gradual increase in clay content with depth) that have massive (i.e. weakly to non structured) subsoils (B horizons). They are found mainly in the upland areas, often in association with Dermosols, Chromosols and Kurosols. These soils can vary from stony hardsetting soils to deeper friable soils. Some may almost be texture contrast and have a bleached subsurface (A2) horizon. Using the Australian Soil Classification, Kandosols can be grouped further (into Suborders) based on the color of the upper 20 cm of the subsoil (i.e. Red, Brown, Yellow, Grey and Black). These can be further differentiated based on subsoil characteristics such as nutrient level capacities and ratios and the presence of carbonate or lime.
For more information about these soils, visit;
www.scienceimage.csiro.au/tag/soils/i/4311/red-kandosol-s...
For more information about the Australian Soil Classification System, visit;
www.clw.csiro.au/aclep/asc_re_on_line_V2/soilhome.htm
For more information about Soil Taxonomy, visit:
A representative soil profile of Leakey silty clay loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes. The petrocalcic layer begins at a depth of 80 centimeters,.(Soil Survey of Edwards and Real Counties, Texas; by Wayne J. Gabriel, Dr. Lynn E. Loomis, and James A. Douglass II Natural Resources Conservation Service)
The Leakey series consists of well drained, very slowly permeable soils that formed in Pleistocene alluvium. They are moderately deep over a petrocalcic horizon. The soils are on nearly level to gently sloping terraces. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Very-fine, smectitic, thermic Petrocalcic Calciusterts
Depth to cemented caliche ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Gilgai microrelief is indistinct but slickensides are few to common. When dry the soil has cracks ranging from 0.5 to 2 inches wide that stay open for 90 or more cumulative days in most years. Coarse fragments consist of chert, limestone, and caliche pebbles and cobbles. Surface fragments of chert range from 1 to 10 percent.
USE AND VEGETATION: Used for rangeland and pasture. Native grasses include curly mesquite, Texas wintergrass, little bluestem, and Indiangrass. Woody plants include live oak, ashe juniper, post oak, agarito, and persimmon. Some areas are seeded to KR bluestem.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Eastern Edwards Plateau of Central Texas. The series is moderately extensive. The Leakey series was formerly included in the Topia and Anhalt series.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/texas/TX607/0/...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/L/LEAKEY.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Soil profile: (Soil Survey of Joshua Tree National Park, California; by Carrie-Ann Houdeshell, Peter Fahnestock, Stephen Roecker, and Emily Meirik, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Marchel Munnecke and Alice Miller, Pyramid Botanical Consultants)
Landscape: Cool Shallow Fans Over Pediment. This ecological site occurs on fan aprons over a pediment with very shallow or shallow soils. Elevations range from 3,200 to 5,130 feet. Slopes range from 2 to 15 percent. This site is dominated by blackbrush (Coleogyne ramosissima) and creosote bush (Larrea tridentata). Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) covers a low amount of the site. This pediment is relatively buried with alluvium and is flat and undissected. This provides a surface in which creosote bush can establish and be competitive with blackbrush. The production reference value (RV) is 460 pounds per acre but may range from 335 to 750 pounds per acre, depending on annual precipitation and annual species production.
The Pinecity series consists of very shallow and shallow, somewhat excessively drained soils that formed in colluvium and/or alluvium over residuum derived from granite, granitoid, or gneissic rocks. Pinecity soils are on hills, mountains or fan aprons over pediments. Slopes range from 2 to 75 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 125 millimeters (5 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 15.5 degrees C (60 degrees F).
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, thermic, shallow Typic Torripsamments
Soil moisture control section - Usually dry, moist in some parts for short periods during winter and early spring and for 10 to 20 days cumulative between July and September following summer convection storms. The soils have a typic-aridic moisture regime.
Soil temperature: 15 to 19 degrees C.
Surface rock fragments: ranges from 25 to 80 percent, dominated by medium and coarse gravel.
Control section-
Clay content: 1 to 9 percent.
Rock fragments: 5 to 34 percent, typically dominated by gravel.
Organic matter: 0 to 0.50 percent.
Effervescence: noneffervescent throughout.
Depth to paralithic contact: 5 to 36 centimeters (2 to 14 inches).
USE AND VEGETATION: This soil is used for recreation, rangeland and wildlife habitat. Vegetation is mainly blackbrush, California juniper and California jointfir.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southern Mojave Desert of Southeastern California. MLRA 30. These soils are of moderate extent.
For additional information about the survey area, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MANUSCRIPTS/california/Jos...
For a detailed soil description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/P/PINECITY.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
A representative soil profile of the Lurganboy series in an area of cropland from Ireland. These soils formed in loamy marine alluvium.
For detailed information about this soil, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/rep_profile_sheet.php?series_code=05...
For information about the soil series of Ireland, visit;
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/soilguide.php
In the Irish soil classification system these soils are Typical Alluvial Gleys (soils influenced by water).
For more information about describing and classifying soils using the Irish Soils Classification System, visit:
gis.teagasc.ie/soils/downloads/SIS_Final_Technical_Report...
Black-Lithomophic Isohumosol and landscape. These soils are widely but oddly distribute in the subtropical karst areas. With limited coverage, they coexist alternately with other types of limestone soils, and present on the top of karst hill, in cracks of rocks, as well as in depressions with poor drainage at hill foot or valley bottom. In addition to limestone, parent rocks include mostly dolomite and dolomitic limestone. Isolated rocks and hill tops are usually covered by trees and shrubs, leaving much litters, while depressions are covered by tall grasses. With fairly good coverage, vegetation is mostly composed of herbaceous plants and shrubs, with some scattering trees. Owing to the accommodation of rock cracks, a thick soil solum may be developed, with a thickness over 100cm. Some weakly weathered rock debris may be found in each layer. The whole soil profile presents a black color, with lower value and chroma. (Photos and notes courtesy of China Soils Museum, Guangdong Institute of World Soil Resources; with revision.)
In Chinese Soil Taxonomy, Isohumosols have deep accumulation of humus under cool temperature. In Soil Taxonomy these soils are Mollisols.
For additional information about this soil and the Soils Museum, visit:
www.giwsr.com/en/article/index/211
For additional information about Soil Taxonomy, visit: