Soil Classification Flashcards
surface horizon; occurring at the soil surface; upper profile; topsoil
epipedon
subsurface; bellow the surface; the lower profile; subsoil
endopedon
poorly and very poorly drained (SM regime)
Aquic
arid and semi-arid (SM regime)
Aridic
humid, seasonally well distributed precipitation (SM regime)
Udic
Mediterraneantype climate with cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers (SM regime)
Xeric
P>ET (SM regime)
Perudic
semiarid, moisture available for portions of the growing season (SM regime)
Ustic
Too cold for virtually all crops; very cold MAST (<0°C)
Gelic
Too cold for virtually all crops; cold MAST (<8°C) also cold in summer
Cryic
Too cold for all but cold weather crops, such as Wheat, Barley or oats; cold MAST (<8°C) warmer in summer
Frigid
Suited for crops such as corn, wheat and soybeans; moderate MAST (8-15°C)
Mesic
Suited to warm weather crops such as cotton; warm MAST (15-22°C)
Thermic
Suited to citrus and other freeze-intolerant crops; hot MAST (>22°C)
Hyperthermic
dark, at least moderate content of organic matter, sandy or
loamy; resulting from application of sods and excrements (anthropogenic horizon)
plaggic
in paddy soils: the layer comprising the puddled layer
and the plough pan, both showing a reduced matrix and oxidized root
channels (anthropogenic horizon)
anthraquic
in paddy soils: the layer below the anthraquic horizon
showing redoximorphic features and/or an accumulation of Fe and/or Mn (anthropogenic horizon)
hydragric
accumulation of secondary carbonates, non-cemented (organic or mineral horizon)
calcic
high amounts of readily soluble salts (organic or mineral horizon)
salic
perennially frozen (visible ice or, if not enough water, < 0°C) (organic or mineral horizon)
cryic
with sulfuric acid and a very low pH value (organic or mineral horizon)
thionic
organic layer, not water-saturated and not drained (no swamp)
folic
organic layer, water-saturated or drained (swamp)
histic
thick, dark-coloured, high base saturation, moderate to high
content of organic matter, not massive and hard when dry (mineral horizon)
mollic
thick, dark-coloured, low base saturation, moderate to high
content of organic matter, not massive and hard when dry (mineral horizon)
umbric
subsurface layer with distinctly higher clay content than the
overlying layer and/or presence of illuvial clay
argic
horizon ≥ 15% (single or in combination) of reddish concretions and/or nodules or of concentrations in platy, polygonal or reticulate patterns; high contents of Fe oxides, at least in the concretions, nodules or concentrations
plinthic
horizon evidence of pedogenic alteration; not meeting the criteria of diagnostic horizons that indicate stronger alteration or accumulation processes
cambic
horizon strongly weathered; dominated by kaolinites and oxides
ferralic
horizon rich in clay and Fe oxides, moderate to strong structure, shiny aggregate faces
nitric
horizon dominated by swelling and shrinking clays
vertic
properties surface layer characteristics of soils under arid conditions
aridic
very sharp increase in clay content within a limited depth range
abrupt textural difference
interfingering of coarser-textured and lighter coloured material into an argic horizon forming vertically continuous tongues (special case of retic properties)
albeluvic glossae
properties short-range-order minerals and/or organo-metallic complexes
andic
properties saturated with groundwater (or upwards moving gases) long enough that reducing conditions occur
gleyic
material: < 20% soil organic carbon and ≥ 35% (by volume) organic artefacts
organotechnic
material: light-coloured fine earth, expressed by high Munsell value and low
chroma
claric
created, substantially modified or brought to the surface by humans; no subsequent substantial change of chemical or mineralogical properties
artefacts
material: sedimented by wind
aeolic
material: ≥ 2% calcium carbonate equivalent, at least partially inherited from
the parent material
calcaric
material: fluviatile, marine or lacustrine deposits with evident stratification
fluvic
Soils with thick organic layers
histosols
soils with strong human influence with long and intensive agricultural use
anthrosols
soils with strong human influence containing significant amounts of artefacts
technosols
soils with limitations to root growth, permafost-affacted
cryosols
soils with limitations to root growth, thin or with many coarse fragments
leptosols
soils with limitations to root growth, with a high content of exchangeable Na
solonetz
soils with limitations to root growth, alternating wet-dry conditions, shrink swell clay minerals
vertisols
soils with limitations to root growth, high concentration of soluble salts
solonchaks
Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry, groundwater-affected, under water or tidal areas
gleysol
Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry, allophones and/or Al-humus complexes
andosols
Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry, subsoil accumulation of humus and/or oxides
podzols
Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry, accumulation and redistribution of Fe
plinthosols
Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry, stagnant water, abrupt textural difference
planosols
Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry, stagnant water structural difference and or moderate textural difference
stagnosols
Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry, low activity clays, Pfixation, many Fe oxides, strongly structured
nitisols
Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry, dominance of kaolinite and oxides
ferralsols
Pronounced accumulation of organic matter in the mineral topsoil; very dark topsoil, secondary carbonates
chernozems
Pronounced accumulation of organic matter in the mineral topsoil; dark topsoil , secondary carbonates
kastanozems
Pronounced accumulation of organic matter in the mineral topsoil; dark topsoil, no secondary carbonates (unless very deep), high base status
phaeozems
Pronounced accumulation of organic matter in the mineral topsoil; dark topsoil, low base status
umbrisols
Accumulation of moderately soluble salts or non-saline substances; and cementation by secondary silica
durisols
Accumulation of moderately soluble salts or non-saline substances; secondary gypsum
gypsisols
Accumulation of moderately soluble salts or non-saline substances; secondary carbonates
calcisols
Soils with clay-enriched subsoil; inter fingering of coarser-textured, lighter colored material into a finer-textured, stronger colored layer
retisols
Soils with clay-enriched subsoil; low activity clays, low base status
acrisols
Soils with clay-enriched subsoil; low activity clays, high base status
lixisols
Soils with clay-enriched subsoil; high activity clays, low base status
alisols
Soils with clay-enriched subsoil; high activity clays, high base status
luvisols
Soils with little or no profile differentation; moderately developed
cambisols
Soils with little or no profile differentation; stratified fluviatile, marine lacustrine sediments
fluvisols
Soils with little or no profile differentation; sandy
arenosols
Soils with little or no profile differentation; no significant profile development
regosols
water that comes from rain
atmocline
water that comes from groundwater
lithocline