The document discusses the purpose and classification of soil taxonomy. It aims to 1) organize soil knowledge, 2) understand relationships between soils, and 3) establish groups for practical uses like predicting behavior and estimating productivity. Soils are divided into six categories based on diagnostic characteristics, from orders down to series. Key diagnostic horizons and properties used to classify soils are also described, such as mollic, histic, and ochric epipedons.
The document discusses the purpose and classification of soil taxonomy. It aims to 1) organize soil knowledge, 2) understand relationships between soils, and 3) establish groups for practical uses like predicting behavior and estimating productivity. Soils are divided into six categories based on diagnostic characteristics, from orders down to series. Key diagnostic horizons and properties used to classify soils are also described, such as mollic, histic, and ochric epipedons.
The document discusses the purpose and classification of soil taxonomy. It aims to 1) organize soil knowledge, 2) understand relationships between soils, and 3) establish groups for practical uses like predicting behavior and estimating productivity. Soils are divided into six categories based on diagnostic characteristics, from orders down to series. Key diagnostic horizons and properties used to classify soils are also described, such as mollic, histic, and ochric epipedons.
The document discusses the purpose and classification of soil taxonomy. It aims to 1) organize soil knowledge, 2) understand relationships between soils, and 3) establish groups for practical uses like predicting behavior and estimating productivity. Soils are divided into six categories based on diagnostic characteristics, from orders down to series. Key diagnostic horizons and properties used to classify soils are also described, such as mollic, histic, and ochric epipedons.
◆ 2. Understand relationships among different soils ◆ 3. Establish groups or classes for practical purposes. • a. predicting behavior • b. identifying best uses • c. estimating productivity • d. extending research results ◆ Soils are divided into six distinct categories based on diagnostic characteristics Category: 1) Orders (12) Suborders (54) 2) Great Groups (211) 3) Subgroups 4) Family 5) Series
Example:
Fine-loamy mixed, superactive, mesic Aquic
Argiudolls Diagnostics Horizons Surface (Epipedon) Subsurface (Endopedon) ◆ Agric ◆ Mollic ◆ Natric ◆ Albic ◆ Umbric ◆ Ortstein ◆ Argillic ◆ Histic ◆ Oxic ◆ Calcic ◆ Melanic ◆ Petrocalcic ◆ Cambic ◆ Ochric ◆ Petrogypsic ◆ Duripan ◆ Anthroic ◆ Placic ◆ Fragipan ◆ Folistic ◆ Salic ◆ Glossic ◆ Plaggen ◆ Sombric ◆ Gypsic ◆ Spodic ◆ Kandic Epipedons ◆ Traditionally A Horizon but A2 or E if at the surface ◆ It extends to plowing depth. If shallower than plowing depth then plowing depth is epipedon ◆ The surface layer of recent alluvium still have stratification is not considered as epipedon ◆ The properties of epipedon should be determined after the surface soil mixed to a depth of 18 cm Stratification in Entisols MOLLIC (mollis-Latin for soft) 1.When dry Structural units are moderately hard or softer rupture-resistance class
2. Base saturation (by NH4OAc) of 50% or more
3. Organic-carbon content of:
a. 2.5% or more if the epipedon has a color value, moist, of 4 or 5; or b. 0.6 percent more than that of the C horizon (if one occurs) if the mollic epipedon has a color value less than 1 Munsell unit lower or chroma less than 2 units lower (both moist and dry) than the C horizon; or c. 0.6 percent or more 4. Depth : 25 cm if: Texture of the epipedon is loamy fine sand or coarser throughout; or 10 cm if : the epipedon is finer than loamy fine sand (when mixed) and it is directly above a densic, lithic, or paralithic contact, a petrocalcic horizon, or a duripan 18 to 25 cm and the thickness
6. Phosphate Content less than 1,500 mg/kg
by citric-acid extraction; or
7. The n value is less than 0.7.
n value characterizes the relation between %water in a soil under field conditions & %clay and humus. n value is helpful in predicting whether a soil can be grazed by livestock or can support other loads and in predicting what degree of subsidence would occur after drainage. For mineral soil materials the n value can be calculated by the following formula: n = (A - 0.2R)/(L + 3H) HISTIC (Histos- Greek for tissue) Histosols of Bangladesh Ochric Epipedon Designation of Epipedons Soil Color • Hue - mixture of primary colors (red, yellow, blue) • Value - how light or dark the soil is, scale from black (0) to white (10) • Chroma - intensity of the color, how much pigment is added