Soil Order Characteristics Quiz

Soil Order Characteristics

• Alfisols (alf): Found in deciduous forests of temperate, moist climates. Light colored, slightly to moderately acidic soil with moderate base saturation. A layer with high base saturation is often present.

• Mollisols (oll): Occur in grasslands. Characterized by a dark, deep A-horizon with high base saturation.

• Spodosols (od): Found in coniferous forests in cool, moist conditions. Light-colored, acidic, coarse-textured (sandy) soil. Often lacks an A horizon. A thick, bright E horizon is often present.

• Andisols (and): Associated with volcanic materials like recent volcanic glass and parent material. Lightweight, dark-colored soil.

• Vertisols (vert): Formed from parent material high in clay, frequently found in floodplains and wetlands. A characteristic of these soils is shrinkage and swelling, leading to cracks, and high clay content in the parent material.

• Histosols (ist): Develop from parent materials in wetlands. High organic matter content (20%+), low bulk density, and high pore space. Soil is often decaying organic matter.

• Aridisols (id): Occur in arid and semi-arid climates, cool and hot deserts, and shrublands. Notable feature of these soils is the presence of subsurface calcium carbonate.

• Oxisols (ox): Found in tropical and subtropical regions, specifically hot and wet climates. Highly weathered, subsurface horizons that have been leached to be high in aluminum.

• Gelisols (el): Develop in cold soils, such as tundra, cold deserts, and high elevations. A permafrost layer (frozen ground) at or near the surface is a typical characteristic. These soils may have weak B horizons.

• Inceptisols (ept): "Young" soils, typically formed in climates with extremes or resistant parent material. They have underdeveloped soil horizons.

• Ultisols (ult): "Old" soils developed in warm, humid climates. Highly weathered, and present a subsurface horizon that has undergone substantial leaching which results in acidic conditions with low base saturation. The subsoil typically has clay that has been transported downward.

Soil Characteristics and Agricultural Use

• Agricultural Use and Profile: Good agricultural soils, the richest soils, are often O-A-E-Bt-C. Soils with very poor agricultural benefits show O-E-BS-C. Fertile, but sometimes challenging to till, soils are A1-A2-Bw-C, or A1-A2-A3-C. Low fertility soils show similar traits, such as A-Bt-Ck, and others. Soil profiles, including designations like O, A, E, B, and C horizons, are included.

• Agricultural Use (Detailed): The table also categorizes soil for agricultural use, noting their quality for agriculture, carbon sequestration potential, and overall fertility—including specifics like phosphorus availability. Specific agricultural uses and their suitable soil profiles are listed.

• Soil Profile: Includes typical descriptions (like O, A, E, B, and C horizons)

• Range, Cropland, Forest, and Wetlands: These are specific land use configurations, and associated soil profiles. For range, cropland, forest, and wetlands, the soil profile is A-C.

Test your knowledge of soil order characteristics with this quiz. Explore the unique features of Alfisols, Mollisols, Spodosols, Andisols, Vertisols, and Histosols. Understand their formation, locations, and composition.