SOIL HORIZONS

Ah

enrichment with organic matter

What process characterizes the A horizons?

elluviation

Ap

mechanically disturbed by human activity ie; plowing

Ae

eluvial horizon with losses of clay, organic matter, Fe and Al oxides

Ahe

enriched with organic matter but eluviated

Aej

eluvial horizon that is thin, discontinuous, or only slightly noticeable or young

What process characterizes the B horizons?

illuviation

Bh

enrichment in organic matter noticeable by a relatively dark colour compared to the C horizon

Bf

enrichment with Fe and Al oxides; often indicated by reddish-brown colour

Bt

enrichment in clay indicated by finer soil textures than the A horizon above and by clay coatings on aggregates

Bn

presence of high content of Na+ ions, with a distinctive prismatic or columnar structure

Bnt

enrichment in Na+ ions and illuvial clay

Bm

modified horizon with a slight change in colour and/or structure relative to horizons above; a young or still developing B horizons

Bmk

slight development and calcium carbonates present (originating from parent material)

Bg

forms due to gleying process,

AB

transition between A and B where A dominates

BA

transition between B and A where B dominates

What process characterizes the C horizons?

characterized by little or no alteration, parent material

C

no obvious effects of soil forming process

Ck

presence of carbonates (ie; CaCO3)

Cs

detectable soluble salts

Csk

carbonates and soluble salts

Cg

gleyed horizon

Cy

cyroturbation

Cz

a perennially frozen layer

BC

transition horizon between B and C where B dominates

b

buried soil horizon

c

cemented irreversibly

ca

horizon of secondary carbonate enrichment in which the concentration of CaCO3 exceeds that in the enriched parent material

j

weak expression of the previously stated letter

ss

presence of more than two slickenslides which represent polished or grooved aggregates surfaces

v

horizon affected by agrilipedoturbation

O

organic horizon developed from mosses, rushes, and woody materials, developed under poorly drained conditions

Of

least decomposed layer containing large amounts of well-preserved fibrue, and called the fibric layer

Om

an intermediately decomposed organic layer, meisic layer

Oh

the most decomposed, humic layer

L

litter, leaves, twigs, woody material

F

fermented, fibric, fragmented, partly decomposed organic matter

H

humic, decomposed organic matter, organic structures are indiscernible

R

rock

W

water