horizon names

what are the diff surface horizons?

Ah, Ap, Ae

Ah horizon

A dark colored hoiron enriched in organic matter. Organic matter added. Diagnostic soil horizon for chernozemic soils.

Ap horizon

Similar to an Ah. Disturbed by humans bc it was subjected to cultivation. P stands for plowed.

Ae horizon

No organic matter added. Light colored horizon undergoing eluviation.

Subsurface horizons

Bf, Bt, Bn and Bm. Regosolic soils will lack this.

Bf horizon

F stands for iron and aluminum have moved out and down and Iron moves readily and is highly mobile under acidic conditions. Diagnostic horizon for podzolic soils.

Bt horizon

Enriched in clay and Clay is more likely to move down from the A above. Diagnostic horizon for luvisolic soils.

Bn horizon

Enriched with sodium. Not seen in Ontario, but in prairie provinces. Solonetzic diagnostic horizon will be a Bn or Bnt horizon.

Bm horizon

A horizon slightly altered by pedological processes. Diagnostic horizon of a Brunisolic.

G horizon suffix

A horizon with evidence of reduced conditions. G stands for gleyed and gleysolic soils will have this.

K horizon suffix

A horizon containing calcium salts

S horizon suffix

A horizon containing soluble salts. The salts don’t have to be just sodium; it can be any ions in the solution, so even plant nutrients! Too much salt in the soil impacts the plants’ ability to take up water bc osmotic potential. Too much sodium can push apart clay layers bc it disrupts the bonds holding them together, which creates poor drainage. Sodium-affected soil is awful, but salt-affected soil isn’t that bad.

Ss horizon suffix

slicken slides. Vertisolic soil’s will have a Ss horizon.

V horizon suffix

vertical cracks. Vertisolic soil’s will have a v horizon.

Y horizon suffix

A horizon affected by cryoturbation, whcih means Freezing and mixing. Water entering the soil and freezing. Freezing can cause expansion, which creates big ice lenses.

Z suffix horizon

a layer of permafrost. A cryosolic must have a z horizon.

What are Organic Soil Horizons (in order)

Lfh, Of (f for fibric), Om (m for mesic) and Oh (h for humic). An organic soil must have an o horizon.

What is the Classification (Taxonomy) of Soils

Our (order), Great Grandparents (great groups), Sure (subgroups), Fart (families), seals (series).