Soil orders, formative elements, characteristics
Alfisols
alf
Andisols
and
Aridisols
id
Entisols
ent
Gelisols
el
Histosols
ist
Inceptisols
eat
Mollisols
oll
Oxisols
ox
Spodosols
od
Ultisols
ult
Vertisols
ert
Alfisols
argillic, natric, or Candice horizon; high-to-medium base saturation
Andisols
from volcanic ejects, dominated by allophone or Al-humic complexes
Aridisols
dry soil, ochre epipedon, sometimes argillic or natric horizon
Entisols
little profile development, ochric epipedon common
gelisols
permafrost, often with cryoturbation (frost churning)
Histosols
Peat or bog; >20% organic matter
Inceptisols
embryonic soils with few diagnostic features, ochric or umbric epipedon, cambic horizon
Mollisols
mollic epipedon, high base saturation, dark soils, some with argillic or natric horizons
oxisols
oxic horizon, no argillic horizon, highly weathered
spodosols
spodic horizon commonly with iron, aluminum oxides and humus accumulations
ultisols
argillic or kandic horizon, low base saturation
vertisols
high in swelling clays; deep cracks when soil is dry