SomeSoilsterminology

Pedologythestudyofsoils

Pedogenesistheformationofsoils

ParentMaterialtheunderlyingrockthatisthebasicsourceformineralsinsoils
(althoughwindcanblowinmineralsfromotherplaces)

Weatheringproductionofsmallerrockparticlesandcanbeeitheraccomplished
throughmechanicalorchemicaldestructionoflargerrock

Mechanicalweatheringunevenexpansionastemperaturechangescrackrock,
expansionofwaterasitfreezesincrackssplitsrock,andwindandwavesmove
smallparticlesandmakethemevensmaller.

Chemicalweatheringchemicalalterationofrockbyprocessofoxidationonce
exposedtoair,byacidsproducedbyplantrootsandbydecompositionofplant
litter.

Leachinglossofsolublemineralsfromsoilasprecipitationpercolatesthroughthesoil
tothegroundwaterandthenflowsintoriver,lakesandaquifers

EluviationThedownwardmovementofdissolvedorsuspendedmaterials(i.e.,
nutrients)inthesoilduetoleaching

Illuviationdepositionofmaterialsoutofsolution

Erosionlossofsoilsaswatercarriesthemdownslope,wheretheycanbedepositedon
bottomlandor,iftheyenterastream,carrieddownstreamwheretheparticleseither
becomepartofthestreamorriverbottomorreachtheoceanandsettleontotheocean
floor

Humusorganicmatterthatisnolongerrecognizableasbeingfromaparticularsource.
Thisisanimportantsoilcomponentandismostlyplantmaterial.Lignifiedwood
persistslongestinthesoil.

Laterizationwhenprecipitationgreatlyexceedsevaporationandtranspirationinwarm
climates,waterrapidlypercolatesthroughthesoilandintothegroundwater,whereit
flowsintoriversandstreams.Solublesoilnutrientsareconstantlyleachedoutofthe
soils,leavingbehindthelesssolubleions(Al+andFe+++),whichprecipitateandgivethe
soilstheircolor(whitishforAlandredforFe)andH+ions,whichmakethesoilacidic.
Lossofnutrientstoleachingresultsinnutrientpoorsoils.

Calcificationwhenlossofsoilmoistureduetoevaporationandtranspirationexceeds
precipitationwaterleavesthesoilthroughthesurfaceratherthanthroughflowof

groundwater.Themineralsdissolvedmoveupwardfromthegroundwaterwiththe
waterandtheleastsoluble(typicallyCaCO3)aredepositedwheretheprecipitate,
usuallyintheBhorizon,where,ifenoughprecipitate,theycanformahardlayercalleda
Caliche

Salinizationhappensmostofteninverydryclimatesandisbasicallythesameprocess
ascalcificationexceptthattheprecipitateissalt(NaCl)anditoccursintheAlayer
becausethereislittlerainfalltomovedownthroughthesoilandoffsettheupward
movementduetoevaporation.CanresultinaSaltCrustonthesurfaceofthesoil.The
saltconcentrationissuchthatplantgrowthisinhibited.

Irrigationofdrylandscanresultinsalinizationwherenoneexistedbeforeand
canpoisontheland.Irrigationwaterdissolvessaltasitsoaksintosoiland
bringsthesalttothesurfaceasitevaporates.HugeproblemintheUS
southwest,inAustralia,andinNorthernAfrica,majorareasofdrylandirrigation.

PodzolizationCool,moistregionsoftenhaveconiferforests,wheretheneedlesfall
andarenotquicklydecomposedduetolowtemperature.Accumulationofhumusand
humicacidscausessoilstobecomeacidified.Theacidificationcanbecomesointense
evenAlandFeionsaresolubilizedandthelowerportionoftheAhorizonisleftwith
onlysandmadeofsilica(glassSiO2).Solublenutrientsareleachedandsoilisnutrient
poor.

GelizationconstantlywetsoilshavelittleairandsoOisscarcefordecomposition,
whichisveryslow.AccumulatingorganicmaterialsareacidicandthelowpHmeans
mineralnutrientsarelosttoleaching.Soilsoftengreyblackduetoincompletely
oxidizedstateofiron.

SoilarenothomogeneousbutcanbedividedintoSoilHorizons

Newmineralsoftenenterthesoilfromthebottom(fromtheparentmaterial)andorganic
materialfromthetop,asleavesdieandbecomedebris(litter),sothesethingsmixintothesoil
fromoppositesidesandthesoildevelopsHorizonsorverticallayers.

OHorizonLeaflitter,unconsolidated(loose)whereplantlitteronuppersidebecomes
humusonlowersideasanimals,fungi,andbacteriaprocessit

AHorizontopsoilupperlayerofmineralsoil,usuallyblackduetopresenceofhumus
fromOhorizon,oftennutrientrichandfulloffine,nutrientabsorbingroots

EHorizonEluviation(washout)layerareawhereleachingremovessmallparticlesand
leavesbehindinsolubleminerals,undertheAandontopoftheBlayer.Theseparticles
havebeenleachedofsolublenutrientsandsoarenutrientpoor.Foundmostoftenin

soilsunderwetforestsbutrarelyingrasslandsbecauserainfallistolittletoformthe
layer

BHorizonsubsoilIlluviation(washin)layerregionwheretheparticlesthatcome
fromtheEhorizonaccumulate.Usuallydenserintexture(duetosmallparticle
accumulation)andharderforrootstopenetrate.

CHorizonbrokenparentmaterialthatisbeginningtoweather(butmoreslowlythan
mineralsinBorAhorizon)andsoischemicallynearesttheparentmaterial

RHorizonBedrockunbrokenparentmaterial