Reference soil China 09: Anthrosol

CN009

Anthrosols occur over large areas in the Far East where growing of paddy rice takes place for centuries, in the Middle East where prolonged irrigation has been practised, and over small areas in western Europe and other parts of the world where long-time fertilization and earth-manuring have profoundly modified existing soils

Characteristics

Soils having either a hortic, irragric, plaggic or terric horizon 50 cm or more thick, or an anthraquic horizon and an underlying hydragric horizon with a combined thickness of 50 cm or more.

Distribution of Anthrosols (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

Reference soil CN009: Anthrosols

Very deep, well drained, brown, silty clay loam in redistributed loess. IT has a very thick, dark brown anthropogenic topsoil, 80 cm thick, containing many small particle: coarse sand, charcoal, small gravel and pottery fragments, shells. Soil structure is strongly developed and a moderate nery large columnar structure is observed between 30 and 138 cm depth. Calcium carbonate precipitations in the form of pseudomycelia occur throughout the profile with a highest density between 114 and 138 cm depth. From 30 to 200 cm common large pores or frequently filled vertical channels occur, caused by earthworm activity. The soil reaction is alkaline throughout. GROUNDWATER: 80 m deep in nearby well / LAND USE: local information indicates that the anthropogenic soil layer of about 70 to 80 cm thickness results from 2000 years of manuring with a mixture of loess with urine/dung (of cattle and man). This type of manuring still continues, the application is 30-40 450-600 kg/ha (30-40 jin/mu). Recently also ammonium nitrate and ammonium carbonate (NH3HCO3) fertilizers have been applied. / LAND USE: main crops: winter wheat, sowing in October and harvest in June; maize, sowing after the wheat in June and harvested in the beginning of October; cotton, rapeseed, soybean, Kao Liang, sesame and barley are less important crops. Fertilized maize can have a yield of more than 7500 kg/ha (100 jin/mu; 1 jin = 1/2 kg, 1 mu = 1/15 ha). / SOIL AND CROP MANAGEMENT: plowing is nowadays mostly done by tractor (rented), but animal traction is still in use. Weeding is done manually. Insecticides are used against aphids, white spider etc. Irrigation is increasingly applied in the area. Many small wells are made to depths of 80 to max. 200 m. Most canals are earthen made. Some smaller structures (e.g. tubes under the road) are made from cement. Water distribution and application is judged by the farmer (in case of no rain, one irrigates once every 15 to 20 days for maize). Since a few years the communal and production brigade system has been abandoned and replaced by an individual small farming system.

Classification

WRB 2006

WRB 1998

Terric- Anthrosol (Hypereutric Siltic)

Terric- Anthrosol

0-138 cm

terric horizon

0-138 cm

terric horizon

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1988

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1974

Silti-Fimic Anthrosol

Calcaric Regosol

0-138 cm	fimic A horizon
- cm	fimic A horizon

0-138 cm	ochric A horizon
- cm	plaggen horizon

Local classification:	Haplic Lou soil; Earth-cumuli-Orthic Anthrosol
Common name:	Earth-manured soil

Other classification

USDA-NRCS (1999)	Typic Haplanthrept
USDA-SCS (1975)	Plaggept aridic fine-silty mixed mesic

More images

Physical characteristics

Particle size distribution

Depth (cm)	Gravel % v/v	very coarse sand % w/w	coarse sand % w/w	medium sand % w/w	fine sand % w/w	very fine sand % w/w	Total sand % w/w	coarse silt % w/w	fine silt % w/w	Total silt % w/w	Clay % w/w
0-21	-	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.1	0.2	1	30.6	41.7	72.3	26.9
21-30	-	0.1	0.1	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.9	28.8	43.0	71.8	27.3
30-70	-	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.8	29.2	41.9	71.1	28.2
70-81	-	0.0	0.1	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.6	25.2	40.2	65.4	34.1
81-114	-	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.1	0.3	0.5	25.4	39.8	65.2	34.3
114-138	-	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.6	1	30.0	42.7	72.7	26.3
138-200	-	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.4	0.7	1.8	33.4	41.7	75.1	23.1
200-250	-	0.0	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.8	1.2	35.1	42.5	77.6	21.2
250-300	-	0.0	0.2	0.2	0.0	1.1	1.5	31.3	43.5	74.8	23.8

Water retention characteristics

Depth (cm)	Bulk density kg/dm³	Spec. Surf. Area m²/g	COLE cm/cm	Water disp. clay %	Clay % w/w
0-21	-	-	-	-	26.9
3-8	1.394	-	-	-	-
25-30	1.456	-	-	-	-
21-30	-	-	-	-	27.3
30-70	-	-	-	-	28.2
50-57	1.530	-	-	-	-
275-280	1.196	-	-	-	-
70-81	-	-	-	-	34.1
81-114	-	-	-	-	34.3
114-138	-	-	-	-	26.3
138-200	-	-	-	-	23.1
200-250	-	-	-	-	21.2
250-300	-	-	-	-	23.8

Other physical data

Depth (cm)	Bulk density kg/dm³	pF 0 % v/v	pF 1.0 % v/v	pF 1.5 % v/v	pF 2.0 % v/v	pF 2.3 % v/v	pF 2.7 % v/v	pF 3.4 % v/v	pF 4.2 % v/v
3-8	1.394	47.2	46.4	42.6	37.2	34.3	31.2	20.9	18.6
25-30	1.456	45.8	45.1	39.6	33.7	31.2	28.5	20.4	18.8
50-57	1.530	44.6	44.0	38.9	34.3	32.0	29.5	21.0	19.2
275-280	1.196	54.9	53.9	47.4	39.6	33.9	27.9	16.3	15.1

Chemical data

Depth (cm)	pH H2O	pHKCl	EC 1: 2.5 dS/m	CaCO3 % w/w	C % w/w	N %	C / N	Exch. Acid cmol(c)/kg	Exch. Al cmol(c)/kg	Ca cmol(c)/kg	Mg cmol(c)/kg	K cmol(c)/kg	Na cmol(c)/kg	Sum Cations cmol(c)/kg
0-21	8.2	7.5	0.25	3.3	0.81	0.08	10	-	-	45.0	1.9	0.6	0.0	47.5
21-30	8.2	7.4	0.40	2.1	0.67	0.08	8	-	-	49.1	2.0	0.5	0.0	51.6
30-70	8.3	7.4	0.28	1.6	0.45	0.05	9	-	-	47.8	1.9	0.4	0.1	50.2
70-81	8.0	7.0	0.44	0.0	0.48	0.05	10	-	-	28.8	2.0	0.4	0.3	31.5
81-114	8.1	7.0	0.29	0.0	0.43	0.05	9	-	-	29.6	1.9	0.3	0.4	32.2
114-138	8.0	7.0	0.51	3.4	0.40	0.04	10	-	-	42.1	0.8	0.2	0.0	43.1
138-200	8.3	7.5	0.29	4.3	0.33	0.03	11	-	-	40.9	1.2	0.2	0.5	42.8
200-250	8.2	7.5	0.38	3.6	0.26	-	-	-	-	36.6	1.1	0.2	0.5	38.4
250-300	8.3	7.5	0.36	3.0	0.32	-	-	-	-	48.9	1.8	0.3	0.2	51.2

Depth (cm)	Base sat. %	CEC soil cmol(c)/kg	CEC clay cmol(c)/kg	CEC org cmol(c)/kg	ECEC cmol(c)/kg	Al sat. %	ESP %
0-21	-	11.7	43	2.8	-	-	0
21-30	-	11.9	44	2.3	-	-	0
30-70	-	12.2	43	1.6	-	-	1
70-81	176	17.9	52	1.7	-	-	2
81-114	193	16.7	49	1.5	-	-	2
114-138	-	10.6	40	1.4	-	-	0
138-200	-	8.9	39	1.2	-	-	6
200-250	-	9.2	43	0.9	-	-	5
250-300	-	9.6	40	1.1	-	-	2

Depth (cm)	pH NaF	P Retention %	ODOE	Al o % w/w	Si o % w/w	Fe d % w/w	Al d % w/w	Fe p % w/w	Al p % w/w	C p % w/w	Fe o % w/w
0-21	-	-	-	0.10	0.00	1.00	0.10	-	-	-	0.10
21-30	-	-	-	0.10	0.00	1.00	0.10	-	-	-	0.10
30-70	-	-	-	0.10	0.00	1.00	0.10	-	-	-	0.10
70-81	-	-	-	0.10	0.00	1.30	0.10	-	-	-	0.10
81-114	-	-	-	0.20	0.00	1.20	0.10	-	-	-	0.20
114-138	-	-	-	0.10	0.00	0.90	0.80	-	-	-	0.10
138-200	-	-	-	0.10	0.00	0.80	0.10	-	-	-	0.10
200-250	-	-	-	0.10	0.00	0.80	0.10	-	-	-	0.10
250-300	-	-	-	0.10	0.00	0.80	0.10	-	-	-	0.10

Soluble sands

Depth (cm)	Ca mmol(c)/kg	Mg mmol(c)/kg	K mmol(c)/kg	Na mmol(c)/kg	sum cations mmol(c)/kg	CO3 mmol(c)/kg	HCO3 mmol(c)/kg	Cl mmol(c)/kg	NO3 mmol(c)/kg	SO4 mmol(c)/kg	sum anions mmol(c)/kg
21-30	0.84	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.96	-	0.2	0.02	0.00	0.04	0.27
70-81	0.78	0.1	0.0	0.1	0.97	-	0.1	0.03	0.00	0.04	0.21
114-138	1.11	0.1	0.0	0.1	1.26	-	0.2	0.02	0.00	0.05	0.27

Depth (cm)	Sodium ads. ratio	pH e	EC e dS/m	EC 1 : 5 dS/m
21-30	0	7.5	1.69	-
70-81	1	6.8	1.73	-
114-138	1	6.8	2.19	-

Profile description

Ap1 0-21 cm	light brown (7.5YR 6/4, dry) (7.5YR 4.5/4, moist)silt loam,moderate fine and medium subangular blocky and moderate fine and medium crumb,slightly hard very friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,many very fine medium pores,clear smooth boundary to,
Ap2 21-30 cm	brown (7.5YR 5/4, dry) (dark) brown (7.5YR 4/4, moist)silt loam,moderate to strong fine and medium subangular blocky,hard very friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,common very fine medium pores,clear smooth boundary to,
Ap3 30-70 cm	brown (7.5YR 5/4, dry) (dark) brown (7.5YR 4/4, moist)silt loam,strong fine and medium subangular blocky,hard very friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,broken moderately thick clay cutans,many very fine medium pores,clear smooth boundary to,
2Ap4 70-81 cm	brown (7.5YR 5/4, dry) dark brown (7.5YR 3/4, moist)silty clay loam,strong fine and medium subangular blocky,hard very friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,many very fine medium pores,frequent thread-like calcareous soft segregations,gradual smooth boundary to,
2Ak 81-114 cm	(7.5YR 3/3.5, dry) (7.5YR 3/3.5, moist)silty clay loam,strong fine and medium subangular blocky,hard very friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,many very fine medium pores,frequent thread-like calcareous soft segregations,clear smooth boundary to,
114-138 cm	(dark) brown (7.5YR 4/4, dry) (dark) brown (7.5YR 4/4, moist)silt loam,strong fine and medium subangular blocky,hard very friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,many very fine medium pores,very frequent thread-like calcareous,clear smooth boundary to,
2Bkc 138-200 cm	(dark) brown (7.5YR 4/4, moist)silt loam,weak fine and medium subangular blocky,slightly hard very friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,many very fine medium pores,frequent thread-like calcareous soft segregations very few small hard calcareous nodules,diffuse smooth boundary to,
2BC 200-250 cm	(dark) brown (7.5YR 4/4, moist)silt loam,weakly coherent porous massive,soft loose slightly sticky slightly plastic,many very fine medium pores,few calcareous soft segregations,diffuse smooth boundary to,
2C 250-300 cm	(dark) brown (7.5YR 4/4, moist)silt loam,weakly coherent porous massive,soft loose slightly sticky slightly plastic,many very fine medium pores,

Kind 1 (parent material) ; Parker (eds), 1984	sediment, unconsolidated
Mode of accumulation or deposition of parent material	eolian loess
Remarks on Parent Materials	Pleistocene era
Soil Depth	300cm
Texture of parent material	silty
Texture of parent material (second entry)	silty

Major crops	cereals (unspecified)
Main type of irrigation; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	seasonally irrigated
Land use or vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the site	medium level arable farming
Remarks on Land Use / Vegetation	VEGETATION: No natural vegetation left
Rotation scheme ; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	continuous crop rotation

Altitude	520m
Physiographic Unit	terrace of the Wei River
Regional landform; McDonald, R.C., Isbell, R.F. et all, 1984; Australian soil and land survey Field Handbook, Inkata Press, Melbourne.	alluvial terrace
Slope	1%
Topography; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	flat or almost flat

Drainage class ; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	well
Dry From - To	0-150cm
Flooding frequency (FAO, 1986)	never
Depth to groundwater table	8000cm
Kind of ground water table (USDA, 1979)	groundwater table observed
Moist From - To	150-300cm
Estimated permeability (class) of least permeable part of the profile	moderate
Estimated run off (class)	slow

Evidence of alkali ; Soil Survey Manual USDA, 1951	slightly alkaline
Surface cracking	no cracks observed
Slaking of aggregates by tillage, rainfall or frost (USDA/SCS, 1979)	surface slaked; sorted sand/silt, some clay films
Rock outcrop class (FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description)	none
Evidence of salt; Soil Survey Manual USDA, 1951	non-saline
Surface stoniness class (FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description)	none

You are here

Reference soil China 09: Anthrosol

Characteristics

Reference soil CN009: Anthrosols

Classification