Reference soil Cuba 06: Vertisol

CU006

Vertisols occur dominantly in level landscapes under climates with a pronounced dry season. Vast areas are found in Australia, India, northeastern Africa (Sudan, Ethiopia), southern Latin America and the USA.

Characteristics

Soils having a vertic horizon (a clayey subsurface horizon with polished and grooved ped surfaces ("slickensides") or wedge-shaped or parallelepiped structural aggregates) within 100 cm from the soil surface. They have 30 percent or more clay in all horizons to a depth of 100 cm or more, or to a contrasting layer (lithic or paralithic contact, petrocalcic, petroduric or petrogypsic horizons, sedimentary discontinuity, etc.) between 50 and 100 cm, after the upper 20 cm have been mixed. In addition, Vertisols exhibit wide cracks, which open and close periodically.

Distribution of Vertisols (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

Reference soil CU006: Vertisols

Short field description Deep, moderately well drained, brown clay, with large cracks at the surface. (Sub)angular blocky structure, slickensides and hard calcareous nodules. Geology: Middle Eocene, 'Vertientes' Formation: marls, sandstone, radiolaritas limestone. Geomorphology: Denudative erosive undulating plains. First ratoon: yield 51.4 ton/ha.

Classification

WRB 2006

WRB 1998

Calcic-Stagnic- Vertisol (Albic)

Calcic- Vertisol

20-55 cm	albic horizon
20-55 cm	vertic horizon
55-170 cm	calcic horizon
-	stagnic colour pattern

0-20 cm	ochric horizon
20-55 cm	albic horizon
20-55 cm	vertic horizon
55-170 cm	calcic horizon
-	secondary carbonates
-	stagnic

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1988

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1974

Albi-Calcic Vertisol

Chromic Vertisol

0-20 cm	ochric A horizon
20-55 cm	albic E horizon
55-170 cm	calcic horizon
- cm	cambic B horizon
-	slickensides
-	vertic

0-20 cm	ochric A horizon
20-55 cm	albic E horizon
55-170 cm	calcic horizon
- cm	cambic B horizon
-	vertic

Local classification:	Pardo con carbonato plast.

Other classification

USDA-NRCS (1999)	Leptic Haplustert
USDA-SCS (1975)	Leptic Chromustert ustic very fine montmorillonitic isohyperthermic

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
0-22	-	0.5	0.6	1.9	4.8	4.3	12.1	2.7	6.4	9.1	78.9
22-55	-	0.1	0.4	1.9	5.0	4.2	11.6	3.8	13.8	17.6	70.8
55-80	-	0.1	0.4	2.5	6.6	5.0	14.6	9.0	19.0	28.0	57.4
80-90	-	0.2	0.2	0.4	1.7	3.1	5.6	11.5	39.7	51.2	43.2
100-130	-	0.1	0.1	0.4	3.9	8.0	12.5	16.3	41.0	57.3	30.1
140-170	-	0.1	0.1	0.2	3.9	6.6	10.9	12.4	36.4	48.8	40.1

Water retention characteristics

Depth (cm)	Bulk density kg/dm³	Spec. Surf. Area m²/g	COLE cm/cm	Water disp. clay %	Clay % w/w
3-8	1.077	-	-	-	-
0-22	-	-	-	-	78.9
22-55	-	-	-	-	70.8
23-28	1.032	-	-	-	-
55-80	-	-	-	-	57.4
65-70	1.302	-	-	-	-
80-85	1.321	-	-	-	-
80-90	-	-	-	-	43.2
100-105	1.295	-	-	-	-
100-130	-	-	-	-	30.1
140-170	-	-	-	-	40.1

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	1.077	58.6	58.6	57.6	56.7	56.7	55.1	48.0	46.1
23-28	1.032	61.7	61.7	61.2	59.9	59.9	58.3	47.5	46.4
65-70	1.302	50.3	50.3	49.1	45.8	45.8	42.8	38.0	37.7
80-85	1.321	50.5	49.9	48.3	45.6	45.6	43.4	35.5	32.8
100-105	1.295	47.9	47.3	45.6	42.3	42.3	38.5	27.7	26.8

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
0-22	6.9	5.4	0.23	3.7	1.59	0.20	8	-	-	53.8	8.3	0.4	0.3	62.8
22-55	7.5	6.0	0.29	3.7	0.45	0.08	6	-	-	53.9	5.3	0.3	0.3	59.8
55-80	8.4	7.0	0.24	31.3	0.24	-	-	-	-	64.2	4.4	0.2	0.3	69.1
80-90	8.5	7.0	0.23	41.1	0.15	-	-	-	-	64.2	4.1	0.2	0.2	68.7
100-130	8.6	7.0	0.20	33.9	0.11	-	-	-	-	63.8	5.2	0.2	0.3	69.5
140-170	8.6	6.9	0.21	30.4	0.01	-	-	-	-	61.1	7.0	0.2	0.4	68.7

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 %
0-22	99	63.3	79	5.6	-	-	0
22-55	122	49.0	70	1.6	-	-	1
55-80	150	46.2	116	0.8	-	-	1
80-90	151	45.5	178	0.5	-	-	0
100-130	157	44.3	221	0.4	-	-	1
140-170	153	45.0	161	0.0	-	-	1

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
0-22	-	-	-	0.35	0.08	1.10	0.19	-	-	-	0.53
22-55	-	-	-	0.30	0.08	1.21	0.22	-	-	-	0.43
55-80	-	-	-	0.13	0.05	0.63	0.07	-	-	-	0.08
80-90	-	-	-	0.11	0.03	0.30	0.03	-	-	-	0.05
100-130	-	-	-	0.08	0.00	0.41	0.03	-	-	-	0.03
140-170	-	-	-	0.08	0.03	0.50	0.03	-	-	-	0.03

Clay mineralogy

Depth (cm)	Chlorite	Feldspar	Gibbsite	Goethite	Halloysite	Hematite	Kaolinite	Mica / illite	Mixed-layer	Quartz	Smec	Vermiculite
0-22	-	weak	-	-	-	-	weak	-	-	weak	very strong	-
22-55	-	very weak	-	-	-	-	weak	-	-	weak	very strong	-
55-80	-	weak	-	-	-	-	weak	-	-	weak	very strong	-
80-90	-	weak	-	-	-	-	weak	-	-	weak	very strong	-
100-130	-	weak	-	-	-	-	weak	-	-	weak	very strong	-
140-170	-	weak	-	-	-	-	weak	-	-	weak	very strong	-

Profile description

Ap 0-20 cm	very dark greyish brown (10YR 3/2, moist)clay loam,strong medium and coarse angular blocky,sticky plastic,no cutans,common fine pores and common pores highly porous (>60 vol%),no inclusions,no fragments,few worm channels,abrupt smooth boundary to,
Bi 20-55 cm	brown (10YR 5/3, moist)clay loam,strong medium and coarse subangular blocky,slightly hard slightly sticky slightly plastic,broken moderately thick slickensides throughout cutans,common fine pores and few pores highly porous (>60 vol%),very few small irregular hard calcareous nodules,no fragments,clear wavy boundary to,
Bw 55-80 cm	light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4, moist)sandy clay loam,strong coarse subangular blocky,slightly sticky slightly plastic,common heterogeneous faint diffuse mottles (10YR 6/8) and common medium distinct mottles (2.5Y 8/2),no cutans,common fine pores and common pores highly porous (>60 vol%),very few small irregular hard calcareous nodules,no fragments,gradual smooth boundary to,
CB 80-90 cm	pale brown (10YR 6/3, moist)sandy clay loam,moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky,friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,no cutans,few fine pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),dominant medium irregular soft calcareous nodules,no fragments,gradual smooth boundary to,
Ck1 100-130 cm	white (10YR 8/2, moist)sandy clay loam,weakly coherent,friable non sticky non plastic,many coarse distinct clear mottles (10YR 6/8) and few fine distinct mottles (10YR 2/1),no cutans,common fine pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),very frequent large spherical soft calcareous nodules,no fragments,gradual smooth boundary to,
Ck2 140-170 cm	white (10YR 8/2, moist)sandy clay loam,weakly coherent,friable non sticky non plastic,many coarse distinct clear mottles (10YR 6/8) and few fine distinct mottles (10YR 2/1),no cutans,common fine pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),dominant large spherical hard calcareous nodules,no fragments,gradual smooth boundary to,

Kind 1 (parent material) ; Parker (eds), 1984	limestone
Mode of accumulation or deposition of parent material	residual material
Remarks on Parent Materials	Middle Eocene, Vertientes Formation
Soil Depth	85cm
Texture of parent material	clayey

Major crops	sugar cane
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	high level arable farming
Rotation scheme ; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	monoculture
Status of vegetation; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	secondary
Major vegetation type; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	semi-deciduous woodland

Altitude	80m
Physiographic Unit	flat or almost flat
Physiographic position of the site	flat
Regional landform; McDonald, R.C., Isbell, R.F. et all, 1984; Australian soil and land survey Field Handbook, Inkata Press, Melbourne.	peneplain
Slope	0%
Form of the slope surrounding the site	straight
Topography; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	flat or almost flat

Drainage class ; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	moderately well
Flooding frequency (FAO, 1986)	never
Kind of ground water table (USDA, 1979)	no groundwater table observed
Moist From - To	0-170cm
Estimated permeability (class) of least permeable part of the profile	slow
Estimated run off (class)	slow

Evidence of alkali ; Soil Survey Manual USDA, 1951	slightly alkaline
Average size of stone	5
Surface cracking	large cracks (width more than 1 cm, or depth more than 50 cm)
Slaking of aggregates by tillage, rainfall or frost (USDA/SCS, 1979)	no surface slaking/crusting observed
Rock outcrop class (FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description)	none
Evidence of salt; Soil Survey Manual USDA, 1951	non-saline
Shape of stones (on average)	angular irregular
Surface stoniness class (FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description)	very few stones

You are here

Reference soil Cuba 06: Vertisol

Characteristics

Reference soil CU006: Vertisols

Classification