Reference soil Ecuador 05: Luvisol

EC005
Distribution of Luvisols (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)
 

Depth of the solum varies considerably, generally between 20-60 cm. Parent rock consists of basalt, in a roadcut rounded boulders of basalt ("pillow" lava?) has been observed. The soil has clear, tilted shear planes. According verbal information the cracks considerably when dry. All this points to vertic properties. The consistency of the soil when dry is probably very hard. The presence of an argillic horizon is disputable, without an argillic horizon the soil will classify as Chromic Cambisol or as Vertic Eutropepts. The meteo station P.Baquerizo, having the longest records, has been also connected to EC05. However, as rainfall is strongly related to altitude, especially the precipitation data of P.Baquerizo are not representative for the site. An approximate correlation between altitude and annual rainfall can be derived from the the following data: Meteo station Altitude(m) Annual rainfall(mm) P.Baquerizo 6 471 El Progresso 250 1291 Pampa mia 400 1810

WRB 2006:

WRB 1998:

Vertic Luvisol(Humic Hypereutric Endoskeletic)
Chromic Luvisol
10-67 cm argic horizon  
vertic properties  
0-10 cm ochric horizon  
10-67 cm argic horizon  

 

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1988:

FAO-UNESCO 1974:

Humi- Vertic Luvisol
Vertic Luvisol
0-10 cm ochric A horizon  
10-67 cm argic B horizon  
strongly humic  
vertic properties  
0-10 cm ochric A horizon  
10-67 cm argillic B horizon  
high organic matter content in the B horizon  
vertic properties
Location: 

Galapagos, St. Cristobal Island, 5km E of P. Baquerizo