Reference soil Ecuador 06:

EC006

Ferralsols occur in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, mainly on old and stable land surfaces.

Characteristics

Soils having a ferralic horizon (strongly weathered horizon with low-activity clays and very low amounts of weatherable minerals) between 25 and 200 cm from the soil surface. They lack a nitic horizon (a horizon with strongly developed, nut-shaped structure) and do not have a layer which fulfils the requirements of an argic horizon and which has, in the upper 30 cm, 10 percent or more water-dispersible clay.


Distribution of Ferralsols (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

Road cut observations show different (completely weathered) parent materials like conglomerate, clay(stone?),.. The subsoil shows a weak yellowish mottling probably due to redox processes. The soil shows clear narrow cracks when dry. The soil is well structured which agrees with the classification as Nitosol. If the morphology is not taken into account it will come out as ferric Acrisol.

Classification

WRB 2006

Vetic Acric Ferralsols (Alumic Clayic )  
20-150 argic horizon
18-150 ferralic horizon

WRB 1998

Acric Veti Alumic Ferralsols  
18-150 cm ferralic horizon
20-150 cm argic horizon
0-18 cm ochric horizon

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1974

Dystric Nitosols  
- ferric horizon
0-42 cm ochric A horizon
20-150 cm argillic B horizon

Local classification

Classification information Suelo Rojo

 

Other classification
USDA-SCS (1975) Paleudult perudic clayey isohyperthermic
Location: 

Napo, Francisco de Orellana, 12km S of Coca