Reference soil Ghana 03: Acrisol

GH003

Acrisols occur dominantly in the wetter parts of the tropics and subtropics and the warm temperate regions in relatively young landscapes.

Characteristics

Soils having an argic horizon (a subsurface horizon with distinct higher clay content than the overlying horizon), which has a cation exchange capacity of less than 24 cmolc per kg in some part, either starting within 100 cm from the soil surface, or within 200 cm from the soil surface if the argic horizon is overlain by loamy sand or coarser textures throughout. They have a base saturation (total amount of Ca, Mg, K and Na with respect to the cation exchange capacity) of less than 50 percent in the major part between 25 and 100 cm from the soil surface

Distribution of Acrisols (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

Reference soil GH003: Acrisols

VEGETATION: Main tree species: Triplochiton scleroxylon, Celtis mildbraedii, Pertersia africana, Ceiba pentandra, Sterculia rhimopetala, Pycnanthus angolensis and Piptadenia africana. LOCATION: Ashanti Region, approximately 8km W of Kumasi, about 1km NW of main office block of the Central Agricultural Research Station Kwadaso-Kumasi. COARSE FRAGMENTS: volume estimates: AB 5%, BA 25%, Bt1 25%, Bt2 35%, Bt3 25%, Bt4 30%, Bt5 25%, BC <5%. AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONATION (AEZ): dry days 73, intermediate days 101, wet days 191. Type of growing season: normal growing season (with dry period). Season starts on 12 February and lasts to 1 December. Total length of growing season is 293 days.

Classification

WRB 2006

WRB 1998

Haplic- Acrisol (Profondic Clayic Chromic)

Chromi-Profondic- Acrisol

7-155 cm

argic horizon

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1988

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1974

Chromi-Haplic Acrisol

Orthic Ferralsol

0-18 cm	ochric A horizon
7-155 cm	argic B horizon
-	ferric

0-18 cm	ochric A horizon
18-155 cm	oxic B horizon
-	ferric

Local classification:	Forest Ochrosol, Kumasi Series

Other classification

USDA-NRCS (1999)	Typic Hapludox
USDA-SCS (1975)	Typic Paleudult udic fine kaolinitic 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
0-7	-	6.4	18.5	14.5	11.4	3.7	54.5	4.0	8.1	12.1	33.3
7-11	-	3.3	13.6	15.1	10.5	3.8	46.3	4.5	8.4	12.9	40.8
11-18	-	4.2	19.4	14.6	8.7	3.4	50.3	3.4	6.7	10.1	39.6
18-23	-	5.7	18.6	12.1	6.9	2.7	46	3.3	5.6	8.9	45.0
23-33	-	8.7	18.5	8.7	4.8	2.2	42.9	2.7	4.9	7.6	49.4
33-46	-	7.1	18.1	8.3	4.5	2.0	40	3.6	3.9	7.5	52.6
46-70	-	9.2	20.0	8.2	4.1	1.9	43.4	2.5	4.1	6.6	50.1
70-87	-	8.2	18.8	7.0	3.9	1.9	39.8	3.9	4.6	8.5	51.7
87-114	-	9.2	14.5	5.7	4.7	2.1	36.2	4.3	5.8	10.1	53.7
114-122	-	7.8	12.8	7.2	6.0	1.8	35.6	4.4	7.4	11.8	52.7

Water retention characteristics

Depth (cm)	Bulk density kg/dm³	Spec. Surf. Area m²/g	COLE cm/cm	Water disp. clay %	Clay % w/w
0-7	-	-	-	-	33.3
7-11	-	-	-	-	40.8
11-18	-	-	-	-	39.6
18-23	-	-	-	-	45.0
23-33	-	-	-	-	49.4
33-46	-	-	-	-	52.6
46-70	-	-	-	-	50.1
70-87	-	-	-	-	51.7
87-114	-	-	-	-	53.7
114-122	-	-	-	-	52.7

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
0-7	4.3	3.8	0.23	-	1.49	0.22	7	1.3	1.2	2.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	2.3
7-11	4.2	3.8	0.19	-	1.00	0.12	8	1.4	1.2	1.5	0.3	0.0	0.0	1.8
11-18	4.5	3.9	0.09	-	0.40	0.10	4	0.9	0.8	1.5	0.3	0.0	0.0	1.8
18-23	4.6	3.9	0.05	-	0.49	0.06	8	1.0	0.8	1.5	0.3	0.0	0.0	1.8
23-33	4.6	3.9	0.04	-	0.30	0.06	5	1.0	1.0	1.5	0.3	0.0	0.0	1.8
33-46	4.7	3.9	0.04	-	0.30	0.06	5	0.9	1.0	1.5	0.3	0.0	0.0	1.8
46-70	4.8	4.0	0.03	-	0.24	0.03	8	0.7	0.6	2.1	0.3	0.0	0.0	2.4
70-87	4.7	4.0	0.03	-	0.21	0.04	5	0.7	0.6	1.5	0.3	0.0	0.0	1.8
87-114	4.8	4.1	0.04	-	0.21	0.04	5	1.0	0.6	1.5	0.3	0.0	0.0	1.8
114-122	4.9	4.1	0.02	-	0.18	0.04	5	0.5	0.3	2.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	2.3

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 %
0-7	25	9.3	28	5.2	3.6	13	0
7-11	20	8.8	22	3.5	3.2	14	0
11-18	27	6.6	17	1.4	2.7	12	0
18-23	27	6.6	15	1.7	2.8	12	0
23-33	29	6.2	13	1.1	2.8	16	0
33-46	24	7.5	14	1.1	2.7	13	0
46-70	34	7.1	14	0.8	3.1	8	0
70-87	32	5.7	11	0.7	2.5	11	0
87-114	29	6.2	12	0.7	2.8	10	0
114-122	35	6.6	20	0.6	2.8	5	0

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
0-7	-	-	-	-	-	0.37	-	-	-	-	-
7-11	-	-	-	-	-	3.01	-	-	-	-	-
11-18	-	-	-	-	-	3.01	-	-	-	-	-
18-23	-	-	-	-	-	2.99	-	-	-	-	-
23-33	-	-	-	-	-	3.59	-	-	-	-	-
33-46	-	-	-	-	-	3.80	-	-	-	-	-
46-70	-	-	-	-	-	3.85	-	-	-	-	-
70-87	-	-	-	-	-	3.94	-	-	-	-	-
87-114	-	-	-	-	-	4.73	-	-	-	-	-
114-122	-	-	-	-	-	5.16	-	-	-	-	-

Clay mineralogy

Depth (cm)	Chlorite	Feldspar	Gibbsite	Goethite	Halloysite	Hematite	Kaolinite	Mica / illite	Mixed-layer	Quartz	Smec	Vermiculite
0-7	-	-	-	weak	-	-	very strong	-	very weak	very weak to weak	-	-
7-11	-	-	-	weak	-	-	very strong	-	very weak	very weak to weak	-	-
11-18	-	-	-	weak	-	-	very strong	-	very weak	very weak to weak	-	-
18-23	-	-	-	weak	-	-	very strong	-	very weak	very weak to weak	-	-
23-33	-	-	-	weak	-	-	very strong	-	very weak	very weak	-	-
33-46	-	-	-	weak	-	-	very strong	-	very weak	very weak	-	-
46-70	-	-	-	weak	-	-	very strong	-	very weak	very weak	-	-
70-87	-	-	-	weak	-	-	very strong	-	very weak	very weak	-	-
87-114	-	-	-	weak	-	-	very strong	-	very weak	very weak	-	-
114-122	-	-	-	weak	-	-	very strong	-	very weak to weak	very weak	-	-

Profile description

Ah1 0-7 cm	dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2, moist)sandy clay loam,coarse granular and fine granular,friable,non calcareous,abrupt wavy boundary to,
Ah2 7-11 cm	dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3, moist)sandy loam,weak fine granular,friable,non calcareous,clear wavy boundary to,
11-18 cm	yellowish red (5YR 4/6, moist)sandy loam slightly gravelly,weakly coherent,firm,few medium spherical hard ferruginous concretions,non calcareous,clear wavy boundary to,
BA 18-23 cm	yellowish red (5YR 4/6, moist)clay loam gravelly,moderately coherent,firm,frequent medium spherical hard ferruginous concretions,non calcareous,clear wavy boundary to,
Bt1 23-46 cm	red (2.5YR 4/8, moist)clay gravelly,moderately coherent,firm,frequent medium spherical hard ferruginous concretions,non calcareous,clear wavy boundary to,
Bt2 46-70 cm	red (2.5YR 4/8, moist)clay gravelly,moderately coherent,firm,frequent medium spherical hard ferruginous concretions,non calcareous,clear wavy boundary to,
Bt3 70-87 cm	red (2.5YR 4/8, moist)clay gravelly,moderately coherent,firm,frequent medium spherical hard ferruginous concretions,non calcareous,clear smooth boundary to,
Bt5 114-151 cm	red (10R 4/6, moist)red (2.5YR 5/6, moist),clay gravelly,clay gravelly,moderately coherent,moderately coherent,firm,friable,common (5-15%) fine faint mottles (5YR 5/6),frequent medium spherical hard ferruginous concretions,frequent medium spherical hard ferruginous concretions,white mica spec fragments,non calcareous,non calcareous,clear smooth boundary to,clear wavy boundary to,
151-201 cm	red (2.5YR 4/8, moist)clay slightly gravelly,firm,common (5-15%) fine distinct mottles (5YR 5/8),very few medium spherical hard ferruginous concretions,non calcareous,clear irregular boundary to,
C1 201-238 cm	red (10R 4/6, moist)sandy clay loam,weakly coherent,friable,frequent white mica spec fragments,non calcareous,gradual smooth boundary to,
C2 238-320 cm	(7.5YR 4/8, moist)sandy loam,weakly coherent,friable,few (2-5%) fine faint mottles (7.5YR 6/6),frequent white mica spec fragments,non calcareous,

Kind 1 (parent material) ; Parker (eds), 1984	coarse-grained acid igneous rock
Mode of accumulation or deposition of parent material	residual material
Remarks on Parent Materials	biotite granite
Texture of parent material	clayey
General characterization of the status of weathering of solid rock	highly

Occurrence of soil aggradation (McDonald et al., 1984)	absent
Slope stability	stable

Main type of irrigation; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	no irrigation
Land use or vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the site	(semi-)natural vegetation
Remarks on Land Use / Vegetation	VEGETATION: Main tree species: Triplochiton scleroxylon, Celtis mildbraedii, Pertersia africana, Ceiba pentandra, Sterculi rhimopetala, Pycnanthus angolensis and Piptadenia africana
Rotation scheme ; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	crop rotation scheme not relevant
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 forest

Altitude	249m
Physiographic Unit	upland slope
Physiographic position of the site	upper slope
Regional landform; McDonald, R.C., Isbell, R.F. et all, 1984; Australian soil and land survey Field Handbook, Inkata Press, Melbourne.	low hill
Slope	3%
Form of the slope surrounding the site	convex
Topography; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	undulating

Drainage class ; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	well
Flooding frequency (FAO, 1986)	never
Kind of ground water table (USDA, 1979)	no groundwater table observed
Moist From - To	0-320cm
Estimated permeability (class) of least permeable part of the profile	moderate
Estimated run off (class)	medium

Evidence of alkali ; Soil Survey Manual USDA, 1951	non-alkaline
Surface cracking	no cracks observed
Slaking of aggregates by tillage, rainfall or frost (USDA/SCS, 1979)	no surface slaking/crusting observed
Microrelief pattern	none
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

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Reference soil Ghana 03: Acrisol

Characteristics

Reference soil GH003: Acrisols

Classification