Reference soil Ghana 06: Lixisol

GH006

Lixisols occur dominantly in the drier parts of the tropics and subtropics. Their high base status is partly due to less leaching, partly to admixture from airborne dust from adjacent desert regions.

Characteristics

Soils having an argic horizon (a subsurface horizon with a 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 either:

100 cm from the soil surface, or
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 50 percent or more in the major part between 25 and 100 cm from the soil surface.

Distribution of Lixisols (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

Reference soil GH006: Lixisol

Classification

WRB 2014

Luvi-Acri-Ali-Cutanic- Lixisol

Local classification:	BOAMANG series, senilic

Location:

Kumasi region, Afikya Kwabre district

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Physical characteristics

Water retention characteristics

Depth (cm)	Bulk density kg/dm³	Spec. Surf. Area m²/g	COLE cm/cm	Water disp. clay %	Clay % w/w
5-20	1.03	-	-	-	-
20-36	1.13	-	-	-	-
36-70	1.4	-	-	-	-
70-105	1.42	-	-	-	-
105-150	1.34	-	-	-	-

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
5-20	1.03	-	-	0.5	0.47	-	-	-	0.1
20-36	1.13	-	-	0.47	0.41	-	-	-	0.12
36-70	1.4	-	-	0.38	0.34	-	-	-	0.19
70-105	1.42	-	-	0.42	0.39	-	-	-	0.26
105-150	1.34	-	-	0.44	0.4	-	-	-	0.27

Profile description

A1 0-5 cm	3; worm casts; non-plastic; humus; none (0%); high (15-40%); many; none; none (0%); many; smooth; nearly plane surface
A2 5-20 cm	4; granular; slightly plastic; humus; none (0%); high (15-40%); many; none; none (0%); fine (0.5-2 mm); common; smooth; nearly plane surface
BA 20-36 cm	6; crumbly; slightly plastic; clay and humus (organic matter); very fine (< 2 mm); high (15-40%); many; none; none (0%); many; smooth; nearly plane surface
Bt1 36-70 cm	6; crumbly; plastic; clay; none (0%); high (15-40%); common; none; coarse artefacts (> 20 mm); medium (2-5 mm); many; smooth; nearly plane surface
Bt2 70-105 cm	red; crumbly; plastic; clay; none (0%); medium (5-15%); common; none; none (0%); medium (2-5 mm); common; smooth; nearly plane surface
B3 105-150 cm	red; moderate; slightly plastic; none; none (0%); low (2-5%); few; none; none (0%); fine (0.5-2 mm); few;

Age of the land Surface	older pleistocene, without periglacial influence.
Soil Depth	150cm

Soil erosion type	no evidence of erosion
Classification of total area affected by erosion and deposition	0%

Land improvements ; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	vegetation disturbed (not specified)
Land use or vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the site	fallow system cultivation
Major vegetation type; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	semi-deciduous forest

Altitude	303m
Hierarchy of major landforms	plateau
Physiographic Unit	crest (summit) in undulating to mountainous terrain
Slope	04%
Form of the slope surrounding the site	straight
Slope gradient %	1.0%
Topography; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	gently sloping

Drainage class ; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	somewhat excessively well drained
Flooding	none
Flooding frequency (FAO, 1986)	none
Flooding duration	less than 1 day
Depth to groundwater table	> 200cm
Drainage class - intergrade; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	well drained

Surface stoniness class (FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description)	none (0%)
Surface cracking	no cracks observed
Classification of salt characteristics - cover	none (0-2%)
Classification of salt characteristics - thickness	none

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Reference soil Ghana 06: Lixisol

Characteristics

Reference soil GH006: Lixisol

Classification