Reference soil Ghana 07: Gleysol

GH007

Gleysols occur throughout the world where groundwater comes near to the surface, causing soils to become wet for a prolonged part of the year. They are particularly abundant in the low-lying river basins.

Characteristics

Soils having gleyic properties (properties associated with prolonged wetness) within 50 cm from the soil surface. They have no diagnostic horizons other than an anthraquic, histic, mollic, ochric, takyric, or umbric horizon at the surface, or an andic, calcic, cambic, gypsic, plinthic, salic, sulfuric, or vitric horizon within 100 cm from the soil surface.

Distribution of Gleysols (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

Reference soil GH007: Gleysol

Classification

WRB 2014

Gleysol

Local classification:	DENSU series

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
0-16	1.04	-	-	-	-
16-34	1.22	-	-	-	-
34-76	1.44	-	-	-	-
76-103	1.79	-	-	-	-
103-120	1.83	-	-	-	-

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
0-16	1.04	-	-	0.51	0.49	-	-	-	0.23
16-34	1.22	-	-	0.47	0.43	-	-	-	0.24
34-76	1.44	-	-	0.4	0.37	-	-	-	0.14
76-103	1.79	-	-	0.31	0.3	-	-	-	0.17
103-120	1.83	-	-	0.3	0.28	-	-	-	0.13

Profile description

A 0-16 cm	very dark greyish brown(10YR 3/2, moist) ; silty clay weak coarse / thick subangular blocky moderate medium crumbly ; friable sticky plastic ; dominant faint humus cutans; common (5-15%) distinct yellowish brown very fine (< 2 mm) mottles; medium (5-15%) pores; none coarse many fine many very fine roots; none ; very few (0-2%) fresh or slightly weathered very fine artefacts (< 2 mm) ; fine (0.5-2 mm) pans; many ; gradual (5-15 cm) smooth; nearly plane surface boundary to
ACg 16-34 cm	grey(10YR 5/1, moist) ; clay weak coarse / thick subangular blocky moderate medium crumbly ; friable slightly sticky slightly plastic ; common faint humus cutans; common (5-15%) distinct yellowish brown fine (2-6 mm) mottles; medium (5-15%) pores; none coarse common fine none very fine many very fine roots; none ; few (2-5%) fresh or slightly weathered very fine artefacts (< 2 mm) ; fine (0.5-2 mm) pans; few ; gradual (5-15 cm) wavy; pockets less deep than wide boundary to
C1gvc 34-76 cm	(light) grey(10YR 6/1, moist) ; sandy clay weak coarse / thick subangular blocky massive ; friable slightly sticky slightly plastic ; few faint humus cutans; many (15-40%) distinct brownish yellow medium (6-20 mm) mottles; low (2-5%) pores; none coarse none fine none very fine roots; few fine (2–6 mm) iron–manganese (sesquioxides) both hard and soft ; few (2-5%) fine artefacts (2-6 mm) ; fine (0.5-2 mm) pans; none ; clear (2-5 cm) wavy; pockets less deep than wide boundary to
C2g 76-103 cm	light brownish grey(10YR 6/2, moist) ; sandy clay weak coarse / thick massive massive ; very friable slightly sticky non-plastic ; none cutans; abundant (> 40%) prominent yellowish brown coarse (> 20 mm) mottles; very low (< 2%) pores; none coarse none fine none very fine roots; none ; few (2-5%) fresh or slightly weathered fine artefacts (2-6 mm) ; very fine (< 0.5 mm) pans; none ; clear (2-5 cm) smooth; nearly plane surface boundary to
C3r 103-120 cm	(light) grey(10YR 6/1, moist) ; sandy loam weak massive single grain ; loose slightly sticky non-plastic ; none cutans; very few (0-2%) distinct fine (2-6 mm) mottles; very low (< 2%) pores; none coarse none fine none very fine none very fine roots; none ; common (5-15%) fresh or slightly weathered fine artefacts (2-6 mm) ; none ; clear (2-5 cm) smooth; nearly plane surface boundary to
2Cr 120-140 cm	light grey(10YR 7/1, moist) ; loamy sand weak massive single grain ; loose non-sticky non-plastic ; none cutans; none (0%) mottles; very low (< 2%) pores; none coarse none fine none very fine none very fine roots; none ; common (5-15%) fresh or slightly weathered ; none ; clear (2-5 cm) smooth; nearly plane surface boundary to
3Cr 140-160 cm	sand (unspecified) weak massive single grain ; loose non-sticky non-plastic ; none cutans; none (0%) mottles; very low (< 2%) pores; none coarse none fine none very fine none very fine roots; none ; abundant (40-80%) fresh or slightly weathered ; none ;

Age of the land Surface	young (10–100 years) natural: with loss by erosion or deposition of materials such as on tidal flats, of coastal dunes, river valleys, landslides or desert areas.
Soil Depth	160cm

Intensity of the soil erosion type	slight
Soil erosion type	sheet erosion
Classification of total area affected by erosion and deposition	5%-10%

Major crops	rice, paddy
Land improvements ; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	irrigation (not specified)
Land use or vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the site	irrigated cultivation
Major vegetation type; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	tall grassland

Altitude	229m
Hierarchy of major landforms	plain
Hierarchy of major landforms	valley floor
Physiographic Unit	bottom (drainage line) in flat or almost flat terrain
Slope	03%
Form of the slope surrounding the site	straight
Slope gradient %	1.0%
Topography; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	sloping

Drainage class ; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	poorly drained
Flooding	annually
Flooding frequency (FAO, 1986)	biennually
Flooding duration	30-90 days
Depth to groundwater table	100cm
Drainage class - intergrade; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	somewhat excessively well drained

Surface stoniness class (FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description)	none (0%)
Classification of surface cracks - depth	medium (2-10 cm)
Classification of surface cracks - distance between cracks	widely spaced (2-5 m)
Surface cracking	medium (1-2 cm)
Classification of salt characteristics - cover	none (0-2%)
Classification of salt characteristics - thickness	none

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Reference soil Ghana 07: Gleysol

Characteristics

Reference soil GH007: Gleysol

Classification