Reference soil Italy 08: Chromic Luvisol

Reference soil IT008: Chromic Luvisols

Short field description: A very deep, moderately well drained, dark red, clayey profile. The A-horizon dark reddish brown to yellowish red sandy clay oerlies a deep homogeneous B2t-horizon of textural clay; throughout this horizon are Mn-mottles prominent. The bulk of roots is confined to the topmost horizon. The pH (method Hellige) is mildly alkiline in the topsoil and neutral in the subsoil. No evidence of groundwater is found within 300 cm. This type of soil is generally underlain by wheathered fine gravel or clayey texture and massive structure. Continuous clay cutans are common, and generally the clay content increases with depth (average 56%). These soils occurs frequently on remnants of marine terraces at intermediate altitude (90 to 120 m), often situated on interfluves. Under a mediterranean climate the soils support a natural vegetation of oak forest, often degenerated to low shrub. The soil is encountered in Calabria, but is believed to occur commonly in the mediterranean region, although individual bodies of the soil are supposedly not very large. An appreciable acreage of this soil is in use for cereal production. Associated soils are red and reddish brown soils, classified as Ultic Rhodustalfs, because of the redder colour in the B-horizon, as well as rankers and alluvial soils. * marine terraces of Middle Pleistocene calcerous sands; locally fine bands of coarse gravel. References: Benayas, 1970,'Micromorphology des Sols Rouges Mediterranees', Institute d'Edaphology et de la Biologie Vegetale, C.S.I.C., Madrid Bruin, 1970,'A Correlation Study of Red and Yellow Soils in Areas with a Mediterranean Climate', World Soil Resources Report No. 39, FAO, Rome Heilmann, 1972,'On the formation of red soils in the lower crati basin (S.Italy)', thesis, Reference number CAL 9, Utrecht