Reference soil Italy 09: Luvisol

IT009

Luvisols occur mainly in temperate regions, particularly in areas with a Mediterranean-type of climate.

Characteristics

Soils having an argic horizon (a subsurface horizon with a distinct higher clay content than the overlying horizon) with a cation exchange capacity equal to or more than 24 cmolc per kg clay throughout.

Distribution of Luvisols (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

Reference soil IT009: Luvisols

Short field description: Very deep, moderately well drained, reddish brown, clayey soil with in the lower part of the solum bluish black iron-manganese cutans. Upper 51 cm consist of recent colluvial deposits derived from weathering products of limestone, in which, below the epipedon, an argic B horizon has formed. However, probably due to erosion, no apparent clay increase can be observed. Below 51 cm hydromorphy is weakly developed as shown by common coarse yellowish red mottles. PARENT MATERIAL: colluvial deposits of mid-Pleistocene age, overlain by colluvial deposits of Holocene age, both derived from weathering products of limestone and both showing admixture of volcanic minerals. REFERENCES: Eridia, F. 1942. Distribuzione delle temperature dell' aria in Italia nel decennio 1926-1935. Min. Lav. Pubbl. Serv. Indrol., no.21 FAO-Unesco. 1962. Bioclimatic map of the Mediterranean region 1:5.000.000 (Ed. Emberger, Gaussen, Kassas & de Philippis). Paris FAO-Unesco. 1974. Soil Map of the World 1:5.000.000. Vol.I. Legend. 59p. Paris Mancini. 1966.Breve commento alla carta dei suoli d'Italia 1:1.000.000. 80p. Firenze Ministerio dei Lavori Pubblici. 1958. Precipitazione medie mensili ed annue e numero dei giorni piovosi per il trentennio 1921-1950. Bacini con foce litorale tirrenico dal Garigliano al Bussento. Sezione idrografico di Napoli. Pubbl. no. 24 del Servizio. Fasc. X. 237p. Roma Parotto & Praturlon. 1975. Geological summary of the Central Apennines. In: Structural model of Italy, Quaderni de "La Ricerca Scientifica", no. 90, pp 257-300. Roma Soil Survey Staff, 1975, Soil Taxonomy. A basic system of soil classification for making and interpreting soil surveys. Agric. Handbook 436, Soil Conservation Service, U.S.D.A. 754p. Washington D.C. Spaargaren. 1979. Weathering and soil formation in a limestone area near Pastena (Fr., Italy). Thesis University of Amsterdam. 191p. Wageningen

Classification

WRB 2014

Luvisol

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1988

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1974

Orthi-Chromic Luvisol

Chromic Luvisol

- cm	argic B horizon
- cm	ochric A horizon

- cm	argillic B horizon
- cm	ochric A horizon

Local classification:	Suolo rosso mediterranneo

Other classification

USDA-NRCS (1999)	Ultic Haploxeralf
USDA-SCS (1975)	Ultic Haploxeralf xeric very fine mixed thermic

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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	-	0.3	0.6	1	3.3	2.7	7.9	7.2	17.9	25.1	67.2
7-18	-	0	0.9	1.2	2.8	2.6	7.5	11.1	10.1	21.2	71.3
18-51	-	0.1	0.6	1.1	3.1	2.9	7.8	8.6	15.9	24.5	67.7
51-60	-	0.2	0.4	0.9	2.7	2.2	6.4	4.7	23.8	28.5	65.1
60-90	-	0	0.5	1.1	3.3	3.2	8.1	6.5	21.2	28.7	64.2
90-120	-	0	0.4	1.1	3.9	2.3	7.7	3.4	21.2	24.6	67.6

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	-	-	-	-	67.2
7-18	-	-	-	-	71.3
18-51	-	-	-	-	67.7
51-60	-	-	-	-	65.1
60-90	-	-	-	-	64.2
90-120	-	-	-	-	67.6

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	6.2	5.4	0.19	-	2.11	0.20	11	-	-	14.9	3.2	1.2	0.2	19.5
7-18	6.4	5.4	0.14	-	1.14	0.15	8	-	-	14.9	3.0	0.7	0.2	18.8
18-51	6.3	5.4	0.13	-	0.99	0.13	8	-	-	13.7	3.0	0.6	0.2	17.5
51-60	6.2	5.3	0.1	-	0.45	-	-	-	-	11.3	2.6	0.5	0.2	14.6
60-90	6.1	5.2	0.09	-	0.27	-	-	-	-	9.9	2.9	0.4	0.2	13.4
90-120	5.9	5.0	0.08	-	0.17	-	-	-	-	9.0	3.2	0.4	0.8	13.4

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	76	25.7	28	7	-	-	-
7-18	77	24.4	29	4	-	-	-
18-51	79	22.2	28	4	-	-	-
51-60	72	20.4	29	2.0	-	-	-
60-90	74	18.2	27	1.0	-	-	-
90-120	70	19.2	28	1.0	-	-	-

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	-	-	-	0.3	0.1	4.4	0.3	-	-	-	0.4
7-18	-	-	-	0.3	0.1	4.6	0.3	-	-	-	0.4
18-51	-	-	-	0.3	0.1	4.9	0.3	-	-	-	0.5
51-60	-	-	-	0.3	0.1	4.9	0.3	-	-	-	0.5
60-90	-	-	-	0.3	0.1	5.3	0.3	-	-	-	0.6
90-120	-	-	-	0.3	0.1	4.7	0.2	-	-	-	0.7

Clay mineralogy

Depth (cm)	Chlorite	Feldspar	Gibbsite	Goethite	Halloysite	Hematite	Kaolinite	Mica / illite	Mixed-layer	Quartz	Smec	Vermiculite
0-7	-	very weak	-	very weak to weak	-	-	medium to strong	weak to medium	-	-	-	-
18-51	-	-	-	very weak to weak	-	-	medium to strong	weak to medium	-	-	-	-
60-90	-	-	-	very weak	-	-	medium to strong	weak to medium	-	-	-	-
90-120	-	-	-	very weak	-	-	medium to strong	weak to medium	-	-	-	-

Profile description

Ap1 0-7 cm	dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3, moist)clay,moderate coarse platy,firm slightly sticky slightly plastic,patchy thin clay on pedfaces cutans,common very fine fine discontinuous inped tubular random pores,very few small spherical soft manganiferous nodules,very few coarse gravel weathered limestone very few pottery fragments,few worm channels,abrupt smooth boundary to,
Ap2 7-18 cm	dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4, moist)clay,moderate medium subangular blocky and moderate coarse subangular blocky,friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,patchy moderately thick clay on pedfaces cutans,common very fine fine discontinuous exped tubular vertical pores,very few small spherical soft manganiferous nodules,very few coarse gravel weathered limestone few pottery/charc. fragments,few worm channels,clear smooth boundary to,
Bt 18-51 cm	dark reddish brown (5YR 3/4, moist)clay,weak to moderate medium and coarse prismatic parting to moderate medium and coarse subangular blocky,friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,few medium distinct sharp mottles (2.5YR 3/6),broken moderately thick clay on vertical pedfaces cutans,common very fine fine discontinuous inped tubular random pores and few coarse continuous exped tubular vertical pores,very few small spherical soft manganiferous nodules,very few coarse gravel weathered limestone few pottery/charc. fragments,few worm channels,abrupt smooth boundary to,
2Btg1 51-60 cm	reddish brown (5YR 4/4, moist)clay,moderate medium and coarse angular blocky and moderate coarse platy,friable sticky plastic,common medium distinct clear mottles (5YR 4/6),broken thick clay on pedfaces cutans,common very fine fine discontinuous inped tubular random pores,very few small irregular soft manganiferous nodules,few worm channels,clear smooth boundary to,
2Btg2 60-90 cm	reddish brown (2.5YR 4/4, moist)clay,moderate medium and coarse angular blocky,firm sticky plastic,common coarse distinct clear mottles (2.5YR 5/8),continuous thick clay on pedfaces cutans,many fine medium discontinuous inped tubular random pores,very few small irregular soft manganiferous nodules,few worm channels,gradual smooth boundary to,
2Btg3 90-135 cm	dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4, moist)clay,weak coarse prismatic parting to moderate medium and coarse angular blocky,very firm sticky plastic,common coarse prominent clear mottles (5YR 6/6),continuous thick clay on pedfaces cutans,common fine discontinuous inped tubular random pores and few continuous exped and inped tubular random pores,very few small irregular soft manganiferous nodules,few worm channels,

Kind 1 (parent material) ; Parker (eds), 1984	igneous and sedimentary rock
Mode of accumulation or deposition of parent material	colluvial
Soil Depth	135cm
Texture of parent material	clayey

Occurrence of soil aggradation (McDonald et al., 1984)	absent
Intensity of the soil erosion type	slight
Intensity of the soil erosion type (second entry)	slight
Soil erosion type	rill
Soil erosion type (second entry)	gully
Slope stability	stable

Major crops	wheat
Land use or vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the site	arable farming
Remarks on Land Use / Vegetation	VEGETATION: ploughed and fertilized with potassium

Altitude	295m
Physiographic Unit	limestone mountains
Physiographic position of the site	lower slope
Regional landform; McDonald, R.C., Isbell, R.F. et all, 1984; Australian soil and land survey Field Handbook, Inkata Press, Melbourne.	mountain
Slope	9%
Form of the slope surrounding the site	concave
Topography; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	hilly

Drainage class ; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	moderately well
Flooding frequency (FAO, 1986)	never
Kind of ground water table (USDA, 1979)	no groundwater table observed
Moist From - To	0-135cm
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
Average size of stone	5
Surface cracking	no cracks observed
Slaking of aggregates by tillage, rainfall or frost (USDA/SCS, 1979)	surface partly slaked, round smooth aggregates
Rock outcrop class (FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description)	none
Evidence of salt; Soil Survey Manual USDA, 1951	non-saline
Shape of stones (on average)	(sub-)rounded
Surface stoniness class (FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description)	very few stones

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Reference soil Italy 09: Luvisol

Characteristics

Reference soil IT009: Luvisols

Classification