Reference soil Kenya 54: Luvisol

KE054

Distribution of Luvisols (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

Reference soil KE054: Chromic Luvisols

Trial area for regrowth of degraded overgrazed land.\nThis profile is an example of a vegetation mound of erosional origin. The roots of the shrub and the termite activity in the mound make the mound more erosion resistent. The local termite activity is induced by the organic material produced by the shrub (roots, leaves).\n\nSlides: 10,150 and 10,142 - 10,157.

Profile description

Ah 0-12 cm	dark red (2.5YR 3/6, moist)sandy loam slightly gravelly,moderate fine granular and moderate fine crumb,slightly hard friable slightly sticky non plastic,patchy thin clay cutans,many very fine pores and few medium exped tubular random pores,
AB 12-20 cm	red (2.5YR 4/6, moist)sandy clay loam slightly gravelly,moderate fine crumb and moderate fine subangular blocky,hard friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,broken thin clay cutans,common very fine pores and few medium exped tubular random pores,
B 20-50 cm	red (2.5YR 4/8, moist)sandy clay slightly gravelly,moderate to strong fine angular blocky and moderate to strong fine subangular blocky,hard firm slightly sticky slightly plastic,continuous thin clay cutans,common very fine pores and few medium discontinuous exped tubular random pores,

- cm	argillic B horizon
- cm	ochric A horizon

Depth1	150cm
Kind 1 (parent material) ; Parker (eds), 1984	gneiss
Remarks on Parent Materials	Basement system
Weathering Resistance	high
General characterization of the status of weathering of solid rock	partially or moderately
Soil Depth	150cm
Mode of accumulation or deposition of parent material	residual material

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

Remarks on Land Use / Vegetation	Also millet/fallow
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)	surface capped, crust on drying
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

Altitude	600m
Physiographic Unit	erosional uplands
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.	plain
Slope	2%
Form of the slope surrounding the site	convex
Topography; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	undulating

Lower limit of a slow permeable or stagnating layer in the profile	2cm
Drainage class ; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	well
Dry From - To	0-150cm
Flooding frequency (FAO, 1986)	never
Kind of ground water table (USDA, 1979)	no groundwater table observed
Estimated permeability (class) of least permeable part of the profile	slow
Upper limit of a slow permeable or stagnating layer in the profile	0cm
Estimated run off (class)	rapid

You are here

Reference soil Kenya 54: Luvisol

Reference soil KE054: Chromic Luvisols