Reference soil Namibia 05: Lixisol

NA005

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 NA005: Lixisols

Lixisol. Top 1/2 cm consists of wind-blown sand

Classification

WRB 2006

WRB 1998

Haplic- Lixisol (Rhodic)

Rhodic- Lixisol

30-95 cm

argic horizon

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1988

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1974

Chromi-Haplic Lixisol

Ferralic Cambisol

0-15 cm	ochric A horizon
30-95 cm	argic B horizon

0-15 cm	ochric A horizon
15-95 cm	cambic B horizon
-	ferralic

Local classification:	Rotbrauner, kalkfreir, tiefgründiger Boden der Feuchtsavanne (Scholz, 1962)

Other classification

USDA-NRCS (1999)	Typic Paleustalf
USDA-SCS (1975)	Typic Paleustalf ustic coarse-loamy siliceous thermic

More images

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
0-10	3	5.9	16.4	20.1	27.0	11.7	81.1	6.0	2.3	8.3	10.6
10-20	5	7.1	18.8	19.7	27.0	10.9	83.5	4.5	1.6	6.1	10.4
20-35	5	9.0	18.4	18.5	24.4	10.8	81.1	4.8	1.4	6.2	12.7
35-50	4	6.5	18.1	19.2	24.4	10.4	78.6	3.9	2.2	6.1	15.3
50-65	5	6.9	16.1	20.5	23.6	9.7	76.8	3.1	2.7	5.8	17.4
65-80	5	6.9	15.8	18.3	23.5	10.3	74.8	3.6	2.8	6.4	18.7
80-95	6	9.4	16.6	14.1	23.1	9.8	73	1.9	3.4	5.3	21.7
95-110	6	10.0	17.2	17.4	19.8	9.7	74.1	3.3	3.4	6.7	19.2

Water retention characteristics

Depth (cm)	Bulk density kg/dm³	Spec. Surf. Area m²/g	COLE cm/cm	Water disp. clay %	Clay % w/w
0-10	-	-	-	-	10.6
10-20	-	-	-	-	10.4
20-35	-	-	-	-	12.7
35-50	-	-	-	-	15.3
50-65	-	-	-	-	17.4
65-80	-	-	-	-	18.7
80-95	-	-	-	-	21.7
95-110	-	-	-	-	19.2

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
0-10	7.6	5.7	0.05	0.3	0.62	0.03	21	-	-	3.4	0.8	0.3	0.0	4.5
10-20	7.0	5.2	0.04	0.1	0.46	0.03	15	-	-	3.6	0.7	0.4	0.0	4.7
20-35	6.8	5.1	0.05	0.1	0.26	0.02	13	-	-	3.6	0.9	0.4	0.0	4.9
35-50	6.6	5.1	0.05	0.5	0.26	0.02	13	-	-	2.6	1.1	0.5	0.0	4.2
50-65	6.5	5.0	0.05	-	0.30	0.03	10	-	-	2.8	1.3	0.4	0.0	4.5
65-80	6.3	4.9	0.05	-	0.26	0.01	26	-	-	2.8	1.4	0.4	0.0	4.6
80-95	6.5	5.0	0.06	-	0.26	0.02	13	-	-	3.3	1.3	0.3	0.0	4.9
95-110	6.5	5.1	0.06	-	0.26	0.02	13	-	-	4.6	1.4	0.3	0.0	6.3

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 %
0-10	122	3.7	35	2.2	-	-	0
10-20	134	3.5	34	1.6	-	-	0
20-35	132	3.7	29	0.9	-	-	0
35-50	91	4.6	30	0.9	-	-	0
50-65	79	5.7	33	1.1	-	-	0
65-80	75	6.1	33	0.9	-	-	0
80-95	83	5.9	27	0.9	-	-	0
95-110	103	6.1	32	0.9	-	-	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
0-10	-	-	-	-	-	0.62	-	-	-	-	-
10-20	-	-	-	-	-	0.59	-	-	-	-	-
20-35	-	-	-	-	-	0.81	-	-	-	-	-
35-50	-	-	-	-	-	0.83	-	-	-	-	-
50-65	-	-	-	-	-	0.78	-	-	-	-	-
65-80	-	-	-	-	-	1.09	-	-	-	-	-
80-95	-	-	-	-	-	1.09	-	-	-	-	-
95-110	-	-	-	-	-	1.01	-	-	-	-	-

Profile description

Ah 0-15 cm	(5YR 3/6, dry) dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3, moist)slightly gravelly loamy coarse sand,massive,slightly hard very friable non sticky non plastic,few fine roots,non calcareous,clear smooth boundary to,
Bw 15-55 cm	dark red (2.5YR 3/6, dry) dark reddish brown (2.5YR 3/4, moist)slightly gravelly coarse sandy loam,massive,slightly hard very friable non sticky non plastic,few fine roots,non calcareous,gradual smooth boundary to,
55-110 cm	dark red (2.5YR 3/6, dry) (2.5YR 2/6, moist)slightly gravelly coarse sandy loam,massive,slightly hard very friable non sticky non plastic,non calcareous,

Kind 1 (parent material) ; Parker (eds), 1984	sediment, unconsolidated
Kind 2 (parent material) (second entry); Parker (eds), 1984	sediment, unconsolidated
Mode of accumulation or deposition of parent material	eolian mixed / undifferentiated
Mode of accumulation or deposition of parent material (second entry)	fluvial
Remarks on Parent Materials	aeolian and alluvial deposits derived from granite
Texture of parent material	sandy
Texture of parent material (second entry)	sandy
Weathering Resistance	moderate
Weathering Resistance (second entry)	moderate
General characterization of the status of weathering of solid rock	partially or moderately
General characterization of the status of weathering of solid rock (second entry)	partially or moderately

Occurrence of soil aggradation (McDonald et al., 1984)	present
Intensity of the soil erosion type	slight
Intensity of the soil erosion type (second entry)	slight
Soil erosion type	wind
Soil erosion type (second entry)	sheet

Land use or vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the site	extensive grazing
Remarks on Land Use / Vegetation	VEGETATION: Savannah with grasses, bushes and low trees (Thornbush Savannah). Grass vegetation is seriously impeded by overgrazing. LAND USE: Topsoil is disturbed
Major vegetation type; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	woodland

Altitude	1500m
Physiographic position of the site	flat
Regional landform; McDonald, R.C., Isbell, R.F. et all, 1984; Australian soil and land survey Field Handbook, Inkata Press, Melbourne.	plain
Slope	0%
Form of the slope surrounding the site	straight
Topography; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	flat or almost flat

Drainage class ; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	well
Dry From - To	0-120cm
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	moderate
Estimated run off (class)	medium

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)	no surface slaking/crusting observed
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

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Reference soil Namibia 05: Lixisol

Characteristics

Reference soil NA005: Lixisols

Classification