Reference soil Romania 02: Chernozem

RO002

Chernozems are typically found in the long-grass steppe regions of the world, particularly in Eastern Europe and North America (Canada and the USA).

Characteristics

Soils having a very dark mollic horizon (thick, brownish or blackish surface horizon with a significant accumulation of organic matter and high base saturation) and secondary carbonates within 50 cm of the lower limit of the Ah horizon, but within 200 cm from the soil surface. They have no petrocalcic horizon between 25 and 100 cm from the soil surface, no secondary gypsum and no uncoated sand and silt grains on structural pedfaces

Distribution of Chernozems (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

Reference soil RO002: Chernozems

ADDITIONAL NOTES ON PROFILE DESCRIPTION: Ap - structure fine to coarse granular; Ah(k) - calcareous below 30 cm depth; ACk1 - inclusions: pseudomycelia; ACk2 - inclusions: pseudomycelia and efflorescences; Ck1 - inclusions: also efflorescences; colour lime concentrations 10YR 8/2.

Classification

WRB 2014

Chernozem

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1988

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1974

Vermi-Calcic Chernozem

Calcic Chernozem

- cm	calcic horizon
- cm	mollic A horizon
-	soft powdery lime

- cm	calcic horizon
- cm	mollic A horizon
-	soft powdery lime

Local classification:	Vermic Chernozem

Other classification

USDA-NRCS (1999)	Typic Vermustoll
USDA-SCS (1975)	Typic Vermustoll ustic fine-silty mixed (calcareous) mesic

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
0-20	-	0.2	0.8	3.9	7.3	2.8	15	27.8	28.5	56.3	28.7
20-30	-	0.2	1	4.1	7.6	2.2	15.1	28.7	27.6	56.3	28.6
30-38	-	0.2	1	4.1	7.6	2.2	15.1	28.8	27.6	56.4	28.6
38-58	-	0.1	0.9	4.3	8.4	2.8	16.5	29.5	25.9	55.4	28.1
58-73	-	0.2	1	4.4	8	2.6	16.2	31.9	25.8	57.7	26.1
73-92	-	0.2	1	4.4	8	2.6	16.2	31.9	25.8	57.7	26.1
92-110	-	0.1	0.6	2.9	5.2	2.2	11	33.9	31.2	65.1	24
110-125	-	0.1	0.6	2.9	5.2	2.2	11	33.9	31.2	65.1	24
125-135	-	0.1	0.4	1.9	3.9	2.3	8.6	33.5	34.6	68.1	23.4
135-150	-	0.1	0.4	2.6	4.7	2.6	-	36.8	30.6	-	22.4

Water retention characteristics

Depth (cm)	Bulk density kg/dm³	Spec. Surf. Area m²/g	COLE cm/cm	Water disp. clay %	Clay % w/w
0-20	-	-	-	-	28.7
32-38	1.28	-	-	-	-
49-54	1.3	-	-	-	-
20-30	-	-	-	-	28.6
70-75	1.26	-	-	-	-
30-38	-	-	-	-	28.6
109-114	1.35	-	-	-	-
38-58	-	-	-	-	28.1
58-73	-	-	-	-	26.1
132-137	1.3	-	-	-	-
73-92	-	-	-	-	26.1
92-110	-	-	-	-	24
110-125	-	-	-	-	24
125-135	-	-	-	-	23.4
135-150	-	-	-	-	22.4

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
32-38	1.28	50.7	48	41.6	34.2	31.6	27.9	16.4	13.7
49-54	1.3	52.4	50.6	43	34.7	31.8	27.7	15.7	13.7
70-75	1.26	51.5	48.8	42.8	33.7	30.3	26.2	15.2	11.8
109-114	1.35	52.6	50.8	44.8	36.8	32	26.2	14.6	10.7
132-137	1.3	53	51.2	44.5	36.1	30.5	23.6	12.9	9.7

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
0-20	7.7	7.0	0.24	3.1	2.51	0.17	15	-	-	20.0	2.9	0.3	0.0	23.2
20-30	7.8	6.7	0.58	3.2	2.24	0.23	10	-	-	19.0	2.8	0.3	0.0	22.1
38-58	7.7	7.3	0.49	7.8	1.53	0.15	10	-	-	19.4	1.8	0.3	0.0	21.5
58-73	8.1	7.4	0.25	15.8	0.86	0.10	9	-	-	16.1	1.6	0.2	0.0	17.9
92-110	8.4	7.5	0.23	24.2	0.45	0.09	5	-	-	13.1	2.2	0.2	0.0	15.5
125-135	8.3	7.6	0.36	24.2	0.37	0.03	12	-	-	10.6	2.6	0.1	0.0	13.3
135-150	8.4	7.6	0.24	22.2	0.34	0.10	3	-	-	11.2	3.3	0.2	0.0	14.7

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 %
0-20	80	28.9	100	8.8	-	-	-
20-30	77	28.7	100	7.8	-	-	-
38-58	90	23.8	85	5.4	-	-	-
58-73	99	18	69	3.0	-	-	-
92-110	115	13.5	56	1.6	-	-	-
125-135	100	13.3	57	1.3	-	-	-
135-150	116	12.7	57	1.2	-	-	-

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
0-20	-	-	-	0.15	0.03	0.83	0.09	0.03	0.07	-	0.09
20-30	-	-	-	0.16	0.02	0.87	0.11	0.1	0.8	-	0.09
30-38	-	-	-	0.16	0.02	-	-	0.1	0.8	-	0.09
38-58	-	-	-	0.16	0.05	1.53	0.15	0.05	0.09	-	0.09
58-73	-	-	-	0.12	0.02	0.86	0.1	0.03	0.06	-	0.07
73-92	-	-	-	0.12	0.02	-	-	0.03	0.06	-	0.07
92-110	-	-	-	0.08	0.02	0.45	0.09	0.05	0.08	-	0.06
110-125	-	-	-	0.08	0.02	-	-	0.05	0.08	-	0.06
125-135	-	-	-	0.05	0.01	0.37	0.03	0.06	0.09	-	0.06
135-150	-	-	-	0.05	0.01	0.34	0.1	0.03	0.05	-	0.05

Elemental composition of the soil

Depth (cm)	Al2O3 % w/w	CaO % w/w	Fe2O3 % w/w	K2O % w/w	MgO % w/w	Na2O % w/w	SiO2 % w/w	TiO2 % w/w
0-20	11.7	1.36	4.3	2.04	1.49	-	70.4	0.8
20-30	11.5	1.32	4.3	2.05	1.46	-	70.6	0.78
30-38	11.5	1.32	4.3	2.05	1.46	-	70.6	0.78
38-58	11.2	3.9	4.2	1.90	1.57	-	67.9	0.75
58-73	10.3	8.41	3.9	1.75	1.82	-	62.5	0.7
73-92	10.3	8.41	3.9	1.75	1.82	-	62.5	0.7
92-110	10.0	13.43	3.8	1.61	2.3	-	56.8	0.67
110-125	10.0	13.43	3.8	1.61	2.3	-	56.8	0.67
125-135	10.1	12.92	3.8	1.63	2.61	-	56.7	0.69
135-150	10.0	11.39	3.8	1.67	2.52	-	56.8	0.69

Depth (cm)	Al2O3/Fe2O3 mol/mol	LOI % w/w	MnO2 % w/w	P2O5 % w/w	SiO2 / Al2O3 mol/mol	SiO2/Fe2O3 mol/mol	SiO2 / R mol/mol
0-20	4.2	6.8	0.10	0.16	10.3	43.2	8.3
20-30	4.2	6.7	0.10	0.16	10.5	43.9	8.4
30-38	4.2	6.7	0.10	0.16	10.5	43.9	8.4
38-58	4.2	7.8	0.09	0.17	10.3	43.3	8.3
58-73	4.2	10.0	0.08	0.14	10.3	42.6	8.3
73-92	4.2	10.0	0.08	0.14	10.3	42.6	8.3
92-110	4.1	13.0	0.07	0.13	9.7	40.1	7.8
110-125	4.1	13.0	0.07	0.13	9.7	40.1	7.8
125-135	4.1	12.8	0.07	0.12	9.5	39.3	7.7
135-150	4.1	11.9	0.07	0.11	9.6	39.5	7.7

Clay mineralogy

Depth (cm)	Chlorite	Feldspar	Gibbsite	Goethite	Halloysite	Hematite	Kaolinite	Mica / illite	Mixed-layer	Quartz	Smec	Vermiculite
0-20	weak to medium	very weak to weak	-	-	-	-	strong	strong	-	strong	weak to medium	-
20-30	weak to medium	-	-	-	-	-	strong	strong	-	strong	strong	-
30-38	weak to medium	very weak to weak	-	-	-	-	strong	strong	-	strong	strong	-
38-58	weak to medium	very weak to weak	-	-	-	-	strong	strong	-	strong	strong	-
58-73	weak to medium	very weak to weak	-	-	-	-	strong	strong	-	strong	strong	-
73-92	weak to medium	very weak to weak	-	-	-	-	strong	strong	-	strong	strong	-
92-110	weak to medium	very weak to weak	-	-	-	-	strong	weak to medium	-	strong	strong	-
110-125	weak to medium	very weak to weak	-	-	-	-	strong	weak to medium	-	strong	strong	-
125-135	weak to medium	very weak to weak	-	-	-	-	strong	weak to medium	-	strong	strong	-
135-150	weak to medium	very weak to weak	-	-	-	-	strong	weak to medium	-	strong	strong	-

Soluble sands

Depth (cm)	Ca mmol(c)/kg	Mg mmol(c)/kg	K mmol(c)/kg	Na mmol(c)/kg	sum cations mmol(c)/kg	CO3 mmol(c)/kg	HCO3 mmol(c)/kg	Cl mmol(c)/kg	NO3 mmol(c)/kg	SO4 mmol(c)/kg	sum anions mmol(c)/kg
0-20	0.35	0.08	0.01	0.02	0.46	0	0.39	0.08	0.05	0.05	0.57
20-30	0.66	0.13	0.01	0.02	0.82	0	0.27	0.08	0.5	0.07	0.92
30-38	0.66	0.13	0.01	0.02	0.82	0	0.27	0.08	0.5	0.07	0.92
38-58	0.86	0.08	0.01	0.02	0.97	0	0.5	0.05	0.4	0.07	1.02
58-73	0.56	0.08	0.01	0.02	0.67	0	0.58	0.08	0.02	0.05	0.73
73-92	0.56	0.08	0.01	0.02	0.67	0	0.58	0.08	0.02	0.05	0.73
92-110	0.52	0.13	0.01	0.02	0.68	0	0.62	0.06	0.01	0.07	0.76
110-125	0.52	0.13	0.01	0.02	0.68	0	0.62	0.06	0.01	0.07	0.76
125-135	0.4	0.13	0.01	0.02	0.56	0	0.54	0.06	0.07	0.06	0.73
135-150	0.4	0.17	0.01	0.02	0.6	0	0.57	0.07	0.01	0.04	0.69

Depth (cm)	Sodium ads. ratio	pH e	EC e dS/m	EC 1 : 5 dS/m
0-20	0.03	-	-	0.1
20-30	0.02	-	-	0.18
30-38	0.02	-	-	0.18
38-58	0.02	-	-	0.19
58-73	0.03	-	-	0.12
73-92	0.03	-	-	0.12
92-110	0.03	-	-	0.12
110-125	0.03	-	-	0.12
125-135	0.03	-	-	0.1
135-150	0.03	-	-	0.1

Profile description

Ap 0-20 cm	very dark greyish brown (10YR 3/2, dry) black (10YR 2/1, moist)silty clay loam,moderate fine granular to porous massive,slightly hard friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,many very fine medium interstitial pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),mounds coprogenic elements and krotovinas,clear smooth boundary to,
Ah(k) 20-38 cm	very dark greyish brown (10YR 3/2, dry) (10YR 2/1.5, moist)silty clay loam,strong fine granular to strong coarse granular,slightly hard friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,many very fine medium interstitial pores highly porous (>60 vol%),very frequent coprogenic elements and krotovinas,gradual smooth boundary to,
ACk1 38-58 cm	(10YR 5.5/2.5, dry) (10YR 4/2.5, moist)dark greyish brown (10YR 4/2, dry) very dark greyish brown (10YR 3/2, moist),silty clay loam,silt loam,moderate medium subangular blocky and moderate coarse subangular blocky,very weak medium subangular blocky,slightly hard friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,slightly hard friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,many many very fine medium interstitial pores highly porous (>60 vol%),many very fine medium interstitial pores highly porous (>60 vol%),few small thread-like calcareous crystals,cylindrical thread-like calcareous crystals,very frequent coprogenic elements and krotovinas,frequent coprogenic elements and krotovinas,clear smooth boundary to,gradual smooth boundary to,
Ck1 92-125 cm	pale brown (10YR 6/3, dry) (10YR 5/3.5, moist)silt loam,porous massive,slightly hard friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,many very fine medium interstitial pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),large calcareous concretions,few coprogenic elements and krotovinas,gradual smooth boundary to,
Ck2 125-150 cm	pale brown (10YR 6/3, dry) yellowish brown (10YR 5/4, moist)silt loam,porous massive,slightly hard friable slightly sticky slightly plastic,many very fine medium interstitial pores moderately porous (40-60 vol%),few large calcareous concretions,few coprogenic elements and krotovinas,

Mode of accumulation or deposition of parent material	eolian loess
Soil Depth	200cm

Major crops	wheat
Land use or vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the site	arable farming
Remarks on Land Use / Vegetation	ploughed

Altitude	50m
Regional landform; McDonald, R.C., Isbell, R.F. et all, 1984; Australian soil and land survey Field Handbook, Inkata Press, Melbourne.	plain
Slope	1%
Topography; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	flat or almost flat

Drainage class ; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	well
Kind of ground water table (USDA, 1979)	no groundwater table observed
Moist From - To	0-90cm

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
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

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Reference soil Romania 02: Chernozem

Characteristics

Reference soil RO002: Chernozems

Classification