Reference soil Zambia 09: Ferralsol

ZM009

Ferralsols occur in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, mainly on old and stable land surfaces.

Characteristics

Soils having a ferralic horizon (strongly weathered horizon with low-activity clays and very low amounts of weatherable minerals) between 25 and 200 cm from the soil surface. They lack a nitic horizon (a horizon with strongly developed, nut-shaped structure) and do not have a layer which fulfils the requirements of an argic horizon and which has, in the upper 30 cm, 10 percent or more water-dispersible clay.

Distribution of Ferralsols (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

Reference soil ZM009: Ferralsols

REFERENCES: Van Sleen, L.A., 1976. Detailed soil survey of the Misamfu Regional Research Station, Northern Province. Soil Survey Report no. 41, prof. no. M-65. Soil Survey Unit, Mt. Makulu, Chilanga.

Classification

WRB 2006

Acric- Ferralsol (Alumic Hyperdystric Xanthic)

40-130 cm

ferralic horizon

40-130 cm

ferralic horizon

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1988

FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1974

Veti-Xanthic Ferralsol

Xanthic Ferralsol

0-40 cm	ochric A horizon
40-60 cm	cambic B horizon
60-130 cm	ferralic B horizon

0-40 cm	ochric A horizon
40-130 cm	oxic B horizon

Local classification:	Misamfu sandy loam

Other classification

USDA-NRCS (1999)	Typic Haplustox
USDA-SCS (1975)	Typic Haplustox ustic fine-loamy kaolinitic isohyperthermic

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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
0-20	-	0.5	3.6	17.6	45.2	11.6	78.5	4.2	0.3	4.5	17.1
20-40	-	0.4	3.3	15.5	38.8	9.7	67.7	4.4	0.0	4.4	28.0
40-60	-	0.5	3.4	14.8	35.1	10.0	63.8	7.2	0.0	7.2	29.0
60-110	-	0.5	3.5	13.8	35.3	11.6	64.7	1.4	0.0	1.4	33.9

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	-	21	-	2.0	17.1
20-40	-	28	-	4.5	28.0
40-60	-	30	-	0.5	29.0
60-110	-	32	-	0.5	33.9
110-	-	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
0-20	5.7	4.2	0.03	-	0.71	0.04	18	0.7	0.4	0.6	0.3	0.0	0	0.9
20-40	5.8	4.1	0.02	-	0.39	0.03	13	0.8	0.6	0.4	0.2	0.1	0	0.7
40-60	5.9	4.3	0.01	-	0.19	0.02	10	0.5	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.1	0	0.6
60-110	5.4	4.1	0.02	-	0.16	-	-	0.9	0.6	0.0	0.2	0.1	0	0.3

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 %
0-20	13	6.8	40	2.5	-	6	0
20-40	12	6.0	21	1.4	-	10	0
40-60	12	4.9	17	0.7	-	4	0
60-110	6	4.8	14	0.6	-	13	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
0-20	-	-	-	0.10	0	0.30	0.09	0.05	0.06	-	0.03
20-40	-	-	-	0.12	0	0.37	0.10	0.06	0.05	-	0.03
40-60	-	-	-	0.10	0	0.33	0.10	0.02	0.03	-	0.02
60-110	-	-	-	0.10	0	0.38	0.09	0.01	0.03	-	0.01
110-	-	-	-	0.00	0	0.00	0.09	0.00	0.00	-	0.00

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	6.9	0.00	0.9	0.08	0.01	-	90.0	0.50
20-40	10.1	0.00	1.1	0.10	0.00	-	83.1	0.63
40-60	10.8	0.00	1.2	0.10	0.01	-	83.5	0.67
60-110	12.1	0.00	1.3	0.11	0.00	-	82.6	0.75
110-	1.7	0.00	0.3	0.07	0.00	-	99.7	0.04

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	12	3.7	0.01	0.01	22.1	265.8	20.4
20-40	14.4	4.4	0.01	0.01	14	200.8	13.1
40-60	14.1	4.3	0.00	0.00	13.1	184.9	12.2
60-110	14.6	4.7	0.00	0.00	11.6	168.9	10.8
110-	8.9	0.7	0.00	0.00	99.5	883.2	89.4

Clay mineralogy

Depth (cm)	Chlorite	Feldspar	Gibbsite	Goethite	Halloysite	Hematite	Kaolinite	Mica / illite	Mixed-layer	Quartz	Smec	Vermiculite
0-20	-	-	-	weak to medium	-	-	very strong	-	very weak to weak	-	-	-
20-40	-	very weak to weak	-	weak to medium	-	-	very strong	-	very weak to weak	-	-	-
40-60	-	very weak to weak	-	weak to medium	-	-	very strong	-	very weak to weak	-	-	-
60-110	-	very weak to weak	-	weak to medium	-	-	very strong	-	very weak to weak	-	-	-

Sand mineralogy

Depth (cm)	Heavy Frac. sand % w/w	K-Feldspar % w/w	Light Fra. sand % w/w	Opaque % w/w	Plagioclase % w/w	Quartz % w/w
110-	0.1	-	99.9	-	-	100

Profile description

Ah 0-14 cm	very dark greyish brown (10YR 3/2, moist)sandy loam,weak fine and medium subangular blocky,soft,many micro to fine pores,common fine and medium roots,non calcareous,clear smooth boundary to,
14-40 cm	dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4, moist)sandy clay loam,weak fine subangular blocky,soft,many micro to medium pores,common fine roots,non calcareous,gradual smooth boundary to,
Bw1 40-60 cm	yellowish brown (10YR 5/6, moist)sandy clay loam,weak fine subangular blocky,soft,many micro to medium pores,many fine roots,non calcareous,diffuse smooth boundary to,
Bw2 60-110 cm	yellowish brown (10YR 5/6, moist)sandy clay loam,porous massive,loose,many micro to medium pores,common fine roots,non calcareous,diffuse smooth boundary to,
Bw3 110-130 cm	strong brown (7.5YR 5/6, moist)sandy clay loam,porous massive,loose,many micro to medium pores,few fine roots,non calcareous,

Kind 1 (parent material) ; Parker (eds), 1984	sandstone/shale
Mode of accumulation or deposition of parent material	residual material
Remarks on Parent Materials	Precambrian Kibaran System (Upper basement Complex)
Soil Depth	130cm
Texture of parent material	sandy clay
Weathering Resistance	moderate
General characterization of the status of weathering of solid rock	highly

Occurrence of soil aggradation (McDonald et al., 1984)	not apparent
Slope stability	stable

Land use or vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the site	(semi-)natural vegetation
Remarks on Land Use / Vegetation	VEGETATION: Dominat species: Brachystegia floribunda, Parinari curatellifolia, Uapaca guineensis, Uapaca benguelensis, Uapaca kirkiana, Syzyguim guineense, Syzguim macrocarpum, Pterocarpus angolensis, Julbernardia globiflora,Protea spp, Rothmannia anglerana, Rothmannia wakefieldi and Isoberlinia angolensis
Status of vegetation; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	secondary
Major vegetation type; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	deciduous forest

Altitude	1384m
Physiographic Unit	slope adjecent to dambo
Physiographic position of the site	slope
Regional landform; McDonald, R.C., Isbell, R.F. et all, 1984; Australian soil and land survey Field Handbook, Inkata Press, Melbourne.	valley
Slope	2%
Form of the slope surrounding the site	convex
Topography; Guidelines for soil description - Fourth edition (FAO, Rome, 2006)	flat or almost flat

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	0-130cm
Estimated permeability (class) of least permeable part of the profile	high
Estimated run off (class)	medium
Drainage class - intergrade; FAO (2006) - Guidelines for soil description	well

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 Zambia 09: Ferralsol

Characteristics

Reference soil ZM009: Ferralsols

Classification