Reference soil Zambia 11: Vertisol

ZM011

Vertisols occur dominantly in level landscapes under climates with a pronounced dry season. Vast areas are found in Australia, India, northeastern Africa (Sudan, Ethiopia), southern Latin America and the USA.

Characteristics

Soils having a vertic horizon (a clayey subsurface horizon with polished and grooved ped surfaces ("slickensides") or wedge-shaped or parallelepiped structural aggregates) within 100 cm from the soil surface. They have 30 percent or more clay in all horizons to a depth of 100 cm or more, or to a contrasting layer (lithic or paralithic contact, petrocalcic, petroduric or petrogypsic horizons, sedimentary discontinuity, etc.) between 50 and 100 cm, after the upper 20 cm have been mixed. In addition, Vertisols exhibit wide cracks, which open and close periodically.

Distribution of Vertisols (rough estimation supplied by soilgrids)

 

Reference soil ZM011: Vertisols

Pit located about 250 meters South-East of fish farm offices. CRACKING: Not sure of length of time cracks are open, may be typic. Cracks are 4 cm wide at a depth of 50 cm. Polygon diameter about 90 to 100 cm. ADDITIONAL NOTES ON PROFILE DESCRIPTION: A -nodules: ironstone. Bw -slickensides: few, intersecting. -nodules: ironstone & lime. Bk1 -slickensides: many, intersecting. -nodules: lime & ironstone. Bk2 -slickensides: many, intersecting. -nodules: lime & ironstone. BCk -slickensides: common, intersecting. -nodules: lime & ironstone.

 

Classification

WRB 2006 
Sodic-Grumic- Vertisol (Calcaric) 
8-154 cmvertic horizon
 
8-154 cmvertic horizon
FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1988FAO-UNESCO-ISRIC 1974
Sodi-Eutric VertisolChromic Vertisol sodic
0-8 cmochric A horizon
8-154 cmcambic B horizon
-slickensides
-vertic
0-8 cmochric A horizon
8-154 cmcambic B horizon
-gilgai microrelief
-slickensides

 

Local classification:Kafue clay