Reference soil Zambia 11: Vertisol
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.
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.