Reference soil Germany 12:
Alisols occur in the tropics and subtropics, and in the warm temperate regions of the world in relatively young landscapes. The high level of exchangeable aluminium in these soils is caused by rapid weathering of secondary high-activity clays such as vermiculite and smectite.
Characteristics
Soils having an argic horizon (a subsurface horizon with distinct higher clay content than the overlying horizon), which has a cation exchange capacity of 24 cmolc per kg clay or more, and which starts either within 100 cm from the soil surface, or within 200 cm from the soil surface if the argic horizon is overlain by loamy sand or coarser textures throughout. They have "alic" properties (high content of exchangeable aluminium) in the major part between 25 and 100 cm from the soil surface; moreover, only such diagnostic horizons as an ochric, albic, andic, ferric, nitic, plinthic, or vertic horizon are present.
Reference soil DE012: Alisol
A soil with high base saturation and with high worm activity in porous to very porous A horizons, underlying an O-layer (3cm) of partly decomposed litter, leafs and twigs. In B horizons there are very dark brown (10YR 2/3) clay skins. Below 60 cm the parent material (weathered basalt) appears. VEGETATION: Elymus europaeus, Mercurialis perennis, Lamium galeobdolon, Carex silv., Milium effusum, Brachypodium silv., Athyrium femina, Asperula odorata.