Abstract

Assuming that Orup soil has a mollic epipedon, it was classified as a coarse-loamy, mixed frigid Aquic Haploboroll according to the Soil Taxonomy and as a Haplic Phaeozem according to the revised FAO legend. The soil profile consisted of a dark-brown coloured Ap-horizon and a massive, structureless subsoil. The profile was slightly stony, containing flint, granite and gneiss stones (about 4 vol%). The soil texture was sandy loam with 10-12% clay throughout the profile. Bulk density increased with depth from 1.61 to 1.83 kg dm-3. The compacted and structureless subsoil can limit root growth, and water uptake through roots may be restricted to the Ap-horizon holding 50 mm of plant-available water, assuming a groundwater table of 1 m. Almost all carbon and nitrogen was present in the Ap-horizon, amounting to 107.5 and 10.1 t ha-1, respectively, whereas only 2.5 t C ha-1 and 0.8 t N ha-1 were found in the subsoil. The Orup soils did not fix ammonium nitrogen in the plough layer. The CEC amounted to 15 meq 100 g-1 in the Ap-horizon and ca. 6 meq 100 g-1 in the subsoil. The clay mineralogy was as follows: The content of illite increased from 17 to 37% within the profile. Smectite minerals varied between 15 and 31%. Kaolinite increased from 5 to 15% with depth, and vermiculite (5%) was only found in the Ap-horizon.

Keywords

TEXTURE; PARTICLE AND BULK DENSITY; POROSITY; HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY; WATER RETENTION CHARACTERISTICS; ORGANIC MATTER; ION-EXCHANGE VALUES; TOTAL ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS; MINERALOGY

Published in

Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B - Soil and Plant Science
1993, volume: 43, number: 4, pages: 193-205
Publisher: SCANDINAVIAN UNIVERSITY PRESS

Authors' information