Rationale for Concepts in Soil Taxonomy
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The original version of this publication was scanned in November 2003 by the National Soil Survey Center, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Except for the correction of erroneous page numbers in the table of contents, the electronic version is a reproduction of the original text. The microfiche included with the original publication contains 479 pages of transcribed dialogue of the original taped interviews. They are not available in electronic media at this time. All statements in this publication are those of the author or referenced authors/editors and not those of the Agency for International Development, Cornell University, or the Soil Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. This publication can be obtained from: Program Leader Soil Management Support Services Soil Conservation Service P.O. Box 2890 Washington, DC 20013 USA Cataloguing Data: Main entry under title: The Guy Smith interviews: rationale for concepts in Soil Taxonomy. (SMSS technical monograph no. 11) Includes index. 1. Soils--Classification. I. Smith, Guy, (1907 - 1981) II. Forbes, Terence R. (Terence Robert), 1946 - . III. Ahmad, N. [et al.] IV. Title. V. Title: Soil Taxonomy. V1. Series. S592.16S___ 1986 ISBN 0-932865-05-4 Text processing by Juleene Conner. THE GUY SMITH INTERVIEWS: RATIONALE FOR CONCEPTS IN SOIL TAXONOMY by Guy D. Smith Edited by T.R. Forbes Reviewed by N. Abroad I Comerma H. Eswaran K. Flach T.R. Forbes B. Hajek W. Johnson J. McClelland F.T. Miller J. Nichols I Rourke R. Rust A. Van Wambeke J. Witty Soil Management Support Services Soil Conservation Service U. S. Department of Agriculture New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Cornell University Department of Agronomy SMSS Technical Monograph No. 11 Table of Contents Chapter 1 SOIL CLASSIFICATION 1 1.1 Definition of Soil.................................................................................................................2 1.2 The Pedon and the Polypedon .............................................................................................3 1.3 Application of Soil Taxonomy to Soil Surveys ....................................................................6 1.4 Mapping Units and Taxonomic Units................................................................................11 1.5 Logic of Classification ......................................................................................................15 1.6 Basic Principles of Soil Taxonomy ....................................................................................17 1.7 Methodology Used to Develop Soil Taxonomy..................................................................23 1.8 Impacts of Historical Concepts on Soil Taxonomy ............................................................28 1.8.1 The Fundamental Theses of Dokuchaiev, Glinka and Marbut ...................................28 1.9 Differentiae........................................................................................................................32 1.10 Non-uniform Use of Criteria............................................................................................33 1.11 Forming and Defining Taxa.............................................................................................34 1.12 Laboratory Methods and Analyses ..................................................................................40 1.12.1 Laboratory Methodology..........................................................................................42 1.12.2 Selective vs. Random Sampling...............................................................................44 1.13 Buried Soils and Depth of Soil ........................................................................................44 1.13.1 Thickness/Depth Criteria in Buried Soils.................................................................45 1.14 Nomenclature - Naming of Mapping Units......................................................................46 1.15 Geomorphology and Soils: Landscape Relationships of Soils - Slope, or Shape of Soil; Cryoturbation. ..................................................................................................48 1.15.1 Slope or Shape of Soil..............................................................................................50 1.15.2 Cryoturbation...........................................................................................................50 1.16 Soil and Engineering Interpretations - Impacts of Agricultural Interpretations on the Structure of Soil Taxonomy...........................................................................................50 1.16.1 Profile vs. Landscape Aspects of Soil Surveys.........................................................52 1.16.2 Additional Parameters for Non-Farm Uses ..............................................................53 1.17 International Acceptance of Soil Taxonomy.....................................................................53 1.18 The International Committees .........................................................................................54 1.19 Revisions of Soil Taxonomy ............................................................................................56 1.19.1 Concerning Documentation to Support Proposals for Changes in Soil Taxonomy ....................................................................................................................56 1.19.2 Other Changes..........................................................................................................58 1.20 Aids to Use of Soil Taxonomy Keys, Teaching Soil Taxonomy........................................59 1.21 Soil Horizons ...................................................................................................................60 1.22 Categories of Soil Taxonomy ...........................................................................................60 1.22.1 Order........................................................................................................................61 1.22.1.1 Similar series in two different orders 61 1.22.1.2 Permafrost soil order 61 1.22.2 Subgroup..................................................................................................................61 1.22.3 Families ...................................................................................................................62 1.22.4 Series .......................................................................................................................63 1.22.5 Disturbed or Man-Made Soils..................................................................................64 1.22.6 Wet Soils..................................................................................................................65 1.22.7 Numerical Taxonomies............................................................................................67 Chapter 2 DIAGNOSTICS FOR MINERAL SOILS 69 2.1 Diagnostic Horizons ..........................................................................................................69 2.2 Abrupt Textural Change ....................................................................................................72 i 2.2.1 Lithologic Discontinuities..........................................................................................73 2.3 Aquic Moisture Regime.....................................................................................................74 2.4 Densipan............................................................................................................................74 2.5 Fragipan.............................................................................................................................76 2.6 Mollic Epipedon................................................................................................................79 2.6.1 The Mollic Epipedon, an Illustration of the Evolution of the Limits of Taxa and Definition of Criteria in the Development of Soil Taxonomy............................................................................................................................79 2.6.2 Criteria.......................................................................................................................80 2.7 The "Pale" Concept ...........................................................................................................81 2.8 Placic Horizon...................................................................................................................83 2.9 The Rhodic Concept..........................................................................................................84 2.10 Albic Horizon..................................................................................................................84 2.11 Argillic Horizon...............................................................................................................85 2.12 Gypsic Horizon................................................................................................................89 2.13 n Value ............................................................................................................................90 2.14 Paralithic Contact ............................................................................................................90 2.15 Plaggen Epipedon............................................................................................................91