Conversion of Some Soil Types, Subtypes, and Varieties Between the Taxonomic Classification System of Soils of the Czech Republi
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Soil & Water Res., 5, 2010 (4): 172–185 Conversion of Some Soil Types, Subtypes, and Varieties between the Taxonomic Classification System of Soils of the Czech Republic and the World Reference Base for Soil Resources Jitka SLÁDKOVÁ Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation, Prague, Czech Republic Abstract: The article illustrates the compatibility of the Czech Republic Taxonomic Soil Classification System vali- dated in the CR with the international World Reference Base for Soil Resources. It utilises the archive data on the soil types, subtypes, and varieties from the General survey of agricultural soils in the Czech Republic and soil profiles from new soil survey on the pilot area of Litoměřice district. It indicates the possibilities of the future refinement of both systems. Keywords: refinement of soil classification systems; soil conversions; TKSP CR, WRB The World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) and database background papers with the sources had already progressed under the auspices of the from other European countries. The system has been International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) since constantly applied and further improved during the the eighties of the last century, and in 1998 it shaped current innovative soil survey of the CR (Němeček up into a form of the concrete proposal (Deckers et al. 2001). 2000; ISSS-ISRIC-FAO 1998; IUSS Working Group The article briefly introduces the basic principles WRB 2006, 2007; Nachtergaele et al. 2000). In of both systems used, compares them and facilitates that year, WRB was adopted as the European Union the orientation in WRB. With the help of some soil system for soil correlation. The structure, concepts types, subtypes, and varieties conversions between and definitions of WRB are strongly affected by the these systems, it refers to the possibilities of mutual Legend of the Soil Map of the World on the scale of refinement in the framework of ongoing convergence 1:5 000 000 (FAO-UNESCO 1974; FAO-UNESCO- of both systems. ISRIC 1990), which borrowed an approach through the diagnostic horizons and features of Soil Taxonomy of the United States Department of Agriculture. MATERIAL AND METHODS The Taxonomic Classification System of Soils of the Czech Republic (TKSP CR) connects with At soil conversions from TKSP CR to WRB, as previous classification systems (mainly with Mor- well as from WRB to TKSP CR, more possibili- phologic-genetic soil classification system of the ties arise at most of the soil profiles, e.g. in the CSFR – Hraško et al. 1991) and besides WRB is dependence on the parent material. By reason itcompatible with other international standards of of a limited extent of the article soil types, sub- soil classification (Soil Taxonomy, Référentiel pé- types, and varieties, conversions from TKSP CR dologique, Systematik der Böden Deutschland). It to WRB are elaborated for the soils occurring in includes not only agricultural and forest soils, but the Litoměřice district (Table 1) and for those in also soils of anthropogenic origin. It has arisen for the the surroundings of the district (Table 2). The purpose of easier harmonisation of the Czech map tables contain the selection of soils according to 172 Soil & Water Res., 5, 2010 (4): 172–185 the background papers from the Research Institute (PH), Gypsisols (GY), Durisols (DU), Calcisols (CL), for Soil and Water Conservation, Prague. Albeluvisols (AB), Alisols (AL), Acrisols (AC), Luvi- The archive data of the General survey of agri- sols (LV), Lixisols (LX), Umbrisols (UM), Arenosols cultural soils from the years 1960–1970 contained (AR), Cambisols (CM), Regosols (RG). the basic material. On the pilot area, the data were The Taxonomic Classification System of Soils also statistically verified and digitised. At the level applied in the Czech Republic (Němeček et al. of the soil types, subtypes, and varieties, the con- 2001 and further e.g. Němeček & Kozák 2001; versions from the original Genetic-agronomic soil Vokoun et al. 2003) is a hierarchical system, which, classification into the valid TKSP CR (Sládková in the context with the world development of this 2007) pointed out the need of several refinements area, differentiates the parent materials, diagnostic of the valid soil classification system, which soil horizons, and soil properties. survey of Litoměřice district was also directed to The following taxonomic categories exist: in 2006. The examples of the soil profiles conver- Referential classes (groups) of soils (15): the sions between TKSP CR and WRB were completed main units of the world classification systems. by laboratory analyses of several soil pits, coming Soil types (28): basic units of the Czech system, from this soil survey. In term of natural condi- characterised by the presence of certain diagnostic tions in general, the Litoměřice district area is horizon or horizons and/or marked diagnostic characterised by average annual air temperature features. A name: a noun with ending-zem or 7.0–8.5°C, average annual sum of precipitation other, no-sol. 489–617 mm (Němeček et al. 1965), and by vol- Subtypes: distinctive modifications of the soil canic activity in the geologic past. type, expressing the central conception of the type, In order to describe the methodical approach, transitions to other types, marked lithological-genet- the main principles are mentioned of the applied ic features (arenic, pelic, etc.), marked debasification, soil classification systems as presented further. salinisation, sodisation, distinctive hydromorphic The taxonomic units of WRB are defined by and anthropic influences. The name: an adjective means of the measurable and observable diagnostic placed after the name of the soil type. horizons, basic soil classification identifiers which Varieties: less distinctive modifications of the are defined by combination of characteristic soil soil type, features of forest soils up to 0.25 m. The properties, and (or) soil materials. name: specification of the adjective describing the WRB is represented by: subtype. – 32 referential soil groups Main soil forms: determined by the type of the – prefixes and suffixes, which define different soil parent material and by its lower categories. units (allowed qualifiers of the defining terms) Local soil forms: distinguished according to In the case of application, more than two quali- the details of particle size distribution, skeleton fiers can be connected with brackets after the content, slope (exposition, inclination, the form standard defining term (e.g. strongly humic prop- of slope). erties and colour). In addition, the defining term Ecological phases: distinguished according of a soil unit can express the depth (from shallow to humus forms (forest soils) to deep: Epi, Endo, Bathi) and intensity (from Degradation phases: degree of the soil deg- slight to strong: Proto, Para, Hypo, Ortho and radation (mainly errosive wash, accumulation, Hyper) of the features, which are fundamental for superimposition), contamination (exceeding the the soil cultivation selection. In multi-sequential limits of the background values of contaminants), soil profiles, qualifying terms such as Cumuli or intoxication (surpassing of the critical values of Thapto describe cumulation or burying. contaminants contents and their mobility for The referential groups of WRB are sorted in certain transfer path). the following order: Histosols (HS), Anthrosols (AT), Technosols (TC), Cryosols (CR), Leptosols (LP), Vertisols (VR), Fluvisols (FL), Solonetz (SN), RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Solonchaks (SC), Gleysols (GL), Andosols (AN), Podzols (PZ), Plinthosols (PT), Nitisols (NT), When presenting the main principles of both sys- Ferralsols (FR), Planosols (PL), Stagnosols (ST), tems applied, the opportunity arises to describe the Chernozems (CH), Kastanozems (KS), Phaeozems differences in a better way. The main difference is that 173 Soil & Water Res., 5, 2010 (4): 172–185 WRB is composed on a key approach, whereby the Phaeozems, Albeluvisols, Luvisols, Arenosols, Cam- TKSP CR is based on the taxonomic system. bisols, Regosols. Some soil types and subtypes in In the case a soil is classified according to WRB, the Litoměřice district and in surroundings con- it is necessary to describe the individual soil pro- form, even without any consideration of the parent files, to inspect the whole key until it is possible materials, to the referential basics of the two WRB to identify the referential soil groups by means soil groups (Luvizem stagnic, Pseudoglej modal, of the parent material and soil profile properties, Chernice gleyic, Regozems stagnic, and gleyic and and to describe the profiles satisfactorily by the mainly the former Rendzinas profiles, ordered ac- help of prefixes and suffixes. Rather an extensive cording to TKSP CR into different soil types). selection of prefixes and suffixes is significant for Strongly anthropogenically influenced soils of accurate soil profile description and for the WRB Litoměřice district and in the surroundings con- structure being suitable for future data computer tain only small amounts of artifacts and keep the processing. At present, the stated procedure on characteristics of the original referential groups diagnosing a large number of soil pits is rather of soils. Therefore, these soils are not classified time consuming for day by day work. into the referential group Technosols; only the In TKSP CR, the definition of every referential qualifier Technic is used. class of soil and the set and description of lower For some soil