The soil of Europe Major Soil Types of Europe Dark soil with high accumulation of partially decomposed organic Soil with surface horizon rich in organic matter and with HISTOSOLS matter generally developed in wet or cold conditions (from the KASTANOZEMS calcium carbonate or gypsum accumulation in subsurface Greek, histos, meaning tissue). horizons (from the Latin castanea, chestnut, and the Russian, Histosols are composed mainly of organic soil material. During the development of the soil, the organic zemlja, meaning earth or land). matter production exceeds the rate of decomposition. The decomposition is retarded mainly by low Soil having a deep, dark coloured surface horizon with a significant accumulation of organic temperatures or anerobic (low oxygen) conditions which result in high accumulations of partially matter, high pH and having an accumulation of calcium carbonate within 100 cm of the soil decomposed organic matter. Histosols occur mainly in the boreal and sub arctic regions and are also surface. Kastanozems occur mainly in the dry parts of the steppe regions of the world and are not known as peat, muck, bog and organic soil. as deep and lighter than Chernozems. Left: a typical Histosol landscape from northern Left: Kastanozems being Europe; Below: Histosols “observed” in the field; are usually black or very Below: Secondary calcium dark brown and contain carbonate accumulation the recognizable remains occurs close to the surface; of plants; The map shows The map shows the location of the location of areas in areas in Europe where Europe where Histosols Kastanozems are the are the dominant soil. dominant soil. Covers 5 % of Europe Covers 2 % of Europe Shallow soil over hard rock or gravelly material (from the Soil with a subsurface horizon of high activity clay accumulation and LEPTOSOLS Greek, leptos, meaning thin). LUVISOLS high base saturation (from the Latin, luere, meaning to wash). A Leptosol is a shallow soil over hard rock, very gravelly material or highly calcareous material. Luvisols show marked textural differences within the profile. The surface horizon is depleted in clay They are found mainly in mountainous regions and in areas where the soil has been eroded to the while the subsurface ‘argic’ horizon has accumulated them. A wide range of parent materials and extent that hard rock comes near to the surface. Because of the limited pedogenic development, environmental conditions lead to a great diversity of soils in this Reference Soil Group. Other names Leptosols do not have much structure. On a global scale, Leptosols are very extensive. Leptosols used for this soil include Pseudo-podzolic soil (Russia), sols lessivés (France), Parabraunerde on limestone are called Rendzinas while those on acid rocks, such as Granite, are called Rankers. (Germany) and Alfisols (Soil Taxonomy). Left: in Leptsols, rocks are Left: Luvisols generally often close to the surface occur on well drained and many outcrops are landscapes; Below: note the visible; Below: a Leptosol marked textural on highly calcareous differentiation within the soil material, known as a profile between the surface Rendzina; The map shows and subsurface horizons; the location of areas in The map shows the location Europe where Leptsols are of areas in Europe where the dominant soil. Leptsols are the dominant soil. Covers 9 % of Europe Covers 6 % of Europe 31.