Soil classification

Russian

In Russia, by 2004, a special commission of the Soil Institute them. VV Dokuchaev , led by L. L. Shishov, prepared a new classification of soils , which is the development of the 1997 classification . However, the soil classification of the USSR in 1977 continues to be actively used by Russian soil scientists ^[1] .

Among the distinctive features of the new classification, it is possible to call the refusal to attract for the diagnosis of factor-ecological and regime parameters that are difficult to diagnose and often determined by the researcher purely subjective, focusing on the soil profile and its morphological features. A number of researchers see this as a departure from genetic soil science, which focuses on the origin of soils and the processes of soil formation. In the 2004 classification, formal criteria for assigning soil to a specific taxon are introduced, the concept of a diagnostic horizon , adopted in the international and American classifications, is drawn. Unlike the WRB and the American Soil Taxonomy, in the Russian classification, the horizons and signs are not equal, but strictly ranked by taxonomic significance. An undoubtedly important innovation in the 2004 classification was the inclusion of anthropogenically transformed soils.

Professor of the Moscow State University L. O. Karpachevsky highly appreciated the advantages of soil classification in Russia in 2004 , but in 2007 he writes ^[2] :

But, in my opinion, the value of this classification is limited by the fact that its use does not make any sense. Either we join the world community and accept the world classification, or we remain faithful to our originality, then it simply does not make sense to change the classification in 1977, since all the soil-reclamation materials of the CIS are based on it.

US and Canada

In the American school of soil scientists, a classification (Soil Taxonomy) is used, which is also common in other countries. Its characteristic feature is a deep study of formal criteria for assigning soils to a particular taxon. The names of the soils, constructed from Latin and Greek roots, are used. The classification scheme traditionally includes soil series - groups of soils that differ only in grain size, and having an individual name - a description of which began when mapping the Soil Bureau of the US territory at the beginning of the 20th century .

France

The soil classification is based on the work of V. K. Agafonov , a student of V. V. Dokuchaev.

China

For domestic use, China uses the old classification. In parallel, for their soil, an international classification has been adopted and adapted.

• 1974 - Soil Classification FAO - UNESCO
• 1998 - World Correlative Soil Resource Database (WRB). 30 soil groups.
• 2006 - Second Edition of the World Soil Resource Base (WRB). 32 soil groups. ^[3]

Any classification is the language of professionals, allowing to understand each other. If the classifications are different, then an interpreter is needed for understanding. The main trend of modern soil science is to unite the efforts of the world community to study soils ^[4] .

In the names of soil units are used the names of soils, constructed from Russian, Latin and Greek roots. Each soil has a short letter code.

• Soil nomenclature is a list of the names of various soils in accordance with their properties and classification position, which are combined into a system.
• Somatic systematics is a system of taxonomic units of different rank (class, type, subtype, genus, etc.) created for the purpose of soil classification.
• Soil Geography
• Soil chemistry
• Soil physics
• Soil color
• Soil moisture

Terms according to GOST : ^[5]

• The type of soil is the main classification unit, characterized by a commonity of properties due to the regimes and processes of soil formation, and a single system of basic genetic horizons.
  • A soil subtype is a classification unit within a type, characterized by qualitative differences in the system of genetic horizons and in the manifestation of superimposed processes that characterize the coal type.
    • The type of soil is a classification unit within the subtype, determined by the characteristics of the composition of the soil-absorbing complex, the nature of the salt profile, the main forms of neoplasms.
      • Soil type is a classification unit within a genus that is quantitatively different in the degree of severity of soil-forming processes that determine the type, subtype, and genus of soil.
        • Soil variety is a classification unit that takes into account the separation of soils by the grain size distribution of the entire soil profile.
          • Soil discharge is a classification unit that groups soils according to the nature of soil-forming and underlying rocks.

• Dokuchaev V.V. A brief historical sketch and critical analysis of the most important existing soil classifications // Tr. SPb. about-va natural 1879. T. 10. Dep. mineral. and geol. Duct. Pp. 64-67.
• Sibirtsev N. M. About the grounds of the genetic classification of soils. - Warsaw: Type. K. Kovalevsky, 1895. - 23 p.
• Dokuchaev V.V. Main moments in the history of assessments of lands of European Russia, with the classification of Russian soils. SPb .: type. E. Evdokimova, 1886. II, 391 p. : on tab. (Materials to the assessment of land of the Nizhny Novgorod province. Natural historical part: Report to the Nizhny Novgorod province zemstvo; Vol. 1)
• Dokuchaev, V.V., On the Classification of Russian Soils, Tr. SPb. about-va natural 1886. T. 17. Vol. 1. Dep. geol. and mineral. Duct. S. 3.
• Dokuchaev, V.V., On the New Soil Classification, in Tr. Free economy about-va. 1896. № 6. The duct. P. 87.
• N. Sibirtsev. Soil Classification as Applied to Russia // Yearbook on Geology and Meneralogy of Russia / ed. N. Krishtafovich. 1897. T. 2, no. 5. pp. 73–78.
• Glinka K. D. Soil Science. SPb .: ed. A.F. Devrien, 1908. XI, 596 s .; 2nd ed. Pg., 1915. XIX, 708 p. ; 3rd ed. M .: “New Village”, 1927. 580 p. ; 4th ed. M .; L .: Selkolkhozgiz, 1931. 612 p .; 5th ed. 1932. 602 p. ; 6th ed. 1935. 631 p.

• World Reference Base for Soil Resources - Wikipedia in English lang
• Guide to soil description . FAO, 2014. 114 p.
• IUSS Working Group WRB: World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2014, Update 2015. World Soil Resources Reports 106, FAO, Rome 2015. ISBN 978-92-5-108369-7 . 2.3 MB.
• WRB soil groups