Albic Horizon - Soil Geography of the USA: A Diagnostic-Horizon Approach - page 81

10.3 Classification of Soil Series with an Albic Horizon

Based on the Keys to Soil Taxonomy (Soil Survey Staff 2010 ), there are 872 soil
series in the NRCS database that contain an albic horizon. These include
676 Spodosols, 111 Alfisols, 72 Mollisols, and 13 Ultisols. There is no indication
in the taxonomic name that Spodosols contain an albic horizon, but an examination
of 15 % of the 700 soil series classified as Spodosols yielded 92 % with an albic
horizon, which corresponded with the E horizon. In Alfisols, soils with an albic
horizon are distinguished at the great-group level in the Albaqualfs and at the
subgroup level for the Natraqualfs, Hapludalfs, and Paleudalfs (Table 10.2 ). Soils
with an albic horizon occur in the Argialbolls great group of the Mollisols and in the
Albaquult great group in the Ultisols. About a third of the soils with glossic
horizons contain an albic horizon, with about two-thirds having an ochric E horizon
epipedon ( Chap. 15 ).
In the WRB (IUSS Working Group WRB 2007 ), the albic horizon is associated
with wetness. In Table 10.2 , 38 % of the soil taxa with an albic horizon have an
aquic soil-moisture regime.

Table 10.2 Classification of soil series with an albic horizon
Order Suborder Great group Subgroups Total

Alfisols Aqualfs Albaqualfs Arenic (5), Chromic Vertic (6), Vertic (15),

Aeric (9), Mollic (11), Typic (30)

76

Natraqualfs Albic Glossic (8), Albic (2) 10

Udalfs Hapludalfs Albaquultic (5), Albaquic (18) 23

Paleudalfs Albaquic (2) 2

111

Mollisols Albolls Argialbolls Xerertic (6), Vertic (13), Argiaquic Xeric (4),

Argiaquic (20), Xeric (16), Typic (13)

72

Spodosols Aquods Alaquods Aeric (9), Alfic (5), Alfic Arenic (2), Arenic (1),

Arenic Ultic (2), Glossarenic (3), Typic (9),
Ultic (11)

42

Cryaquods Andic (6), Lithic (2), Placic (1), Typic (4) 13

Endoaquods Andic (1), Argic (17), Typic (26) 44

Epiaquods Alfic (17), Typic (11), Ultic (2) 30

Fragiaquods Argic (3), Typic (4) 7

Cryods Duricryods Andic (1), Typic (2) 3

Haplocryods Andic (54), Aquandic (5), Aquic (4), Entic (5),
Lithic (2), Oxyaquic (2), Typic (39)

111

Humicryods Andic (30), Aquandic (2), Lithic (18), Oxyaquic (1),
Typic (21)

72

Gelods Haplogelods Lithic (1), Typic (4) 5

Humods Durihumods Andic (1) 1

Haplohumods Andic (2), Lithic (1), Typic (4) 7

(continued)