Genetic Characteristics And Taxonomic Classification Of Hilly Soils In The Western Zhejiang Province

Being a qualitative classification method, soil genetic classification has been proved to be insufficient in the research and application practice, although its application has a long history. And it’s defects have restricted its practical application and international communication. Nowadays, soil taxonomy which is with quantitative, standard and unified characters has become the mainstream in the world soil classification system. With many scholars’efforts, China has built its own soil taxonomy system. Because this research is relatively late, so it hasn’t been widely used. So it’s necessary to put this system into more scientific researches and practice. During this procedure it will promote itself to make it more consummate.Thirty typical soil profiles in the hilly region of western Zhejiang province were selected and studied. With the field survey and indoor analysis data, we studied the pedogenetic characteristics, diagnostic horizons and diagnostic characteristics of those profiles and finally identified their positions in soil taxonomy according to Keys to the Chinese Soil Taxonomy (CST)(the3rd edition). This research was supposed to provide basis and references for the hilly regions’soil taxonomy and soil resource development. The results indicate that:1. The development degrees of the studied soil profiles vary according to different soil-forming factors. The majority profiles have integrated genetic horizons and soil structures. Soil textures are mainly loam and clay takes second place. Soils are undergoing strong leaching and weathering progress and there’re matters like base cations and clay leaching and depositing in the profiles. Soils are mainly acidic to strongly acidic with low BS(<35%). Soils are with high aluminum saturation and rich in Fed, but low in Feo and Fep, which may indicate they’re experiencing certain Ferric and Allitic process.2. According to Keys to the Chinese Soil Taxonomy (CST)(the3rd edition), the diagnostic surface horizons and subsurface horizons that the studied soil profiles have are:Ochric epipedons, Anthropic epipedon, Hydragric horizon, LAC-ferralic horizon, Argic horizon, Plnthic horizon and Cambic horizon. And the involved diagnostic characteristics are:Soil moisture regimes, Soil temperature regimes, Lithologic Characters, Paralithic contact, Redox features, Ferric property, Alic evidence, Calcaric property and Base saturation.3. The30typical profiles were classified into five CST Orders:Anthrosols, Ferrosols, Argosols, Cambosols and Primosols and Stagnic Anthrosols, Udic Ferrosols, UdicArgosols, Udic Cambosols, Aquic Cambosols and Orthic Primosols6CST Suborders, and10CST Group and16CST Subgroups.