Date post: | 18-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | megan-sparks |
View: | 220 times |
Download: | 0 times |
OXISOLS
CHARACTERISTICS
Found in tropical and subtropical regions
Areas with high temps and abundant precipitation
Climate causes high amounts of weathering
Results Soil low in nutrients Bright red/orange color … caused by the Fe
and AL oxides
ICE FREE LAND AREA
ICE FREE LAND AREA (CONT)
Oxisols cover 7.5% of the Earth’s ice free land surface.
Primarily in the southern hemisphere Majority in South America Significant amounts of oxisols are also
found in central Africa
U.S LAND SURFACE
Oxisols are not found in the continental U.S. in any abundance.
Only 0.02% of the U.S. has oxisols
Most oxisols are found in Hawaii. (not the big island)
OXISOL PROFILE
Very fine texture. High amounts of bioturbation
(lots of animal activity) Ap - shows topsoil with
plowing Bo1- subsoil with organic
material Bo2- subsoil with slightly
different color Oxisols are used for agriculture
when fertilizers are added Provide pineapple and
sugarcane farming Also support grazing and
pasture lands for livestock.
SOIL SUSTAINABILITY
Picture from Nigeria (corn field)
Crops such as corn are rotated on a yearly basis
Farmlands are then burned to release nutrients back into the soil
After 5-10 years land Is re-established as forest
OTHER FACTORS
Tropical areas with high elevation (over 1000M) contain more fertile Oxisols than lowlands.
These areas are used for low impact farming of peanuts, pineapple, and bananas.
CONSLUSION
Oxisols are found in warm wet climates They are generally infertile Highly permeable Very resistant to erosion Their color comes from insoluble Fe and
Al oxides