REGOSOLS

1
REGOSOLS
Dr. Selim KAPUR University of Çukurova Departments
of Soil Science and Archaeometry Adana,
TURKEY kapur_at_cu.edu.tr
2
DESCRIPTION

• From greek rhegos blanket meaning YOUNG soils on
  weathering materials
• Weakly developed very shallow mineral soils.
• Unconsolidated materials
• AC profile, MINIMAL PROFILE DEVELOPMENT
• Rarely slight lime and/or gypsum accumulation
• Slow soil formation due to dry climate
• No diagnostic horizons other than an Ochric
• Extensive on eroded lands ie. in mountain regions
• Occurs at all climates but particularly common in
  arid and semi-arid zones
• Correlate with soil taxa marked by incipient soil
  formation Entisols
• Varying management, COMMON USE AS LOW VOLUME
  GRAZING, BUT BEST FOR FORESTS

3
Common soil units

• Gelic
• Leptic
• Hyposalic
• Gleyic
• Thaptovitric
• Thaptoandic
• Arenic
• Aric
• Garbic
• Hyperochric
• Anthropic
• Aridic

• Reductic
• Spolic
• Urbic
• Tephric
• Gelistagnic
• Stagnic
• Humic
• Gypsiric
• Calcaric
• Takyric
• Yermic

4
No pedological evidence ie color, structure,
texture throughout the profile
Marine sediment
Alluvial material
http//www.ucalgary.ca
http//www.ucalgary.ca/
5
Arenic Regosol
6
Lacustrine/Wetland sediment
7
Soils of the western coast of Sorkappland
Gelic Dystric Regosol (Kulmstranda)
Geli-Hyperskeletic Regosol (Gasbreen - frontal
moraine)
Gelic Dystric Regosol - profile (Kulmstranda)
8
DISTRIBUTION
9
ASSOCIATIONS WITH OTHER SOIL GROUPS
Regosols are integrates with

• Cryosols in cold regions
• Andosols, Leptosols or Umbrisols in mountain
  regions
• Calcisols or Gypsisols in arid regions
• Arenosols and Podzols on sandy deposits
• Cambisols in semi-arid regions

10
CHARACTERESTICS

• The great variation among Regosols (taxonomic
  rest group!) makes it virtually impossible to
  give a generalised account of Regosol
  characteristics.
• The central concept of a Regosol is a deep,
  well-drained, medium-textured, non-differentiated
  mineral soil that has minimal expression of
  diagnostic horizons (other than an ochric surface
  horizon), properties or materials.
• Parent material and climate dominate the
  morphology of Regosols. The content of
  weatherable minerals varies from low to extremely
  high (little transformation).
• In cool climates, the surface horizon contains
  poorly decomposed organic matter whereas (ochric)
  surface horizons tend to be thin, low in organic
  matter and generally weakly expressed in hot, dry
  climates.
• Regosols in dry regions have generally a higher
  base status than Regosols in more humid
  (mountain) regions.
• Low coherence of the matrix material makes most
  Regosols in sloping areas prone to erosion.
• Low water holding capacity and high permeability
  to water make most Regosols sensitive to drought.
  
• Many Regosols in colluvial material are prone to
  slaking in particular those in löss. This makes
  them sensitive to erosion in wet periods. Many
  Regosols form a hard surface crust early in the
  dry season the crust hinders emergence of
  seedlings and infiltration of rain and irrigation
  water in the dry season.

11
MANAGEMENT AND LANDUSE

• Many Regosols are used for extensive grazing
• Some on colluvial deposits on loess in N. Europe
  are used for small grains, sugar beet or fruit
  trees
• In mountain regions best left to forests
• In steppe regions with 500-1000 mm ppt needs
  irrigation with frequent application of water,
  Sprinkler or trickle suitable for this low water
  holding capacity but not economical
• So better practice DRY FARMING which may be
  better than installation of costly irrigation
  facilities