FERRALSOLS

DEFINITION
Ferralsols are soils with a
ferralic horizon starting within 200
cm from the surface. This is a
strongly weathered horizon with
Ah
low activity clays, such as kaolinite,
AB
and resistant materials such as iron-
and aluminium (hydr-)oxides.
DISTRIBUTION
PROFILE
The iron and aluminium give
Ferralsols a typical red or
yellow colour. The profile has
no clear horizons and can be
very deep.
Ferralsols occur on very old
(Tertiary), stable geomorphic surfaces,
in humid climates with high rainfall
and high temperatures. Ferralsols
therefore appear in the humid tropics
on the continental shields of South
America (Brazil) and Africa. In Asia
they are barely present, only on easily
weathering mafic rock.

Bo1 F O R M AT I O N
High soil temperatures combined with intense percolation,
dissolve and remove all the weatherable minerals. Less soluble
compounds, such as iron and aluminium (hydr-)oxides, the clay
mineral kaolinite and coarse quartz grains, remain behind. The
binding of particles by iron oxides gives an apparent sandy or
Bo2 silty feeling (pseudosand). Mixing of the soil by termites leads to
diffuse horizons.

Ferralsols are poor. However, their natural

USE & MANAGEMENT
Ferralsols have low inherent nutrient levels and
nutrient retention. When fertilizing Ferralsols, soil amendments
have to be given in small portions. Moreover the high iron
content results in the fixation phosphorus from fertilizers.
Although most Ferralsols are acidic and have a high aluminium
saturation, actual amounts of exchangeable aluminium are low
and can easily be corrected by liming.
vegetation is lush tropical rainforest. This is
possible because trees constantly supply/cycle
nutrients trough their litter and the roots of
the trees catch the leaching nutrients keeping
them within the system. When the trees are
cut, the nutrient cycles are broken and the soil
becomes unfertile and acid. To be sustainable,
cropping systems on Ferralsols should mimic
the forest and its nutrient cycles.

Termite hill on a Ferralsol

Termites mix the soil leading to diffuse horizon
boundaries.