Basic Principles of Soil Science, Laboratory

Exercise No. 2
SOIL PROFILE DESCRIPTIONS

Name: __________________________ Score: _____ Date Performed: ______

A. Provide a sketch of the soil profile you examined using colored pencils. In
addition to coloring, indicate horizon boundaries, thickness (depth in cm) of each
horizon, vegetation and structure in your drawing.

Soil Profile Horizon Description (color, texture, structure)

B. Attach a photo of you with the soil horizon examined.

 Basic Principles of Soil Science, Laboratory

C. Site Description

1. Location: _________________________________________________
2. Topography
a. Physiographic site: Summit Backslope
Shoulder Footslope

b. Slope type: Concave Convex

c. Terrain: Class A: 0-3%, level or nearly level

Class B: 3-8%, gently sloping, undulating
Class C: 8-16%, sloping to strongly sloping, rolling
Class D: 16-30%, moderately steep, hilly
Class E: 30-65%, steep
Class F: > 65%, very steep

3. Parent Material alluvial marine colluvial sedentary

4. Vegetation old plant replanted new clearing

5. Land Use forest grassland farm land

6. Depth of Water Table within 100 cm over 100 cm

7. Drainage well drained

moderately well drained
somewhat poorly drained
poorly drained
very poorly drained

DRAINAGE CONDITION DESCRIPTION

Well-drained No mottles within one meter from the surface
Moderately well-drained Some mottles between 60 to 100 cm depth
Somewhat poorly drained Mottles between 30 to 100 cm depth
Poorly drained Mottles in or immediately beneath A or Ap horizon
Very poorly drained Gleyed soil; bluish-gray colored soil

For soil boundary and root abundance, refer to the table below:
Soil Boundary Description Root Abundance Description
Abrupt < 2 cm Rare Only 1 to 2 roots/m2
Gradual 5 – 12 cm Few 2 to 5 roots/m2
Clear 2 – 5 cm Common 5 to 20 roots/m2
Diffuse >12 cm Many 20 to 50 roots/m2
Abundant Over 50 roots/m2
 Basic Principles of Soil Science, Laboratory

D. Soil Profile Description

SOIL COLOR SOIL
DEPTH
HORIZON Hue Value Chroma Color Name STRUCTURE
(cm)
(Type)

HORIZON ROOT
HORIZON SOIL TEXTURE
BOUNDARY ABUNDANCE

E. Answer the following questions:

1. Why do you think texture, structure, or color changes with profile depth?
(Choose one property only)

2. How does an E horizon form?