Morkill Valley Regosol

Soil Site Details: Morkill Valley Regosol

Soils on this site are Regosols. They are the youngest or most recently formed soils and are often associated with a disturbance, such as a landslide or flood. The name Regosol originated from the Greek word rhegos meaning blanket. You can imagine Regosols consisting of a layer or blanket of loose material overlying hard bedrock.

Basic Facts

Soil Order: Regosol
Ecosystem: Coniferous Forest
Climate Zone: Continental
BC Biogeoclimatic Zone: Interior Cedar-Hemlock

Location: Morkill River Valley, 150km east of Prince George
City, Region, Country: Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
Lat / Long: 53.28/ -120.22

Soil Classification

Soil Order: Regosol
Great Group: Regosol
Subgroup: Cumulic Regosol
Soil Series: Guilford Soil Association
Classification Code: CU.R
Soil Horizons Present: LFH, Ah, C, Ahb, C, Ahb, C
Diagnostic Horizon 1: no B
Diagnostic Horizon 2:
Diagnostic Horizon 3:
Diagnostic Horizon 4:

Land Form

Land Form: Alluvial Fan
Parent Material: Colluvial
Elevation (m): 1000
Topography: Inclined
Affected by Glaciation: Yes

Climate

Climate Zone: Continental
Mean Annual Temperature (C): 3.1
Minimum Annual Temperature (C):
Maximum Annual Temperature (C):
Mean Annual Precipitation (mm): 1000

Land Use

Current Land Use: 2nd growth forest
Original Vegetation: Western red cedar, Western hemlock
Current Vegetation: Western red cedar, Western hemlock

Technical Description
The soil at this site is of the Regosolic Order. Regosols are young, poorly developed soils which generally lack horizon development. The diagnostic characteristic of this soil is the lack of a B horizon (or < 5 cm thick). This site is located on a colluvial parent material, as it is situated at a toe of an alluvial fan. Regosols are formed on unstable landscapes, such as those prone to landslides. The closest classification to this site would be the Guilford Soil Association. These soils are imperfectly to moderately well drained with good permeability. PDF with details: 41_Guilford.pdf
Soil Morphology
Soil Texture of Diagnostic Horizon or Prevailing Texture:
Soil texture horizons:
Soil structure horizons:
Forest Humus Form:
Presence of Charcoal: Yes
Presence of Coatings:
Soil Formation Processes
Primary Soil Process Group: Addition
Primary Soil Process: Deposition of sediments
Secondary Soil Process:

Links

Resources home: Principles, Land use, awareness, etc.
Processes: Regosol
Classification: Regosol
Virtual soil monoliths: via the left-side expanding menu.

Media


Regosol, from https://processes.soilweb.ca/regosol/.

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