Soil great group

Argixerol

Of the Xerol suborder; it has a clay accumulation horizon (argillic): clay washed from the surface accumulated lower.

What the name says

Soil Taxonomy names are built from parts, and each part says something about the soil. From general to specific:

Taxonomic orderMolisolSoil with a thick, dark surface horizon rich in organic matter (the mollic epipedon), with more than half of its exchange capacity occupied by calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. It forms under grassland.
SuborderXerolMolisol Mediterranean climate (xeric moisture regime): it rains in winter and summer is dry.
Great groupArgixerolWithin the Xerol suborder, it has a clay accumulation horizon (argillic): clay washed from the surface accumulated lower.

What it means for farming

They are the soils agricultural lands par excellence: the Pampas grassland formed them and most of Argentine agriculture is done on them. They retain water and nutrients; its limitation, when there is one, is below: clay, sodium, calcareous hardpan or drainage.

Most common surface texture
Sandy loam
Most common drainage
Well drained
Typical effective depth
50 cm

Where it is found

According to the 1:500.000 national map, it covers about 1.204.707 ha, spread over 14 districts.

Loading map…

National map units that list it. The scale is 1:500.000: good for seeing the region, not a single property.

ProvinceArea
Santa Cruz452.869 ha
Chubut401.317 ha
Neuquén350.521 ha

Districts where it is most common

How productive it is

Where it is the main soil of the map unit, the productivity index has a median of 56 (Well); half of the units fall between 53 and 56.

Taken from the maps that include this data. A map unit with several soils has a single index, and it is only attributed to the dominant soil.

Subgroups on the maps

The definitions are a plain-language summary of the USDA Keys to Soil Taxonomy. The formal definition includes thickness, color and percentage thresholds that are left out here.

Sources