Soil subgroup

Epiacualf vértico

It has expansive clays: dry cracks or slickensides in the subsoil. When wet it becomes sticky and difficult to work with; when dry it cracks.

What the name says

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

Taxonomic orderAlfisolSoil with a clay accumulation horizon (argillic or natric) and good base saturation, but without the thick, dark surface of a Molisol.
SuborderAcualfAlfisol with excess water: saturated near the surface part of the year, with redox depletions.
Great groupEpiacualfWithin the Acualf suborder, it saturated from above: rainwater hangs on a poorly permeable layer.
SubgroupvérticoIt has expansive clays: dry cracks or slickensides in the subsoil. When wet it becomes sticky and difficult to work with; when dry it cracks.

What it means for farming

Acceptable fertility, but the surface layer is thinner and poor in organic matter. In the Pampas region many Alfisoles are sodic or floodable (Natracualfes) and are left for livestock.

Most common surface texture
Loam
Most common drainage
Imperfectly drain
Typical effective depth
73 cm

Where it is found

According to the 1:500.000 national map, it covers about 128.324 ha, spread over 3 districts.

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

ProvinceArea
Corrientes128.324 ha

Districts where it is most common

It also appears on the detailed maps of: Corrientes.

How productive it is

Land capability

II
V

class II: 16% · class V: 84%

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.

Other Epiacualf subgroups

Soil series

Series are the specific soils, named after places, that detailed maps describe under this name. Two properties with the same series have the same soil.

Corrientes

El Martillo · La Morocha · Estancia El Chaja

Soils it shares map units with

Several soils share each map unit. These are the ones most often found alongside this one: on a property, you will likely find them in the nearby low ground or on the next rise.

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