Soil great group

Fragiacualf

Of the Acualf suborder; it has a fragipan: a dense, brittle layer that stops roots and water.

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 groupFragiacualfWithin the Acualf suborder, it has a fragipan: a dense, brittle layer that stops roots and water.

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
Sandy loam
Most common drainage
Poor
Typical effective depth
60 cm

Where it is found

According to the 1:500.000 national map, it covers about 114.587 ha, spread over 6 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
Buenos Aires54.999 ha
Córdoba43.130 ha
Chaco16.458 ha

Districts where it is most common

It also appears on the detailed maps of: Buenos Aires.

Subgroups on the maps

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.

Buenos Aires

La Cesira

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