Soil great group

Natriboralf

Of the Boralf suborder; it has a natric horizon: accumulation of clay with a lot of exchangeable sodium, which disperses the clay and blocks the passage of water and roots.

Natriboralf is a name from the 1975 taxonomy, which many INTA soil survey maps were made with. The current edition no longer has this group: today it would be classified as Natricrialf.

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.
SuborderBoralfAlfisol cold climate.
Great groupNatriboralfWithin the Boralf suborder, it has a natric horizon: accumulation of clay with a lot of exchangeable sodium, which disperses the clay and blocks the passage of water and roots.

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
Silt clay loam
Most common drainage
Very poor
Typical effective depth
110 cm

Where it is found

According to the 1:500.000 national map, it covers about 22.191 ha, spread over 1 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
TIERRA DEL FUEGO E ISLAS MALVINAS22.191 ha

Districts where it is most common

Subgroups on the maps

  • Natriboralf mólico

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