Soil subgroup

Ocracualf mólico

It has a dark surface rich in organic matter, almost like that of a Molisol.

Ocracualf 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 Epiacualf or Endoacualf.

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 groupOcracualfWithin the Acualf suborder, it It has a clear surface and is poor in organic matter (ochric epipedon).
SubgroupmólicoIt has a dark surface rich in organic matter, almost like that of a Molisol.

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 loam
Most common drainage
Very poor
Typical effective depth
60 cm

Where it is found

According to the 1:500.000 national map, it covers about 540.270 ha, spread over 10 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
Formosa396.128 ha
Chaco144.142 ha

Districts where it is most common

It also appears on the detailed maps of: Entre Ríos.

How productive it is

Where it is the main soil of the map unit, the productivity index has a median of 20 (low); half of the units fall between 20 and 22.

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 Ocracualf 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.

Entre Ríos

Bovril · Viraró · Hernandarias · María Luisa

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