Land Management & Natural Hazards Unit

SOIL

European Commission

Joint Research Centre

Institute for Environment and Sustainability

EU Soils Web Site

Soil Atlas of Europe

 

The soil of Europe

The two photographs on this page illustrate the influence of time on soil forming processes. Both pictures show Podzols. The above picture shows a typical mature Podzol soil with a well defined Spodic horizon. The term Spodic implies an accumulation of organic matter in the B horizon. This is the thinner dark zone that marks the boundary between the gray leached A horizon and the brown B horizon (HBM). The picture below shows a young soil developing in drifted sand. An organic rich layer, known as a mor, has developed on the surface of the soil and the podzolisation process has begun (HBM).

 

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