Espodossolos of Brazil: A review of structure and composition of classes

ABSTRACT Soil taxonomic systems seek to express pedogenic processes in their classes by choosing attributes or differential characteristics to identify classes at different categorical or hierarchical levels. Due to the advancement of knowledge, classification systems are periodically revised and/or...

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Main Authors: Andressa Rosas de Menezes, Ademir Fontana, Lúcia Helena Cunha dos Anjos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência do Solo 2025-06-01
Series:Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-06832025000100202&lng=en&tlng=en
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author Andressa Rosas de Menezes
Ademir Fontana
Lúcia Helena Cunha dos Anjos
author_facet Andressa Rosas de Menezes
Ademir Fontana
Lúcia Helena Cunha dos Anjos
author_sort Andressa Rosas de Menezes
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Soil taxonomic systems seek to express pedogenic processes in their classes by choosing attributes or differential characteristics to identify classes at different categorical or hierarchical levels. Due to the advancement of knowledge, classification systems are periodically revised and/or expanded, and this may happen based on the evaluation of the database of these attributes or characteristics for a given class. In this context, the analysis of a broad set of Espodossolos (the equivalent of Spodosols or Podzols) from different pedoenvironments in Brazil is considered relevant to support the improvement of the categorization of this order in the Brazilian Soil Classification System – SiBCS. This study aimed to classify the profiles in the database and, based on their distribution, propose the restructuring of the Espodossolos classes up to the fourth categorical level in the SiBCS. Data from profiles with spodic horizons and the Espodossolos available in the literature, including surveys since 1960, were compiled in an electronic spreadsheet, displaying the morphological, physical, and chemical attributes. In the current edition of SiBCS, there are limitations in clearly separating the Espodossolos at the order and suborder levels due to the definitions adopted for the diagnostic attributes and the control section of the spodic B horizon. From the data base of compiled profiles, at the great group level, the soils are mostly identified in the Órticos class, in the subgroup as espessarênicos, arênicos and típicos, with few profiles or absence of profiles in the êutricos, êutricos arênicos and carbonáticos classes. Based on this assessment, it is proposed, for the order level, the reduction of the control section of the spodic B horizon to start within 2.00 m of depth; for the suborder, a criterion based on the organic carbon contents separating two classes: Humilúvicos and Háplicos. In the great group, based on the criterion of starting depth of spodic B horizon: Hiperespessos, Espessos and Órticos; and in the subgroup to adopt the classes of tiônicos, organossólicos, húmicos, saprolíticos, dúricos, fragipânicos, abrúpticos, hidromórficos, espessarênicos and típicos.
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publisher Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência do Solo
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spelling doaj-art-8786f239ff774c6e80dc5ce3717a3ea22025-08-20T02:35:33ZengSociedade Brasileira de Ciência do SoloRevista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo1806-96572025-06-014910.36783/18069657rbcs20240117Espodossolos of Brazil: A review of structure and composition of classesAndressa Rosas de Menezeshttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9646-4664Ademir Fontanahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7624-8676Lúcia Helena Cunha dos Anjoshttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0063-3521ABSTRACT Soil taxonomic systems seek to express pedogenic processes in their classes by choosing attributes or differential characteristics to identify classes at different categorical or hierarchical levels. Due to the advancement of knowledge, classification systems are periodically revised and/or expanded, and this may happen based on the evaluation of the database of these attributes or characteristics for a given class. In this context, the analysis of a broad set of Espodossolos (the equivalent of Spodosols or Podzols) from different pedoenvironments in Brazil is considered relevant to support the improvement of the categorization of this order in the Brazilian Soil Classification System – SiBCS. This study aimed to classify the profiles in the database and, based on their distribution, propose the restructuring of the Espodossolos classes up to the fourth categorical level in the SiBCS. Data from profiles with spodic horizons and the Espodossolos available in the literature, including surveys since 1960, were compiled in an electronic spreadsheet, displaying the morphological, physical, and chemical attributes. In the current edition of SiBCS, there are limitations in clearly separating the Espodossolos at the order and suborder levels due to the definitions adopted for the diagnostic attributes and the control section of the spodic B horizon. From the data base of compiled profiles, at the great group level, the soils are mostly identified in the Órticos class, in the subgroup as espessarênicos, arênicos and típicos, with few profiles or absence of profiles in the êutricos, êutricos arênicos and carbonáticos classes. Based on this assessment, it is proposed, for the order level, the reduction of the control section of the spodic B horizon to start within 2.00 m of depth; for the suborder, a criterion based on the organic carbon contents separating two classes: Humilúvicos and Háplicos. In the great group, based on the criterion of starting depth of spodic B horizon: Hiperespessos, Espessos and Órticos; and in the subgroup to adopt the classes of tiônicos, organossólicos, húmicos, saprolíticos, dúricos, fragipânicos, abrúpticos, hidromórficos, espessarênicos and típicos.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-06832025000100202&lng=en&tlng=enhierarchical classificationspodic horizonstaxonomic system
spellingShingle Andressa Rosas de Menezes
Ademir Fontana
Lúcia Helena Cunha dos Anjos
Espodossolos of Brazil: A review of structure and composition of classes
Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo
hierarchical classification
spodic horizons
taxonomic system
title Espodossolos of Brazil: A review of structure and composition of classes
title_full Espodossolos of Brazil: A review of structure and composition of classes
title_fullStr Espodossolos of Brazil: A review of structure and composition of classes
title_full_unstemmed Espodossolos of Brazil: A review of structure and composition of classes
title_short Espodossolos of Brazil: A review of structure and composition of classes
title_sort espodossolos of brazil a review of structure and composition of classes
topic hierarchical classification
spodic horizons
taxonomic system
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-06832025000100202&lng=en&tlng=en
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