MOLLISOLS from the Latin mollis soft CHARACTERISTICS v

MOLLISOLS from the Latin mollis – soft)

CHARACTERISTICS v prairie or grassland soil v dark-colored surface horizon v highly fertile, dark surface horizon v rich in calcium & magnesium (based) v found in climates with pronounced dry season v 7% of glacier-free land surface

HORIZONS

MOLLIC EPIPEDON v mollisols are often classified by a deep surface (A) horizon • • typically 60 -80 cm long-term addition of OM from plant roots soft, granular soil structure defining diagnostic feature

SUBORDERS v Albolls — wet soils; aquic soil moisture with an eluvial horizon v Aquolls — wet soils; aquic soil moisture v Cryolls — cold climate; frigid or cryic soil temperature v Gelolls — very cold climate; mean annual soil temperature < 0 °C v Rendolls — lime parent material v Udolls — humid climate v Ustolls — subhumid climate v Xerolls — Mediterranean climate

SOURCES v https: //www. soils. org/discover-soils/soil-basics/soil-types/mollisols v Brady, N. C. and Weil, R. R. (1996). ‘The Nature and Properties of Soils. ’ 11 th edition. (Prentice Hall, New Jersey). v Buol, S. W. , Southard, R. J. , Graham, R. C. , and Mc. Daniel, P. A. (2003). ‘Soil Genesis and Classification. ’ 5 th edition. (Iowa State University Press - Blackwell, Ames. ) v https: //www. nrcs. usda. gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/survey/class/ma ps/? cid=nrcs 142 p 2_053604 v PETERS FAMILY FARM near St. Peter, MN