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A soil profile is a sequence of horizons (layers with distinctive properties). Soils are characterized, named and managed based on profile characteristics. A generalized view of a Soil Profile:
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| O Horizon: Organic leaves and debris. | ||
| A Horizon: Topsoil; brownish from humus; often sandy. | ||
| E Horizon: Light colored, leached; sandy. | ||
| B Horizon: Clayey, often red-yellow; blocky structure. | ||
| C Horizon: Sandy, various colors, not blocky; weathered rock (saprolite). | ||
| R Horizon: Hard rock. | ||
| Note that not all horizons are present in any given soil; the presence and properties of the horizons are used to describe and name individual soils.The key to describing soil profiles is first to look for a B horizon; these are usually brightly colored (red/yellow), are clayey (have a clayey textural name), and have a blocky structure. Once you see a B, then below is the C, and above the A (with or without an E- they are commonly not present). Try to name the following horizons:
___ 0-1” leaves and twigs. ___ 1-6” brown sandy loam; granular structure. ___ 6-10” light brown sandy loam; granular structure. ___ 10-36” reddish brown clay; blocky structure. ___ 36-45” reddish and yellowish brown sandy loam; massive. ___ 45”+ hard schist. |
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