Soil Forming Processes

(Pedogenic)

Dr. Lav Bhushan

Scientist (Soils)
Directorate of Extension Education
CSK HP Krishi Vishvavidyalaya
Palampur, HP
The fundamental processes of soil formation
which include transformation and translocation are:

Humificatio
n
Eluviation
Illuviation

B. Specific Soil Forming
Processes

The basic pedologic processes provide a framework

for later operation of more specific processes
Specific Soil Forming Processes
1. Calcification,
2. Decalcification,
3. Podzolization,
4. Laterization,
5. Gleization,
6. Salinization,
7. Desalinization,
8. Solonization or Alkalization,
9. Solodization or Dealkalization,
10.Pedoturbation,
11.Cryoturbation
Specific Soil Forming Processes

1.
Calcification
 It is the process of precipitation and accumulation
of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in some part of the
profile. The accumulation of CaCO3 may result in the
development of a calcic horizon.
 Calcium is readily soluble in acid soil water and/or
when CO2 concentration is high in root zone as:
CO2 + H2O → H2CO3
H2CO3 + Ca → Ca (HCO3)2 (soluble)
Ca (HCO3)2 → CaCO3 + H2O + CO2
(precipitates)
The process of precipitation after mobilization under
these conditions is called calcification and the resulting
illuviated horizon of carbonates is designated as Bk
horizon (Bca).
Specific Soil Forming Processes

Presence of calcic horizon

2.

Decalcification
It is the reverse of calcification i.e. the process
of removal of CaCO3 or calcium ions from the soil
by leaching

CaCO3 + CO2 + H2O → Ca(HCO3)2↓

(insoluble) (soluble)
Specific Soil Forming Processes

3. Podzolization
 It is a process of soil formation resulting in the
formation of Podzols and Podzolic soils.
 In many respects, podzolization is the negative
of calcification.
 The calcification process tends to concentrate
calcium in the lower part of the B horizon,
whereas podzolization leaches the entire solum
of calcium carbonates.
 Apart from calcium, the other bases are also
removed and the whole soil becomes
distinctly acidic.
Specific Soil Forming Processes

3.
Podzolization
The process of Podzolization operates under favorable combination
of the following environments.
 i) Climate: A cold and humid climate is most favorable for
podzolization
 ii) Parent material: Siliceous (Sandy) material, having poor
reserves of weatherable minerals, favour the operation of
podzolization as it helps in easy percolation of water.
 iii) Vegetation: Acid producing vegetation such as coniferous
pines is essential
 iv) Leaching and Translocation of Sesquioxide: In the
process of decomposition of organic matter various organic acids
are produced. The organic acids thus formed act with
Sesquioxides (iron and aluminium oxides) and the remaining clay
minerals; forming organic-Sesquioxides and organic clay
complexes, which are soluble and move with the percolating
water to the lower horizons (Bh, Bs).
Specific Soil Forming Processes

3.
Podzolization
Aluminium ions in a water solution hydrolyze and make the
soil solution very acidic.
2Al +6H2O  2 Al(OH)3 + 6H+
 As iron and aluminium move about, the A horizon gives a
bleached grey or ashy appearance. The Russians used
the term Podzols (pod means under, the zola means ash
like i.e. ash-like horizon appearing beneath the surface
horizon) for such soils.
 To conclude, the Podzolization is a soil forming process
which prevails in a cold and humid climate where
coniferous and acid forming vegetations dominate.
 The humus and Sesquioxide become mobile and leached
out from the upper horizons and deposited in the lower
horizon.
Specific Soil Forming Processes

4.
Laterization
 The term laterite is derived from the word meaning brick or
tile and was originally applied to a group of high clay Indian
soils found in Malabar hills of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka
and Maharashtra.
 It refers specifically to a particular cemented horizon in
certain soils which when dried, become very hard, like a brick.
 Such soils (in tropics) when massively impregnated with
sesquioxides (iron and aluminium oxides) to extent of 70 to
80 per cent of the total mass, are called laterites or latosols
(Oxisols).
 The soil forming process is called Laterization or Latozation.
 Laterization is the process that removes silica, instead of
sesquioxides from the upper layers and thereby leaving
sesquioxides to concentrate in the solum.
Specific Soil Forming Processes

4.
Laterization
The process of laterization operates under the
following conditions.
i) Climate: Unlike podzolization, the process of
laterization operates mostly in warm and humid
(tropical) climate with 2000 to 2500 mm rainfall
and continuous high temperature (25°C)
throughout the year.
ii) Natural vegetation: The rain forests of
tropical areas are favorable for the process.
iii) Parent Material: Basic parent materials,
having sufficient iron bearing ferromagnesian
minerals (Pyroxene, amphiboles, biotite and
chlorite), which on weathering release iron, are
congenial for the development of laterites.
Specific Soil Forming Processes

5. Gleization
 The term glei is of Russian origin means blue, grey
or green clay.
 Gleization is a process of soil formation resulting in
the development of a glei (or gley horizon) in the
lower part of the soil profile above the parent
material due to poor drainage condition (lack of
oxygen) and where waterlogged conditions prevail.
Such soils are called hydromorphic soils.
 The process is not particularly dependent on climate
(high rainfall as in humid regions) but often on
drainage conditions.
Specific Soil Forming Processes

5. Gleization
The poor drainage conditions result from:
 Lower topographic position, such as depression land, where
water stands continuously at or close to the surface.
 Impervious soil parent material, and.
 Lack of aeration.
 Under such conditions, iron compounds are reduced to soluble
ferrous forms. The reduction of iron is primarily biological and
requires both organic matter and microorganisms capable of
respiring anaerobically. The solubility of Ca, Mg, Fe, and Mn is
increased and most of the iron exists as Fe++ organo -
complexes in solution or as mixed precipitate of ferric and
ferrous hydroxides.
 This is responsible for the production of typical bluish to
grayish horizon with mottling of yellow and or reddish brown
colors.
Specific Soil Forming Processes

6.
Salinization
 It is the process of
accumulation of salts, such as
sulphates and chlorides of calcium, magnesium,
sodium and potassium, in soils in the form of a salty
(salic) horizon.
 It is quite common in arid and semi arid regions. It
may also take place through capillary rise of saline
ground water and by inundation with seawater in
marine and coastal soils.
 Salt accumulation may also result from irrigation or
seepage in areas of impeded drainage.
Specific Soil Forming Processes

7.
Desalinization
 It is the removal of excess soluble salts from
horizons or soil profile (that contained enough
soluble salts to impair the plant growth). by the
process of leaching
 This can be done by pounding water and
improving the drainage conditions by installing
artificial drainage network.
Specific Soil Forming Processes

8. Solonization or
Alkalization
 The process involves the accumulation of sodium
ions on the exchange complex of the clay,
resulting in the formation of sodic soils
(Solonetz).
All cations in solution are engaged in a reversible reaction
with the exchange sites on the clay and organic matter
particles.
Specific Soil Forming Processes

9. Solodization or
dealkalization
 The process refers to the removal of Na+ from the
exchange sites.
 Na+ causes dispersion of clay. Dispersion occurs
when Na+ ions become hydrated.
 Much of the dispersion can be eliminated if Ca++
and /or Mg++ ions are concentrated in the water,
which is used to leach Na+ .
 These Ca and Mg ion can replace the Na on
exchange complex, and the salts of sodium are
leached out as:
2NaX + CaSO4 → Na2SO4 ↓+ CaX
(leachable)
Specific Soil Forming Processes

10.
Pedoturbation
 Another process that may be operative in soils is
pedoturbation. It is the process of mixing of the soil.
Mixing to a certain extent takes place in all soils.
The most common types of pedoturbation are:
 Faunal pedoturbation: It is the mixing of soil by
animals such as ants, earthworms, moles, rodents,
and human itself
 Floral pedoturbation : It is the mixing of soil by
plants as in tree tipping that forms pits and mounds

 Argillic pedoturbation: It is the mixing of

materials in the solum by the churning process
caused by swell shrink clays as observed in deep
Black Cotton Soils.
11.
cryoturbation
 Cryoturbation is the mixing of soils by the freezing and thawing of
ground ice.
Specific Soil Forming Processes

Thank
U