BSA 4-C | Group 4 | ACRISOL

I. Definition
Latin word: acris- very acid.
One of the 30 soil groups in the classification system of the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO).
Defined by the presence of a subsurface layer of accumulated kaolinitic clays where
less than half of the ions available to plants are calcium, magnesium, sodium, or
potassium and also by the lack of an extensively leached layer below the surface
horizon (uppermost layer).
Clay-rich.
Have poor chemical properties, low levels of plant nutrients, high levels of
aluminium and high susceptibility to erosion.
Form on old landscapes that have an undulating topography and a humid tropical
climate.
Their natural vegetation is woodland, which in some areas has given way to tree
savannah maintained by seasonal burning.
They occupy just under 8 percent of the continental land surface on Earth, covering
areas throughout central and northern Latin America, Southeast Asia, and West
Africa.
Internationally known as:
Brazil = Podzolicosvermelho-amarellodistroficosaargila de ativitadebaixa.
Soil Taxonomy (USA) = oxic subgroups of Alfisols and Ultisols.
France = Sols ferralitiquesfortementoumoyenmentdesatures.
SE-Asia= Red-Yellow Podzols.

II. Physical Characteristics

Low structural stability.
Most Acrisols have weak microstructure and massive macrostructure, especially in
the surface and shallow subsurface soil that have become depleted of sesquioxides.
Bonding between sesquioxides and negatively charged low activity clays is less
strong than in Ferralsols.

III. Chemical Characteristics

Acrisols and Arenosols have low nutrient levels and are characterized by
permeability/ leaching, which, being problematic for agriculture, necessitate
careful/ special management.
Levels of plant nutrients are low and aluminium toxicity and P-sorption (Phosphorus
sorption) are strong limitations.
As biological activity is low in Acrisols, natural regeneration, e.g. of surface soil that
was degraded by mechanical operations, is very slow.
IV. Occurrence, Uses, and Compatibilities
A general paucity of plant nutrients.
Aluminum toxicity.
Strong phosphorus sorption.
Slaking/crusting.
High susceptibility to erosion imposes severe restrictions on arable land uses.
Large areas of Acrisols are used for subsistence farming, partly in a system of
shifting cultivation.
By and large, Acrisols are not very productive soils.
They perform best under undemanding, acidity-tolerant crops such as pineapple,
cashew, oil palm or rubber.

V. Other Distinct Characteristics

Mineralogical characteristics
Acrisols have little weatherable minerals left.
The contents of Fe-, Al- and Ti-oxides are comparable to those of Ferralsols or
somewhat lower.
The SiO2/Al2O3 ratio is 2 or less.
The clay fraction consists almost entirely of well-crystallized kaolinite and some
gibbsite.

Hydrological characteristics
Under a protective forest cover, have porous surface soils.
Many Acrisols in low landscape positions show signs of periodic water
saturation. Theirsurface horizons are almost black whereas matrix colors are
close to white in the eluvialalbic horizon.

VI. Morphology
Most Acrisols have a thin, brown, ochric surface horizon, particularly in regions with
pronounced dry seasons.
Darker colors are found where (periodic) waterlogging retards mineralization of soil
organic matter.
The underlying albic subsurface horizon has weakly developed structure elements
and may even be massive.
It is normally whitish to yellow and overlies a stronger colored yellow to red argic
subsurface horizon.
The structure of this sesquioxide-rich illuviation horizon is more stable than that of
the eluviation horizon.
Gleyic soil properties and/or plinthite are common in Acrisols in low terrain
positions.
 VII. Geography

Worldwide are about 1 billion hectares of Acrisols.

They are most extensive in Southeast Asia, the Southern fringes of the Amazon Basin,
the Southeastern USA and in both East and West Africa.

VIII. References
http://www.isric.org/isric/webdocs/docs/major_soils_of_the_world/set6/ac/acrisol.
pdf
https://www.bodenkunde-projekte.hu-berlin.de/tropics/pcboku10.agrar.hu-
berlin.de/cocoon/tropen/acrisolsda3f.html?section=14
https://ees.kuleuven.be/africa-in-profile/dig-deeper/profile-
database/Reference%20soil%20Nigeria%2015.pdf
http://www.tankonyvtar.hu/hu/tartalom/tamop425/0032_talajtan/ch12.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrisol
https://www.britannica.com/science/Acrisol

Submitted by:
Henorio, LykaJamille
Nuguid, Christine
Diaz, Candelaria
Arances, Jaya
Ver, Ian Timothy