Procesos y factores

formadores de suelos

H
Acumulaciones de materia orgnica sin descomponer (>20%), saturados en
agua por largos periodos. Es el horizonte de las turberas
O
Capa de hojarasca sobre la superficie del suelo, sin saturar en agua; materia
orgnica poco o nada transformada, frecuente en los bosques
A
Formado en la superficie, con mayor contenido en materia orgnica
(transformada) que los horizontes situados debajo. Tpicamente de color
oscuro. Estructura migajosa y granular
E
Horizonte de fuerte lavado. Entre un A y un B. Con menos arcilla y xidos de
Fe y Al que el horizonte A y el B. Con menos materia orgnica que el A. Muy
arenosos y de colores muy claros
B
Horizonte de enriquecimiento en uno o varios de estos compuestos: arcilla,
xidos de Fe y Al, materia orgnica (slo si es de origen iluvial), carbonatos.
Colores pardos y rojos. Con desarrollo de estructura edfica (tpicamente en
bloques angulares, subangulares, prismtica).
C
Material original. Sin desarrollo de estructura, ni rasgos edficos. Blando,
suelto, se puede cavar con una azada. Puede estar meteorizado pero nunca
edafizado
R
Material original. Roca dura, coherente. No se puede cavar con azada.

Procesos en cada horizonte

Horizonte O
Material identificable
Oi
Oe Intermedio
Oa Materia orgnica alterada
Horizonte A
Ap Arado (plowed)
Ab Superficie enterrada (buried)

Horizonte B
t Acumulacin de arcilla (terra cotta)
g
gleying (climas muy hmedos)
k
s karbonatos (zonas ridas)
sesquixidos (Fe, Al, rojo/amarillo)
h
w humus
o
Poco (weak) desarrollo
ss
xidos residuales rojo, tropical
slickensides de arcilla

 Horizonte C
r (roca muy meteorizada) saprolito
k (karbonatos)

Factores de formacin de suelos

Suelo = f(c,o,r,p,t)

Clima
Organismos
Topografa/relieve
Roca madre (Parent material)
Tiempo

Meteorizaci
n rpida

Meteorizaci
n lenta

Pobre en nutrientes
Rica en Fe y Mg

Clasificacin de roca madre

1. Formada in situ
2. Transportada

(residuum)

Hielo (loess)
Gravedad (colluvium)
Ros (alluvium)
Agua

Lagos (lacustre)

Viento (loess, polvo elico)

Ocanos (marine)

3. Acumulacin de restos vegetales

Tipo
Depsito glaciar
Alluvium
Colluvium
Loess
Lacustre
Residuum

Transporte
Hielo
Ros
Gravedad
Hielo (fusin) y viento

Sedimentacin

Separacin de
tamaos
Escasa
Alta

(las partculas pequeas se

depositan primero)

Escasa
Alta

(slo partculas pequeas)

Alta
-

40cm

Bw
1m

Arena
de
origen
elico

A
AB
1.5m

Bss1
Bss2
C

Alluvium
mixto

Esquisto
residual

A
Bw

A
AB
1.5m

40cm

Bss1
Bss2
C
Esquisto
Fino
Oscuro

Granito
Grueso
Claro

A
Bw

40cm

60cm
Cr
o
Ck
arenisca
clima
hmedo

arenisca
clima seco

1. Los cationes bsicos son solubles

2. Ms agua = ms biomasa (ms cidos)

Fro = poca
produccin

Clido=
descomposicin
rpida

Las arcillas estn muy meteorizadas y la

meteorizacin requiere AGUA

C
10cm

Bk
1m

R
R
rido,
semirido

Bt
>1m

Desierto,
rtico

15m

Bo

C
C
R
Templado,
hmedo

Tropical,
hmedo

Menor reciclado de Ca, Mg, K

Suelo ms cido
Descomposicin ms lenta
Myor horizonte O

Ms incorporacin de cationes
Suelo ms bsico
Descomposicin ms rpida
Menor horizonte O

Efecto de la vegetacin
Pradera,
Bosque
suelo agrcola caducifolio

Bosque
boreal

Contenido de
nutrientes de los
restos vegetales

Alto

Alto

Tasa
descomposicin
MO

Rpida

Rpida

Lenta

Estacional

Horizonte O

No

Bajo

Secuencia
de
formacin
vegetal

Efecto combinado de roca madre

y organismos
Roca madre

Basalto
Riolita

N bajo
conferas
(ppm)

N bajo pradera
(ppm)

354

584

241

324

Paisaje y relieve

Toposecuencia

Cima
Pendiente
Valle

Efecto de la topografa en suelos de pradera

Posicin
% CO en el
horizonte A

Espesor de A
(cm)

Cima

4.0
15

Pendiente 1 Pendiente 2

1.5
6

3.0
10

Textura de A
Arena
limosa

pH

7.0

limo

Arena
limosa

Pendiente 3

4.5
18
Arcilla

Valle

5.5
25
Arcilla

7.2

Cronosecuencia
A
C

1m
C

>1m

Bw

Bt1
15m

Bt2
C

Roca
madre

Joven

Maduro

Muy
maduro

Efecto del tiempo

Edad del suelo
Composicin
mineral

Joven

Viejo

Primarios:
cuarzo,
feldespatos, ...

Secondarios:
esmectitas,
illita, ...

Fertilidad

baja

alta

Cantidad de
arcillas

baja

alta

Factores que retrasan el desarrollo del

suelo
Pocas precipitaciones, baja humedad
relativa
Roca madre rica en cuarzo
Contenidos muy altos de arcillas
Nivel fretico cerca de la superficie
Elevada pendiente
Fro
Presencia de sustancias fitotxicas

Meteorizacin fsica
1. Congelacin-fusin
2. Calientamiento irregular
(exfoliacin)
3. Cambios de volumen (en seco
o por humedad)
4. Abrasin
5. Crecimiento de races

Meteorizacin qumica

Hidratacin: adicin de H2O a las molculas del

mineral

Hidrlisis: ruptura de la molcula de agua en H+ y

OH-

Carbonatacin: formacin de cido carbnico a

partir de CO2 disuelto

Complejacin: reaccin de cidos orgnicos

con iones metlicos para formar complejos
rgano-metlicos

Redox: prdida o ganancia de electrones

Disolucin: formacin de productos solubles

Soil Taxonomy
Objectives:
Describe the soil
classification system
Describe the major
characteristics of the
12 soil orders
List key features of a
particular soil and its
environment given
the soil name (e.g.,
Hapludalf)

Soil Taxonomy: What is in a name?

based on soil properties that can be
objectively measured or observed
Color, texture, structure, depth
Moisture and temperature status
(annual average)
Chemistry: pH, BS, %OM, clay, Fe, Al,
salts...

What is in a name?
Developed over several years by
USDA /NRCS
since 1965
in 55 other countries

System whereby each part of the name

tells you something about the soil
e.g.

Aridisol
from Latin aridus, dry

Definitions
Because soils in reality are heterogeneous,
we need terms to allow us to group and make
sense of them
Pedon: the fundamental unit of soil
classification
Polypedon: a contiguous group of similar
pedons
Soil series: a group of polypedons that
have similar characteristics

Figure 3.1

The smallest volume

we call a soil:
1-10 m2 area
to a depth of 3-4 m

6 categories of classification
Hierarchical system of information

General

1 piece of info
2 pieces of info
3 pieces of info
4 pieces of info
lots of info
no info, very regional

Specific

Levels of Description
Order One word, all end in
-sol,12 orders.

e.g.
Andisol

General

Suborder Tells something about

properties (e.g., climate)

Cryand

Great group 3 parts, adds info

about horizons

Duricryand

Subgroup TWO words, adds

more info

Aquic Duricryand

Family name includes about 5-6

words

Medial-skeletal,
amorphic Aquic
Duricryand

Series single name, no real info

Grousehill

Specific

Soil Taxonomy
Order

http://soils.ag.uidaho.edu/soilorders

Taxonomy: The Basics

All soils belong to one of the 12 soil
ORDERS, which are differentiated from
each other primarily by the presence or
absence of specific diagnostic horizons.

Genetic vs. diagnostic labels

Genetic
A label we apply in the field based on
observational data an initial guess as to
how the soil should be classified
Diagnostic
A label based on specific lab data on texture
and chemistry
Diagnostic labels help us classify soils

Soil Orders (First 6)

Less developed

Soil Order

Ending Characteristics, location,

etc.

Entisol

-ent

Inceptisol
Gelisol
Histosol
Andisol
Aridisol

-ept
-el
-ist
-and
-id

Absence of distinct
pedogenic horizons;
climate & PM key

Entisols

Entisols
Typic
Udifluvent

Soil Orders (First 6)

Soil
Order

Ending Characteristics, location, etc.

Entisol

-ent

Absence of distinct pedogenic

horizons; climate & PM key

Inceptisol

-ept

Weak development, nothing

exciting. There is a B horizon

Gelisol

-el

Histosol

-ist

Andisol

-and

Aridisol

-id

Inceptisols
A 0 5 cm
AB 5- 18
Bw1 18 - 33
Bw2 33 - 55

BC 55 - 76
C 76 100+

Typic Dystrudept

Soil Orders (First 6)

Soil
Order

Ending Characteristics, location, etc.

Entisol

-ent

Absence of pedogenic horizons

Inceptisol

-ept

Weak development

Gelisol

-el

Permafrost, freeze-thaw features

(13% of soils worldwide!)

Histosol

-ist

Andisol

-and

Aridisol

-id

Gelisols

Gelisols

Histoturbel

Soil Orders (First 6)

Soil
Order

Ending Characteristics, location, etc.

Entisol

-ent

Absence of distinct pedogenic

horizons

Inceptisol

-ept

Weak development

Gelisol

-el

Permafrost, freeze-thaw

Histosol

-ist

Very high OM in upper 80 cm

(peats), wet, boggy

Andisol

-and

Aridisol

-id

Histosols

Soil Orders (First 6)

Soil
Order

Ending Characteristics, location, etc.

Entisol

-ent

Absence of horizons

Inceptisol

-ept

Weak development

Gelisol

-el

Permafrost, freeze-thaw

Histosol

-ist

Very high OM, wet

Andisol

-and

Aridisol

-id

Volcanic soils, Al-humus

complexes, mild temp, fairly
moist

Andisols

A (0-8 cm)

Bw1 (8-18)

Typic
Vitrixerand

Bw2 (18-40)

2BC (40-65)

2C (65+)

Andisols

Central Africa

Soil Orders (First 6)

Soil
Order

Ending Characteristics, etc.

Entisol

-ent

Absence of distinct pedogenic

horizons (genetic profile A/C)

Inceptisol

-ept

Weak develop (genetic profile A/Bw/C)

Gelisol

-el

Permafrost, freeze-thaw

Histosol

-ist

Very high OM, wet (peats)

Andisol

-and

Aridisol

-id

Volcanic soils
No avail. H2O when plants growing
the largest group of soils on Earth!

Aridisols
A (0-22 cm)

Xeric Haplocalcid

Bw (22-47)

Bk (47-78)

C (78-133+)

Aridisols

Arizona

Soil Orders (last 6)

Well developed

Soil Order Ending Characteristics, location,

etc.
Vertisol

-ert

Mollisol

-oll

Ultisol

-ult

Alfisol

-alf

Spodosol

-od

Oxisol

-ox

Swelling clays,
slickensides, dry-wet
(cracks), high fertility

Vertisols
Ap (0-35 cm)

Bss (35-155)

2C (155+)

Typic Hapludert

Vertisols

Typic Haploxerert

Vertisols

Slickenside feature

Soil Orders (last 6)

Soil
Order

Ending Characteristics, location, etc.

Vertisol

-ert

Swelling clays, high fertility

Mollisol

-oll

Dark, thick epipedon, grasslands,

some dry period, high fertility

Ultisol

-ult

Alfisol

-alf

Spodosol

-od

Oxisol

-ox

Mollisols

Plate 8 Mollisols -- a Typic Hapludoll from central

Iowa. Mollic epipedon to 1.8 ft. Scale in feet.

Mollisols
A1

A2

Argialboll

Bt1

Bt2

Soil Orders (last 6)

Soil
Order

Ending Characteristics, etc.

Vertisol

-ert

Swelling clays, high fertility

Mollisol

-oll

Dark, thick, grasslands

Ultisol

-ult

Wet subtropical or tropical, highly

acidic, high in clay, Fe and Al
oxides, productive if add fertilizers

Alfisol

-alf

Spodosol

-od

Oxisol

-ox

Ultisols
A
E

Bt
Typic Kandiudult

BC

Soil Orders (last 6)

Soil
Order

Ending Characteristics, etc.

Vertisol

-ert

Swelling clays, high fertility

Mollisol

-oll

Dark, thick, grasslands

Ultisol

-ult

subtropical, acidic, high in clay, Fe, Al

Alfisol

-alf

Moist, forested (deciduous),

mildly acidic, translocation of
clays, moderate-high fertility

Spodosol

-od

Oxisol

-ox

Alifsols

Bt

BC

Typic Haplustalf

Soil Orders (last 6)

Soil
Order

Ending Characteristics, etc.

Vertisol

-ert

Swelling clays, high fertility

Mollisol

-oll

Dark, thick, grasslands

Ultisol

-ult

Moist & warm, acidic, high in clay,

oxides

Alfisol

-alf

Moist, forested, clays

Spodosol

-od

Translocation of humus and Al,

Fe, cool, wet, sandy, coniferous
forest

Oxisol

-ox

Spodosols

Typic Haplocryod

Spodosols

Soil Orders (last 6)

Soil
Order

Ending Characteristics, etc.

Vertisol

-ert

Swelling clays, high fertility

Mollisol

-oll

Dark, thick, grasslands

Ultisol

-ult

Moist & warm, acidic . . .

Alfisol

-alf

Moist, forested, clays

Spodosol

-od

cool, wet, sandy, acidic . . .

Oxisol

-ox

Extreme weathering, tropical

forest, Fe, Al oxides, old, stable
PM

Oxisols

Ap (0-23 cm)

Bo1 (23-68)

Bo2 (68+)

Andic Hapludox

 Relative order

Key formation factors

Development of soil orders

Figure 3.8 Sulzman

Development of the soil orders

Bk

A
AB

Bo

Bh
Bs

ice

Bt

Hi BS
Lo BS

med BS
Hi pH

Lo pH

Missing: Inceptisols, Andisols, Vertisols

Soil Order and climate: Fig 3.7 Sulzman

6 categories of classification
Hierarchical system of information

General

most general
2 pieces of info

Udalf

Specific

Suborders
Suborder name indicates to what order the soil
belongs (last 2 - 3 letters) + one other
feature of the soil
e.g. Cryand
usually climate information:
1. soil moisture regime
2. soil temperature regime
but also key features

Soil Moisture Regimes

Aquic saturated for extended periods

Udic not dry for more than 90 days
Ustic dry 90-180 days
Aridic moist <90 days
Xeric dry summer, wet winter
Torric (not a real moisture regime but
used in names like one. dry + hot )

WET

DRY

Soil Temperature Regimes

(often not mentioned until the family level
unless extreme hot or cold)

Pergelic
COLD
Cryic
(cry- e.g., Cryoll, Cryaqualf)
Frigid
Mesic Willamette Valley & Central USA
Thermic way hot (e.g., Texas)
Hyperthermic
Iso-(frigid, mesic, thermic, hyperthermic): HOT
small difference between summer and winter

Suborders
Suborder names often include climatic
information
Aqu - wet
Ud - moist
Ust - dry
Xer moist winter, dry summer
Torr hot and dry
Cry very cold
Note that these pieces can also be used at the great group
level . . .

Suborders also differentiated

based on key features:

Fluv: fluvial, from a river (Fluvent)

Psamm: sandy (Psamment)
Alb: albic horizon (E) leached (Alboll)
Arg: argillic horizon (Bt) clayey (Argid)
Orth: other or true to the definition
(Orthel, Orthod, Orthent)
Pale: old

Suborders in use
2 pieces of info, often described based on
climatic (moisture) information
Aqu wet (e.g., Aquod, Aquent, Aquoll . . .)
Ud moist (Udert, Udept, Udoll . . .)
Ust dry (Ustert, Ustoll, Ustand . . .)
Xer moist winter, dry summer (Xerept, Xeroll)
Torr hot & dry (Torrand, Torrox, Torrert)
Cry very cold (Cryand, Cryoll,
Cryent)

Examples of suborders

Entisols
Mollisols
Aquents
Albolls
Fluvents
Aquolls
Orthents
Cryolls
Psamments Udolls
Ustolls
Xerolls

More examples of suborders

Oxisols
Aquox
Torrox
Udox
Ustox

Vertisols
Aquerts
Cryerts
Uderts
Usterts
Xererts

cold
Acid makes E

Wet makes E

dry

Slow to decompose

Soil Taxonomy

Great group

6 categories of classification
Hierarchical system of information
-sol
2 pieces of info
3 pieces of info
two words

Hapludalf

lots of info, many words

no info, very regional

Great Groups
Subdivisions of suborders. Adds
another prefix onto a SINGLE WORD
Name has 3 pieces of information.
Defined largely by:
the presence or absence of diagnostic
horizons
and the arrangement of those horizons

Great Groups
Genetic horizon: A field observation
label (e.g. A, Bt, C, etc)
initial guess at process

Diagnostic horizon: A label based on

specific lab data on texture and
chemistry

Great Groups
3 pieces of information
Example: Argiudoll
Order = Mollisol
Suborder = Udoll (moist)
Great = Argiudoll the name tells you
there is an argillic horizon
Diagnostic horizons, here they come

Pieces to know for Great Group

Argi: clay (Bt) (e.g., Argiudoll)
Calc: calcic (calcium carbonate, Bk horizon!)
(e.g., Calciustert)
Dur: hard (e.g., Duraqualf)
Hapl: minimal development or simple (e.g.,
Haplocryand)
Hum: humic materials (e.g., Humaquept) (Bh)
Pale: old

More Great Groups

Plus ones learned for suborder level
(psamm, cry, fluv, torr, . . .
Psammaquent,
Cryopsamment,
Fluvaquent
Torripsamment

Diagnostic Horizons: Surface

(epipedons)
(5) occur naturally
1. Mollic: dark, thick, high fertility, native grassland
2.
3.
4.
5.

Umbric
Ochric
Melanic
Histic

soils

epipedon = A horizon
it may include part or all of the B horizon

Diagnostic Horizons Surface

(epipedons)
1. Mollic: dark, thick, high fertility, native grassland
soils

2. Umbric: same as mollic but lower fertility,

usually in areas of higher rainfall, where
PM has less Ca2+ and Mg2+
3. Ochric
4. Melanic
5. Histic

Diagnostic Horizons Surface

(epipedons)
1. Mollic: dark, thick, high fertility, native
grassland soils
2. Umbric: same as mollic but lower fertilty . . .

3. Ochric: lower in O.M. and thinner than

above epipedons
4. Melanic
5. Histic

Diagnostic Horizons Surface

(epipedons)
1. Mollic: dark, thick, high fertility, native grassland
soils
2. Umbric : same as mollic but lower fertility . . .
3. Ochric: lower in O.M., thinner than above

4. Melanic: common in soils derived from

volcanic ash, cool and wet climate, lots of
O.M. (> 6%), light and fluffy, very deep (>
30 cm)
5. Histic

Diagnostic Horizons Surface

(epipedons)
1. Mollic: dark, thick, high fertility, native
grassland soils
2. Umbric : same as mollic but lower fertility . . .
3. Ochric: lower in O.M., thinner than above
4. Melanic: common in soils derived from
volcanic ash

5. Histic: MOST O.M. (>20%), saturated

during some or all of the year (boggy)

Diagnostic Horizons Surface

(epipedons)
Five occur naturally
Two are result of intensive human use
Anthropic: human-modified, molliclike
Plaggen

Diagnostic Horizons Surface

(epipedons)
Five occur naturally
Two are result of intensive human use
Anthropic: human-modified, mollic-like

Plaggen: human-made, sod-like

horizon, created by years of manure
addition, pottery shards

Diagnostic Horizons - Subsurface

Six we will focus on:

1. Genetic
Albic: light-colored
elluvial horizon,
horizon A field
observation
label
A, Bt,(genetic
C, etc) = E)
low in clay
and(e.g.
oxides
guess at process
2.- initial
Cambic
horizon A label
3. Diagnostic
Spodic
on specific lab data on
4.based
Argillic
texture and chemistry
5. Oxic
6. Calcic

Diagnostic Horizons - Subsurface

Six we will focus on:

1. Albic: light-colored elluvial horizon, low in
clay and oxides

2. Cambic: weakly developed horizon,

some color change (genetic = Bw)
3.
4.
5.
6.

Spodic
Argillic
Oxic
Calcic

Diagnostic Horizons - Subsurface

1. Albic: light-colored elluvial horizon . . .
2. Cambic: weakly developed horizon, color
change

3. Spodic: illuvial horizon with

accumulations of O.M. and Al and
Fe oxides. Highly leached forest
soils of cool humid climates, usually
sandy P.M. (genetic = Bh, Bs)
4. Argillic
5. Oxic
6. Calcic

Diagnostic Horizons - Subsurface

1. Albic: light-colored elluvial horizon . . .
2. Cambic: weakly developed horizon, some color
change
3. Spodic: illuvial accumulations of O.M. and Al

4. Argillic: subsurface accumulations of

clay, usu. translocated, but can also
form in place (genetic = Bt)
5. Oxic
6. Calcic

Diagnostic Horizons - Subsurface

1. Albic: light-colored elluvial horizon . . .
2. Cambic: weakly developed horizon, some color
change
3. Spodic: illuvial horizon with accumulations of
O.M.
4. Argillic: subsurface accumulations of silicate
clays

5. Oxic: highly weathered, Fe and Al

oxides, low fertility, usually in the
humid tropics and subtropics
(genetic = Bo)
6. Calcic

Diagnostic Horizons - Subsurface

3. Spodic: illuvial horizon with accumulations of
O.M. and Al and Fe oxides. Highly leached
forest soils
4. Argillic: subsurface accumulations of silicate
clays
5. Oxic: highly weathered, high in Fe and Al oxides

6. Calcic: accumulation of carbonates,

often as white, chalk-like nodules
(genetic = Bk)
Many more some are mutually exclusive, others are not

Albic

Light colored horizon

Argillic
No significant
accumulation

Weakly
developed horizon

Unweathered
material

um
Acc

o
tion
ula

f silicate clays

Accumulation of
organic matter
Acc
um

ulat
io n

Cambic

o f in

Acid weathering,
Fe, Al oxides

org
anic

t
t en t
n
o
n
y c vide
a
l
h c ns e
Hig y ski
Cla

Extreme
weath
Fe, Al ox ering
ides

Oxic

Spodic

salt
s
Carbonate
s
primarily C
aCO
3

Calcic

Soil Taxonomy

Subgroup

6 categories of classification
Hierarchical system of information
-sol
2 pieces of info
3 pieces of info
two words

Aquic Hapludalf

lots of info, many words

no info, very regional

Subgroups
Division of the great groups
Second word (e.g., Aquic Hapludoll)

More than 2,000 subgroups recognized

intergrades
Aquic Hapludoll (Udic mr but quite wet, climate is right on the edge)
Entic Hapludoll (going to Entisol)

exragrade
Calcic Hapludoll

central concept
Typic Hapludoll

Soil Taxonomy

Family

Families
Differentiated by particle size, mineralogy,
fertility, and temperature classes (usually
important info for management)
Example:
fine-loamy, mixed, mesic, Ustic Haplargid
Aridisol
Order =
Argid
Suborder =
Haplargid
Great group =
Subgroup = Ustic Haplargid

Soil Taxonomy

Series

Series
The most specific unit of the classification system
A subdivision of the family
Each series defined by a specific range of soil
properties: usually kind, thickness, and
arrangement of horizons
Name usually from a town or river or county
Example: Jory
This happens to be a Fine, mixed, active, mesic
Xeric Palehumult at the family level

Order

Suborder Gt. Group Subgroup Family

Series

Read names backwards!!!

Order (1)

Mollisol

Suborder
(2)
Aquoll

Great
Group (3)

Subgroup
(4)

Cryaquoll

Vertic
Cryaquoll

Calciustert

Aridic
Calciustert

NOT aqu !!

Vertisol

Ustert

note capitalization

Rules to live by
Each piece of the name tells NEW
information (no redundancy)
Each piece of the name tells TRUE
information (no contradictory information)

28 pieces to memorize
2-3 letter ENDINGS for each of the 12
soil orders
~3 letter BEGINNINGS for each of the
six soil moisture regimes + 1 temp
regime
9 x 3 letter BEGINNINGS for important
features

The 12 soil order endings:

alf =
and =
el =
ent =
ept =
ert =
id =
ist =
od =
oll =
ox =
ult =

Alfisol
Andisol
Gelisol
Entisol
Inceptisol
Vertisol
Aridisol
Histosol
Spodosol
Mollisol
Oxisol
Ultisol

Moisture/Temperature regimes:
aqu = aquic (e.g., Aquept)
ud = udic (e.g., Udept)
ust = ustic (e.g., Ustept)
xer = xeric (e.g., Xerept)
torr = torric (e.g., Torrifluventic Haplustept !! )
cry = cryic (e.g., Cryept)

Key features/diagnostic horizons:

alb = albic (E)
arg = argillic (Bt)
calc = calcic (Bk)
dur = duripan = hard (Bqm : not required of you)
fluv = fluvial (none)
hapl = typical or other (none): for great group
hum = humus (Bh or none)
orth = typical or other (none): suborder level
pale = old (none)
psamm = sandy (none)