Slovenian Soil Classification and WRB

Abstract

The introductory part of the chapter presents the origin of the Slovenian Soil Classification (SSC), which is linked to the Yugoslav Soil Classification developed in the mid-1970s—a time of intensive soil mapping and field surveying in former Yugoslavia. The SSC taxonomy is based on a hierarchical system in which the soil type represents the central and most important unit. Slovenian soil types are distributed within two divisions: automorphic and hydromorphic soils. The automorphic division has five classes: Undeveloped Soils, humus-Accumulative Soils, Cambic Soils, Eluvial-Illuvial Soils, and Anthropogenic Soils. The Hydromorphic Soils are divided into the following groups: Fluvisols, Pseudogleys, Gleysols, Peat Soils, and Anthropogenic Hydromorphic Soils. Further, in the chapter, the main soil horizons (A, O, E, G, C, R) are described and the horizon classifiers are briefly discussed and explained. Two tables—automorphic and hydromorphic soil types, list the main Slovenian soil types, the related sub-types, the varieties, and the forms, which are briefly explained. A comparison of the SSC and the WRB is presented in the central part of the chapter. The properties and diagnostic features of nineteen SSC soil groups and selected soil types are briefly described and correlated with the WRB classification. The chapter concludes with a table in which the SSC soil types are directly correlated with the WRB soil types.