Soil Order: Brunisol
Great Group: Melanic Brunisol
Subgroup: Gleyed Eluviated Melanic Brunisol
Soil Series: Fairfield
Classification Code: GLE.MB
Soil Horizons Present: Ah, Bm, C
Diagnostic Horizon 1: Bm
Diagnostic Horizon 2:
Diagnostic Horizon 3:
Diagnostic Horizon 4:

Land Form: Fluvial
Parent Material: Sandy to loamy sand fluvial deposits
Elevation (m): 8
Topography: Inclined
Affected by Glaciation: Yes

Climate Zone: Humid maritime
Mean Annual Temperature (C): 10
Minimum Annual Temperature (C): 6.5
Maximum Annual Temperature (C): 13.7
Mean Annual Precipitation (mm): 1200

Current Land Use: Agricultural, cultivated field
Original Vegetation: Riparian Vegetation
Current Vegetation: Annual agricultural crops

This soil is in the Brunisolic Order. Brunisols are relatively young soils that can be thought of as a transition stage between Regosols and other, more developed soils (e.g. Podzol, Luvisol). The diagnostic horizon is usually a Bm horizon > 5 cm thick, which has undergone minimal pedogenic alteration (alternatively, another B horizon could be present depending on the accumulation of clay (Btj) or amorphous Fe/Al (Bfj)). This site has fluvial parent material (sandy), as it is situated next to the former channel of the Fraser River. The soil at this site falls into the Gleyed Eluviated Melanic Brunisol Subgroup. There is a dark-coloured Ah horizon that is > 10 cm thick and the soil contains mottling at depth (~50 cm), which is indicative of gleying. This soil is further classified under the Fairfield Soil Series, which are common on the Fraser River floodplain. Surface and subsurface textures are mostly silt loam, allowing a relatively deep rooting depth (~75 cm). Due to a fluctuating groundwater table, these soils are imperfectly drained and are influenced by the water level of the Fraser River and by sometimes heavy rainfall.

PDF with details: 14_Fairfield.pdf

Soil Texture of Diagnostic Horizon or Prevailing Texture: Sand
Soil texture horizons: Coarse sand (all horizons)
Soil structure horizons: Weak granular (Ah), Structureless (Bm and C)
Forest Humus Form:
Presence of Charcoal:
Presence of Coatings:

Primary Soil Process Group: Losses
Primary Soil Process: Leaching
Secondary Soil Process: Transformation