Kamloops Luvisol

Soil Site Details: Kamloops Luvisol

Soils on this site are Luvisols. Over long periods of time, fine clay particles have slowly washed from the surface and accumulated deeper into these soils. The name Luvisol originated from the Latin word luo meaning to wash.

Basic Facts

Soil Order: Luvisol
Ecosystem: Coniferous Forest
Climate Zone: Semi-arid
BC Biogeoclimatic Zone: Interior Douglas Fir

Location: 5km south-west of Kamloops
City, Region, Country: Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
Lat / Long: 50.6586/ -120.637

Soil Classification

Soil Order: Luvisol
Great Group: Grey Luvisol
Subgroup: Orthic Grey Luvisol
Soil Series: Tunkwa
Classification Code: O.GL
Soil Horizons Present: Ah, Ae, Bt, Cca
Diagnostic Horizon 1: Bt
Diagnostic Horizon 2:
Diagnostic Horizon 3:
Diagnostic Horizon 4:

Land Form

Land Form: Glacial till (blanket)
Parent Material: Glacial Till
Elevation (m): 915
Topography: Inclined
Affected by Glaciation: Yes

Climate

Climate Zone: Semi-arid
Mean Annual Temperature (C): 9
Minimum Annual Temperature (C): 3.3
Maximum Annual Temperature (C): 14.4
Mean Annual Precipitation (mm): 400

Land Use

Current Land Use: 2nd growth forest
Original Vegetation: Douglas-fir, pinegrass, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine
Current Vegetation: Douglas-fir, pinegrass, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine

Technical Description
This soil at this Interior Douglas Fir site is in the Luvisolic Order. Luvisols generally have light-coloured A and B horizons, with an important textural contrast between the two. Clays have eluviated from the A horizon(s) down into the B (illuvial) horizons due to lessivage, or the physical transfer of clays down the profile from vertical water movement. The diagnostic horizon of this soil is a Bt horizon (illuvial, enriched in silicate clay). This site has glacial till parent material (medium-textured). The soil at this site falls into the Orthic Grey Luvisol Subgroup. There are well-developed Ae and Bt horizons with a thin (< 5 cm) mineral-organic surface horizon (Ah). This soil is further classified under the Tunkwa Soil Series, which developed on calcareous glacial till derived from volcanic bedrocks. These soil textures range from loam to silt loam and are well to rapidly drained. PDF with details: 13_Tunkwa.pdf
Soil Morphology
Soil Texture of Diagnostic Horizon or Prevailing Texture: Clay Loam
Soil texture horizons: Silt loam (Ae), Clay loam (Bt)
Soil structure horizons: Weak granular (Ae), Platy (Bt)
Forest Humus Form:
Presence of Charcoal:
Presence of Coatings:
Soil Formation Processes
Primary Soil Process Group: Translocation
Primary Soil Process: Clay redistribution
Secondary Soil Process:

Media


Luvisol, from https://processes.soilweb.ca/luvisol/.


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