Regional Information: Soil types
Related matters in other countries
Typical Soil Types
There is a great variety of different soils. Both the parent material, such as rocks and deposits from rivers, and the climate are responsible for their formation. An interaction of many environmental influences and a long period of time results in different soils, which can be differentiated into soil types with similar characteristic properties. In the following, a few soil types from different countries and their characteristics are presented. The classification of soils is handled differently from country to country, which makes a direct comparison difficult.
AUSTRIA
Dark deep black earth soils (Chernozem) are the most fertile soils in Austria. They are rich in nutrients, well aerated and have excellent water storage capacity and a thick humus layer. They are very well suited for agricultural use such as arable farming. They are mainly found in Lower Austria, in rather dry areas such as the Weinviertel, Marchfeld and Vienna Basin. Black earth soils often form on a sandy subsoil such as loess. Loess, by the way, is a particularly fertile flue dust from the Ice Age.
Through prolonged human cultivation and erosion humus is lost, and thus black earth soils often develop into cultivated soils. They are well suited for viticulture as well as arable and vegetable farming.
By far the most common soil type in Austria is brown earth, “Braunerde”. The brown colouring comes from the weathering of iron compounds. The range of properties of brown earths is very broad. In general, brown earths are the predominant soil type in the temperate climate range of Central Europe. Brown earths are commonly used for agriculture and forestry.
GERMANY
About half of the area of Germany is used for agriculture, mainly for arable farming. The black and brown soils are the stars – they are particularly fertile. But other types of soil also have their importance!
Low and raised bogs: Moors are formed where groundwater comes to the surface or bodies of water silt up. If plants die here, they cannot be completely decomposed under water, instead peat is formed – and thus initially a fen. When there is sufficient rainfall, the bog body grows higher and higher – a raised bog is formed. Many bogs have been destroyed in order to extract peat or to use the land for agriculture. Intact bogs are very important. They save water. They bind carbon dioxide and thus contribute to climate protection. And they provide a habitat for rare animal and plant species.
Pelosols (clay soils) can store water well but become rock hard when dry. They bind nutrients and pollutants and thus help to keep the groundwater clean. They are ill-suited for arable farming – but good for permanent grassland or forest.
Brown soil develops when the subsoil does not contain lime. Iron compounds can dissolve there; the brown colour comes from contact with air and water. Brown soils can be more or less fertile.
Sources:
- Bayrisches Landesamt für Umwelt: Bodentypen
SPAIN
Spain, overall, has very different soil from the rest of Europe.
- Calcisols are the most common soils in Spain. These soils are high in calcium and are highly alkaline and form in locations with distinctly differentiated dry seasons. They are often found in areas where groundwater rich in lime rises to the surface, leaving behind mineral deposits.
- Regosols are very common in Spain, especially in the West. These soils are young and undeveloped, occurring primarily in mountainous, arid or rapidly eroding areas.
- Umbrisols are rich in organic materials and usually form underneath forests. They occur in climates that are humid and cool and can be found plentiful in Spain.
- Fluvisols are present in areas with frequent flooding and are scattered widely throughout Spain but are most concentrated in the North Central area of the country.
- Leptosols are dominant in many areas along Spain’s Northern and Eastern borders. They can be found on mountains and in areas where rocks are close to the surface.
- Luvisols are scattered throughout Spain, they have high amounts of clay in the subsoil and low amounts in the surface soil.
There is plenty of fertile soil in Spain. In fact, Spain has the largest useful agricultural area in the EU. Approximately 17 million hectares constitute cultivation land in Spain, almost 34% of its geographical extension. Among the most outstanding regions are Castilla-La Mancha, Andalucía, Castilla y León, Cataluña, Aragón, and Extremadura.
In the Basque Country, the activity of the agricultural sector as a whole (agricultural, livestock and forestry) uses 85.21% of the total area.
The diversity of soil types in the Basque Country is very wide. The Classification Key adopted by FAO-UNESCO establishes the existence of a total of 26 soil units and 103 subunits. It should be noted that practically half of these soil units are represented, to a very different degree, in the Basque Country.
Sources:
https://www.gardenguides.com/129371-mountain-soil-types.html
Country specific information
