The following information was extracted from Hugo Veldhuis' soils manual
to explain the codes used in the HORIZON.CSV and SITE.CSV data files.

**Texture classes**

VCS - Very Coarse sand

L - Loam

CS - Coarse sand

SIL - Silt loam

LCS - Loamy coarse sand

SCL - Sandy clay loam

S - Sand

SICL - Silty clay loam

FS - Fine sand

CL - Clay loam

LS - Loamy sand

SC - Sandy clay

LFS - Loamy fine sand

SIC - Silty clay

VFS - Very fine sand

C - Clay

LVFS - Loamy very fine sand

HC - Heavy clay

CSL - Coarse Sandy Loam

O - Organic

SL - Sandy loam

F - Fibric

FSL - Fine sandy loam

M - Mesic

VFSL - Very fine sandy loam

H - Humic

SI - Silt

**Organic texture**

F1 Non decomposed

F2 Very Slightly decomposed

F3 Slightly decomposed

M1 Moderately decomposed

M2 Moderately-strongly decomposed

H1 Strongly decomposed

H2 Very strongly decomposed

**Grade**

SL Structureless

VW Very weak

W Weak

WM Weak to Moderate

M Moderate

MS Mod. to strong

S Strong

**Class**

VF Very fine

FF Very fine to fine

F Fine

FM Fine to Medium

M Medium

MC Medium to Coarse

C Coarse

VC Very coarse

**Kind**

PL Platy

PR Prismatic

CO Columnar

AB Angular Blocky

SB Subangular Blocky

GR Granular

MA Massive

SG Single Grained

CL Cloddy

FI Fibred

MT Matted

LA Layered

**Kind Modifier**

PS Pseudo

ST Stratified

BD Bedded

LM Laminated

**3a. Land Use**

01 Builtup areas

02 Mines, quarries

03 Outdoor recreation

04 Horticulture

05 Cropland

06 Improved pasture/forage

07 Natural grazing

08 Woodland grazing

09 Abandoned farmland

10 Productive woodland

11 Unproductive woodland

12 Swamp

13 Marsh

14 Bog

15 Fen

16 Sand

17 Rockland

18 Rough,broken,eroded

19 Rubble land

21 Arctic tundra

22 Cryoturbated land

**3b. Landform Classification**

**Mineral**

101 Apron

102 Blanket

103 Fan

104 Hummocky

105 Level

106 Pitted

107 Ridged

108 Rolling

109 Terrace

110 Undulating

111 Veneer

112 Inclined

113 Steep

**Organic**

201 Palsa bog

202 Peat mound bog

203 Mound bog

204 Domed bog

205 Polygonal Peat plateau

206 Lowland polygonal bog

207 Peat plateau bog

208 Northern plateau bog

209 Collapse scar bog

210 Floating bog

211 Shore bog

212 Basin bog

213 Flat bog

214 String bog

215 Blanket bog

216 Bowl bog

217 Sloping bog

218 Veneer bog

219 Northern ribbed fen

220 Ladder fen

221 Net fen

222 Floating fen

223 Stream fen

224 Shore fen

225 Collapse fen

226 Palsa fen

227 Spring fen

228 Sloping fen

229 Lowland polygonal fen

230 Horizontal fen

231 Channel fen

232 Stream swamp

233 Shore swamp

234 Peat margin swamp

235 Basin swamp

236 Flat swamp

237 Spring swamp

**Marsh**

330 Estuarine high

331 Estuarine low

332 Coastal high

333 Coastal low

334 Floodplain

335 Stream

336 Channel

337 Active delta

338 Inactive delta

339 Terminal basin

340 Shallow basin

341 Kettle

342 Seepage track

343 Shore

**Shallow Water**

440 Stream

441 Channel

442 Oxbow

443 Delta

444 Terminal basin

445 Shallow basin

446 Kettle

447 Shore

448 Nontidal

449 Estuarine

450 Tidal

**Landform Modifier**

1 Bevelled

2 Cryoturbated

3 Eroded

4 Failing

5 Kettled

6 Karst mod.

7 Soliflucted

8 Washed

**3c. Rockiness**

(% of surface occupied)

0 Nonrocky (\< 2%)

1 Slightly rocky (2-10%)

2 Mod. rocky (10-25%)

3 Very rocky (25-50%)

4 Exceedingly (50-90%)

5 Execessively (\>90%)

**3d. Erosion**

**Water/Wind**

0 Noneroded

1 Slight

2 Moderate

3 Severe

4 Overwash

5 Overblown

**3e. Slope**

S Simple slope

C Complex slope

**Class**

A 0-0.5%

B 0.5-2%

C 2-5%

D 5-9%

E 9-15%

F 15-30%

G 30-45%

H 45-70%

I 70-100%

J \>100%

**Position**

C Crest

U Upper

M Middle

L Lower

T Toe

D Depression

**Aspect**

N North

NE Northeast

E East

SE Southeast

S South

SW Southwest

W West

NW Northwest

L Level

**3f. Microrelief**

1 Plane

2 Convex

3 Concave

4 Microridge

5 Hummocky

6 Undulating

7 Other

**3g. Stoniness(size 25-60cm)**

(% of surface covered)

0 Nonstony (\<0.01)

1 Slightly stony (0.01-0.1%)

2 Moderately stony (0.1-3%)

3 Very stony (3-15%)

4 Exceedingly stony (15-50%)

5 Excessively stony (\>50%)

**3h. Cobbliness(size 7.5-25cm)**

(% of surface covered)

0 Noncobbly (\<0.01)

1 Slightly cobbly (0.01-0.1%)

2 Moderately cobbly (0.1-3%)

3 Very cobbly (3-15%)

4 Exceedingly cobbly (15-50%)

5 Excessively cobbly (\>50%)

**3i. Salinity**

1 Nonsaline (0-2mS/cm)

2 Slightly Saline (2-4mS/cm)

3 Weakly saline (4-8mS/cm)

4 Moderately saline (8-15mS/cm)

5 Strongly saline(\>15mS/cm)

**3j. Soil taxonomy**

**Order B = BRUNISOLIC**

**Subgroups**

OEB GLSB

EEB ODYB

GLEB EDYB

GLEEB DUDYB

OSB GLDYB

ESB GLEDYB

**Order C = CHERNOZEMIC**

**Subgroups**

OBL GLSZBL

RBL ODG

CABL RDG

EBL CADG

SZBL SZDG

GLBL GLDG

GLRBL GLRDG

GLCABL GLCADG

GLEBL GLSZDG

**Order G = GLEYSOLIC**

**Subgroups**

OHG FEG

RHG OLG

FEHG HULG

OG FELG

RG

**Order L = LUVISOLIC**

**Subgroups**

OGL GLGL

DGL GLDGL

BRGL GLBRGL

SZGL GLSZGL

**Order O = ORGANIC**

**Subgroups**

TYF THUM

MEF LMM

HUF CUM

TF HUM

TMEF TYH

THUF FIH

LMF MEH

CUF TH

TYM TFIH

FIM TMEH

HUM LMH

TM CUH

TFIM TYFO

**Order R = REGOSOLIC**

**Subgroups**

OR OHR

CUR CUHR

GLR GLHR

GLCUR GLCUHR

**Order S = SOLONETZIC**

**Subgroups**

BLSZ GLGSS

GLBLSZ GSS

GLBLSS GSO

GLDGSS

**Order Z = CRYOSOLIC**

**Subgroups**

OTC FIOC

BRTC MEOC

RTC HUOC

GLTC TFIOC

OSC TMEOC

BRSC THUOC

RSC GCOC

GLSC

**3k. Soil phases**

\' \' Absent

\'-\' Present

**3l. Vegetation**

**General vegetation**

01 Crops-fields (managed)

02 Crops-hort (managed)

03 Grasses and forbes

04 Grasses,forbes and shrubs

05 Tall shrubs

06 Low shrubs

07 Forest, unspec.

08 Forest, softwood

09 Forest, hardwood

10 Forest, mixed

11 None,(or nearly barren)

12 Heath

13 Arctic willow

14 Krummholz

15 Rush

16 Sedge

17 Moss

18 Lichen

19 Floating aquatic

20 Submerged aquatic

**Vegetation modifier**

01 Cropped

02 Summerfallow

03 Clear-cut

04 Select-cut

05 Burnt

06 Plantation

07 Regenerating

08 Mature

09 Overmature

10 Undisturbed

11 Inundated

12 Overgrazed

13 Immature

**CARD TYPE 04**

**4a. Parent materials**

**Physical component**

UD Undifferentiated

FR Fragmental

SK Skeletal

CL Coarse, loamy and silty

FL Fine, loamy and silty

CY Clayey

> SM Stratified (mineral)
>
> SU Stratified (mineral & organic)

SY Sandy

OG Organic

LY Loamy

SO Stratified (organic)

WY Woody

FI Fibric

ME Mesic

HU Humic

RK Bedrock

**4b. Chemical composition**

UD Undifferentiated

EA Extremely to strongly acidic

AN Medium acidic to neutral

WC Weakly calcareous

VC Moderate to very calcareous

EC Extremely calcareous

SA Saline

**4c. Mode of deposition**

F Fluvial

C Colluvial

E Eolian

FL Fluviolacustrine

GF Glaciofluvial

GL Glaciolacustrine

L Lacustrine

LT Lacustro till

M Marine

T Morainal till

O Organic

B Bog

FN Fen

SW Swamp

R Residual

**4d. Material modifier**

UD Undifferentiated

MX Mixed

IG Igneous

SH Shale

SS Sandstone

MC Marl and Chalk

LS Limestone

DM Dolomite

MM Metamorphic

OU Organic, undiff.

SP Sphagnum peat

FO Forest peat

FN Fen peat

AQ Aquatic peat

**4e. Water status**

1 Origin of water

2 Associated water body

3 Both associated water body and origin

**4f. Climate station**

**4g. Relevance of**

**climate station**

1 Very good

2 Good

3 Moderate

4 Poor

**CARD TYPE 05**

**5a. Horizon number**

**5b. Horizon designation**

**5c. Depths**

**5d. Range**

**5e. Horizon Boundaries**

**Distinctness**

D Diffuse

G Gradual

C Clear

A Abrupt

**Form**

S Smooth

W Wavy

I Irregular

B Broken

**5f. Texture Modifier**

GR Gravelly

VG Very Gravelly

MU Mucky

GY Gritty

AY Ashy

WY Woody

TX Thixotropic

**5g. Texture**

VCS L

CS SIL

LCS SCL

S SICL

FS CL

LS SC

LFS SIC

VFS C

LVFS HC

CSL O

SL F

FSL M

VFSL H

Si

**Organic texture**

F1 Non decomposed

F2 Very Sl.decomposed

F3 Slightly decomposed

M1 Mod. decomposed

M2 Mod.-strongly decomp.

H1 Strongly decomposed

H2 Very strongly decomp.

**5h. Structure**

**Grade**

SL Structureless

VW Very weak

W Weak

WM Weak to Moderate

M Moderate

MS Mod. to strong

S Strong

**Class**

VF Very fine

FF Very fine to fine

F Fine

FM Fine to Medium

M Medium

MC Medium to Coarse

C Coarse

VC Very coarse

**Kind**

PL Platy

PR Prismatic

CO Columnar

AB Angular Blocky

SB Subangular Blocky

GR Granular

MA Massive

SG Single Grained

CL Cloddy

FI Fibered

MT Matted

LA Layered

**Kind Modifier**

PS Pseudo

ST Stratified

BD Bedded

LM Laminated

**5i. Structure** (use codes in 5h.)

**5j. Profile Moisture**

**Condition**

D Dry

M Moist

W Wet

U Unspecified

**5k. Effervescence**

N Noneffervescent

V Very weak

W Weak

M Moderate

S Strong

**5l. Calcareousness**

N Noncalcareous

W Weakly

M Moderate

S Strong

V Very strong

E Extremely

**5m. Field pH**

**Class**

EA Extremely acid (\< 4.5)

VS Very strongly acid (4.6-5.0)

ST Strongly acid (5.1-5.5)

MA Medium acid (5.6-6.0)

SL Slightly acid (6.1-6.5)

NA Neutral (6.6-7.3)

ML Mildly alkaline (7.4-7.8)

MD Moderately alkaline(7.9-8.4)

SA Strongly alkaline (\>8.5)

**Method**

1 Hellige-Truog

2 pHydrion

3 pH meter

**5n. Consistence**

**Wet**

N Nonsticky

S Slightly Sticky

T Sticky

V Very sticky

**Moist**

LO Loose

VF Very friable

FB Friable

FR Firm

VM Very firm

**Dry**

LO Loose

SO Soft

SH Sl. hard

HD Hard

VH Very hard

EH Ext. hard

RG Rigid

**Plasticity**

N Nonplastic

S Slightly plastic

P Plastic

V Very plastic

**5o. Coarse fragments**

**Type**

GR Gravelly

AG Angular gravelly

CH Cherty

CN Channery

SL Slaty

SH Shaly

CB Cobbly

AC Angular cobbly

CC Coarse Cherty

FG Flaggy

ST Stony

**CARD TYPE 06**

**6a. Horizon number**

**6b. Color1 -see Munsel chart**

**6c. Color2 -see Munsel chart**

**Aspect Codes(color)**

01 Matrix moist

02 Matrix dry

03 Exped moist

04 Exped dry

05 Inped moist

06 Inped dry

07 Crushed moist

08 Crushed dry

09 Natural wet/reduced

10 Natural wet/oxidized

11 Pressed wet/reduced

12 Pressed wet/oxidized

13 Rubbed wet/oxidized

14 Rubbed dry

15 Clay film moist

16 Clay film dry

17 Nodules moist

18 Mottle moist

**6d,e. Mottles 1,2**

**Abundance**

F Few

C Common

M Many

**Size**

F Fine

M Medium

C Coarse

**Contrast**

F Faint

D Distinct

P Prominent

**6f. Concretions**

**Kind**

G Gypsum

L Lime

I Iron‑Manganese

W Worm cast

P Pedotubule

S Salt

O Others

**Abundance**

F Few (\<2%)

C Common (2‑20%)

M Many (\>20%)

**Size(mm)**

F Fine (\<5)

M Medium

C Coarse (\>15)

**Distribution**

C Channel

L Localized

M Thru matrix

**Shape**

S Spherical

O Oblong

I Irregular

P Plate-like

**6g. Clay Films**

**Frequency**

F Few

C Common

M Many

S Continuous

**Thickness**

VT Very thin

TH Thin

MT Mod. thick

TK Thick

VK Very thick

**Location**

VC Voids & Channels

PF Ped faces

VP Some voids

PV All voids

BR Visible bridges

**6h. Roots**

**Abundance**

V Very few

F Few

P Plentiful

A Abundant

**Size(mm)**

U Micro

V Very fine

F Fine

M Medium

C Coarse

**Orientation**

V Vertical

H Horizontal

O Oblique

R Random

**Distribution**

I Inped

E Exped

B Both

**6i. Porosity**

**General**

S Slightly porous (\<40% pore spaces)

M Moderately porous (40-60% pore spaces)

H Highly porous (\>60% pore spaces)

**Type**

V Vesicular

I Interstitial

T Tubular

**Abundance**

V Very few

F Few

C Common

M Many

**Size**

U Micro

V Very fine

F Fine

M Medium

C Coarse

**Orientation**

V Vertical

H Horizontal

O Oblique

R Random

**Distribution**

I Inped

E Exped

B Both

**Continuity**

C Continuous

D Discontinuous

**Morphology**

S Simple

D Dendritic

C Closed

**6j. Von post**

(See manual for explanation)

01 Living moss layer

02 Peat not living

03 Plant material distinguishable

> 04 Plant material not distinguishable
>
> 05 Plant material reaching stage of decomposition
>
> 06 Plant material has decomposed
>
> 07 Original plant material is practically undistinguishable
>
> 08 Only distinguishable plant remains are roots
>
> 09 Very homogenous, amorphous sample
>
> 10 Very rare to non-existent in sedimentary peat

**6k. Ice characteristics**

\'-\' Present

\' \' Absent

**CARD TYPE 07**

**7a. Horizon number**

**7b,c. Color3 and color4**

(See Munsel chart)

**7d. Rubbed fibre (%)**

**7e. Botanical Composition (%)**

**7f. Wood** **Diameter(cm)**

**Hardness**

1 Hard

2 Soft

3 Very soft

**7g. Limnic material**

1 Marl

2 Coprogenous

3 Diatamaceous

**7h. C14**

\'-\' Sampled for C14

\' \' Not sampled

**CARD TYPE 08**

**8a. Depths to (m)**

Bedrock

Water table

Impermeable Layer

Frost

**8b. Thaw layer (m)**

**8c. Soil drainage parameters (SWIG)**

**Soil drainage**

VR Very rapid

R Rapid

W Well

MW oderately well

I Imperfect

P Poor

VP Very poor

**Hydraulic conductivity (cm/hr)**

H High (15)

H1 Rapid (\>50)

H2 Very rapid (15-50)

M Medium (0.5-15)

M3 Moderately rapid (5-15)

M2 Moderate (1.5-5)

M1 Moderate-slow (0.5-1.5)

L Low (\<0.5)

L3 Slow (0.15-0.5)

L2 Very slow (0.05-0.15)

L1 Extremely slow (\<0.05)

**Permeability reduced**

A1 20‑50 cm

A2 50‑100cm

A3 100‑150cm

A4 150‑200cm

**Permeability increased**

B1 20‑50cm

B2 50‑100cm

B3 100‑150cm

B4 150‑200cm

**Saturated zone**

**(Least and Greatest)**

**Average Annual depth(cm)**

M2 Generally low

H High

L Low

M1 Medium to high

M3 Medium to low

M Medium

H2 Moderately high

L1 Moderately low

H1 Very high

L2 Very low

**Duration Least depth**

M Medium

P Prolonged

S Short

**Seepage**

D Deleterious

E Enriching

N Neutral

**Man made modifiers**

DD Ditched, major effect

D Ditched, minor effect

II Irrigated major

I Irrigated minor

MM Mole drained, major

M Mole drained, minor

X Raised water minor

XX Raised water major

RR Ridged listed major

R Ridged listed minor

SS Subsoiled major

S Subsoiled minor

TT Tube drained major

T Tube drained minor

**8d. Erosion**

**S-value**

1 Very fine granular

2 Fine granular

3 Med-Coarse granular

4 Blocky,platy,massive

5 Organic surface

**K‑value**

1 Rapid

2 Mod to rapid

3 Moderate

4 Slow to mod.

5 Slow

6 Very slow

**Est. site size (ha)**

**8e. Soil temperature** (oC)

Temperature \@20cm

Temperature \@50cm

Temperature \@100cm

**8f. Rooting depth(cm)**

**8g. Thickness(cm)**

A horizon

Solum

Organic deposit

**CARD TYPE 04**

**Parent materials**

> The unaltered or essentially unaltered mineral or organic material
> from which the soil profile develops by pedogenic processes.
>
> Report the predominant weathering process as an evaluation of the kind
> and degree of weathering undergone by the material since the inception
> of soil formation at the site.

**Parent material I** - Codes are found below.

**Parent material II** - Codes used here are identical to the ones in
Parent Material I.

**Parent material III** - Codes used here are identical to the ones in
Parent Material I.

**4a. Physical component**

UD Undifferentiated

FR Fragmental (stones,cobbles, and gravel)

SK Skeletal (more that 35% of particles larger than 2mm.

CL Coarse, loamy and silty (\<than 18% clay)

FL Fine, loamy and silty (18-35% clay)

CY Clayey (more than 35% clay)

SM Stratified (mineral)

SU Stratified (mineral and organic)

SY Sandy

OG Organic

LY Loamy

SO Stratified (organic)

WY Woody

FI Fibric

ME Mesic

HU Humic

RK Bedrock

**4b. Chemical composition**

UD Undifferentiated

EA Extremely to Strongly Acidic (pH less than 5.5)

AN Medium acidic to neutral (pH 5.5-7.4)

WC Weakly calcareous (1-6% CaCO~3~)

VC Moderate to very calcareous (6-40% CaCO~3~)

EC Extremely calcareous (more than 40% CaCO~3~)

SA Saline

**4c. Mode of deposition**

F Fluvial

C Colluvial

E Eolian

FL Fluviolacustrine

GF Glaciofluvial

GL Glaciolacustrine

L Lacustrine

LT Lacustro till

M Marine

T Morainal till

O Organic

B Bog

FN Fen

SW Swamp

R Residual

**4d. Material modifier**

UD Undifferentiated

MX Mixed

IG Igneous

SH Shale

SS Sandstone

MC Marl and Chalk

LS Limestone

DM Dolomite

MM Metamorphic

OU Organic, undiff.

SP Sphagnum peat

FO Forest peat

FN Fen peat

AQ Aquatic peat

**Hydraulic conductivity classes**

**(cm/hr)**

H High (\>15)

H1 Rapid (\>50)

H2 Very rapid (15-50)

M Medium (0.5-15)

M3 Moderately rapid (5-15)

M2 Moderate (1.5-5)

M1 Moderate-slow (0.5-1.5)

L Low (\<0.5)

L3 Slow (0.15-0.5)

L2 Very slow (0.05-0.15)

L1 Extremely slow (\<0.05)

**Permeability reduced**

A1 20‑50 cm

A2 50‑100cm

A3 100‑150cm

A4 150‑200cm

**Permeability increased**

B1 20‑50cm

B2 50‑100cm

B3 100‑150cm

B4 150‑200cm

**Saturated zone**

**(Least and Greatest)**

**Average Annual depth(cm)**

M2 Generally low

H High

L Low

M1 Medium to high

M3 Medium to low

M Medium

H2 Moderately high

L1 Moderately low

H1 Very high

L2 Very low

**Duration**

M Medium

P Prolonged

S Short

**Seepage** - is the flow of water through the soil.

D Deleterious

E Enriching

N Neutral

**Man made modifiers**

DD Ditched, major effect

D Ditched, minor effect

II Irrigated major

I Irrigated minor

MM Mole drained, major

M Mole drained, minor

X Raised water minor

XX Raised water major

RR Ridged listed major

R Ridged listed minor

SS Subsoiled major

S Subsoiled minor

TT Tube drained major

T Tube drained minor

**8d. Erosion** - The presence of erosion is recorded by noting the
agent and amount of erosion that has occurred. Gully erosion is a
subdivision of general water erosion. If erosion is not a factor in the
soil described, leave blank.

**S-value** - Structure (surface horizon) **K-value** - permeability
(soil profile)

1 Very fine granular 1 Rapid

2 Fine granular 2 Mod to rapid

3 Med-Coarse granular 3 Moderate

4 Blocky,platy,massive 4 Slow to mod.

5 Organic surface 5 Slow

6 Very slow

**Est. site size (ha)**

**8e. Soil temperature** (^o^C)

Temperature \@20cm

Temperature \@50cm

Temperature \@100cm

**8f. Rooting depth(cm)**

**8g. Thickness(cm)** - Enter the total thickness of the following in
centimetres.

A horizon Solum Organic deposit

**3d. Erosion** - The wearing away of the land surface by detachment and
transport of soil and rock materials through the action of moving water,
wind or other geological processes. The presence of erosion is recorded
by noting the agent and amount of erosion that has occurred. Gully
erosion is a subdivision of general water erosion. If erosion is not a
factor in the soil described, leave blank.

> **[Water/Wind Erosion Classes]{.underline}**
>
> 0 None
>
> 1 Slight
>
> 2 Moderate
>
> 3 Severe
>
> 4 Overwash
>
> 5 Overblown