In the context of agricultural problem soils, sandy soils are soils in which a coarse texture dominates the problems related to agricultural land use. Arenosols, Regosols, Leptosols and Fluvisols. Further description Sandy soils are weakly developed soils with only weak profile horizon formation because of the slow chemical weathering in these normally dry and hot soils. Physical weathering predominates in response to extreme variations in temperature. Wind erosion is dominant.
Soil structure is very weak and unstable.
Absence of vegetation cover results in an extremely low production of organic material which leads to the very low organic matter contents of sandy soils. However, the actual soil moisture content of the sandy soils determines the rate and duration of the chemical reactions, the production of organic matter and biological activity. Several million hectares of highly leached Arenosols are found in the perhumid tropics, notably in South America and in parts of Southeast Asia. Arenosols may occur in all parts of the world. Land use Many sandy soils are non-used wastelands.