Suitability of World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) to describe and classify chernozemic soils in Central Europe

Abstract

Abstract Chernozemic soils are distinguished based on the presence of thick, black or very dark, rich in humus, well-structural and base-saturated topsoil horizon, and the accumulation of secondary carbonates within soil profile. In Central Europe these soils occur in variable forms, respectively to climate gradients, position in the landscape, moisture regime, land use, and erosion/accumulation intensity. “Typical” chernozems, correlated with Calcic or Haplic Chernozems, are similarly positioned at basic classification level in the national soil classifications in Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, and in WRB. Chernozemic soils at various stages of their transformation are placed in Chernozems, Phaeozems or Kastanozems, supplied with respective qualifiers, e.g. Cambic, Luvic, Salic/Protosalic, Sodic/Protosodic etc. Some primeval Chernozems thinned by erosion may still fulfil criteria of Chernozems, but commonly are shifted to Calcisols. Soils upbuilt (aggraded) with colluvial additions may also retain their original placement in Chernozems, getting supplementary qualifier Colluvic. “Hydromorphic” chernozemic soils, in many CE systems are placed as separate soil type (“czarne ziemie” or “čiernice”) at the same level with “typical” chernozems. Classification of these soils in WRB depends on the presence of chernic horizon, depth of secondary carbonate accumulation and depth of gleyic/stagnic properties, and may vary from Gleyic/Stagnic Chernozems/Phaeozems to Mollic Gleysols/Stagnosols. Although WRB classification differs from national classifications in the concepts and priorities of classification, it provides large opportunity to reflect the spatial variability and various stages of transformation/degradation of chernozemic soils in Central Europe.