This document provides guidelines for soil profile characterization and description. It outlines the key components to include in a soil profile description heading, such as the profile number, soil name, location, vegetation, and parent material. It also describes the format for individual horizon descriptions, including specifying the depth, color, structure, consistence, roots, pores, inclusions, pH, and boundaries. The document provides classification systems for factors like drainage, stoniness, erosion, and salinity to ensure consistent documentation of soil profiles.

1. SOIL 110
Soil Survey and
Classification
Soil Morphology -
Profile
Characteristics

2. 1. HEADING
*Must include the following categories:
Profile Number
Soil Name, series or map unit name
Higher Category Classification
Location of pedon
Physiographic Position
Soil Moisture Regime
A. Profile Description Format

3. Soil Temperature Regime
Vegetation
Parent Material
Lithology or rock fragments
Described by:
Date
A. Profile Description Format
1. HEADING

4. Profile No. 1
Soil Name: Alimodian Series
Soil Classification: Typic Hapludalfs
Location of Pedon: Bamban, Tagkawayan
Physiographic Position: Seepage slope
Elevation: 259 ft ASL
Soil Moisture Regime: Udic
Soil Temperature Regime: Isohyperthermic
Present Vegetation: grass and crops
Farmland: major crops; banana
Evidence of erosion: slight erosion
Parent Material: consolidated sedimentary rocks (sandstone)
Surrounding areas: lowland; valley plain
Drainage: moderately well-drained
Moisture (depths): moist
Stones/rock class: coarse
Described by: N. L. Timbas, A.M. Flores, A.C.M. Baradas, K.L.S.
Tafere
Date: Dec 27, 2013

5. a. Profile Number
valuable for the coordination of
description and laboratory data.
b. Soil Name
Local name given to the low order
classification unit of which the profile is
representative.

6. c. Higher Category Classification
USDA Soil Taxonomy -the basis in
classifying soil above the series
category.

7. d. Location of Pedon
1. allows readers to locate the profile
exactly which can be related to
small villages.
2. indicate the position of the profile
approximately in relation to large
towns

8. e. Physiographic position
(landform, elevation, etc.)
 Landform
To provide an understanding of the
situation of the profile, it is necessary to
describe its position and the form of the
surrounding land.

9. e. Physiographic position
(landform, elevation, etc.)
Ø Physiographic position of the site:
-Plateau
-summit
-crest (escarpment)
-convex slope
-terrace
-valley bottom
-plain
-depression, etc.

10. e. Physiographic position
(landform, elevation, etc.)
Ø Topography of surrounding country:
-Flat or almost flat: Slopes not
steeper than 2%
-Undulating: Steepest slopes
between 2% and 8%
-Hilly: Steepest slopes between 16%
and 30%;range of
elevation is moderate

11. e. Physiographic position
(landform, elevation, etc.)
Ø Topography of surrounding country:
-Rolling: Steepest slopes between
8% and 16%
-Steeply dissected: Steepest slopes
greater than 30%; range of
elevation is moderate
-Mountainous: Topography has
great range in elevation

12. e. Physiographic position
(landform, elevation, etc.)
Ø Microtopography
-contour terracing
-levees (natural or artificial),etc.

13. e. Physiographic position
(landform, elevation, etc.)
Elevation
 Slope

14. e. Physiographic position
(landform, elevation, etc.)
Slope classification based on the
Soil Survey Manual (USDA 1951) :
Class 1 Flat or almost flat 0-2%
Class 2 Gently sloping 2-6%
Class 3 Sloping 6-13%
Class 4 Moderately Steep 13-25%
Class 5 Steep 25-55%
Class 6 Very Steep more than 55%

15. f. Vegetation or Land-use
described in simple terms (e.g.,
deciduous forest)
description of botanical species present
indicating the dominant species
Farmland-major crops ; soil management;
use of fertilizers, rotations, yields, etc.

16. g. Climate
Distance of meteorological stations from
the profile
Elevation
Length of the dry season
Monthly temperatures and rainfall

17. h. Parent Material
origin of the parent material
nature of the parent rock(s)
mode of the deposition

18. h. Parent Material
Classification of Parent Rocks :
Unconsolidated igneous and pyroclastic
rocks: volcanic ash, pyroclastic-flow
deposit, volcanic mudflow deposit
Consolidated igneous and pyroclastic
rocks: rhyolite, andesite, basalt, granite,
diorite, gabbro, volcanic breccia

19. h. Parent Material
Classification of Parent Rocks :
Unconsolidated sedimentary rocks:
gravel, sand, mud, talus deposits, loess
Consolidated sedimentary rocks:
conglomerate, sandstone, shale,
mudstone, limestone

20. h. Parent Material
Classification of Parent Rocks :
Metamorphic rocks: gneiss ,crystalline
schist, phyllite, slate
Plant remains: moss peat, herb peat,
forest peat

21. h. Parent Material
Modes of Deposition:
Residual
Transported
Ø Gravitational
Ø Colluvial

22. h. Parent Material
Modes of Deposition:
Ø Aquatic
qMarine: coastal plain, bar, spit, polder
qLacustrine
qGlacial: moraine, etc.
qEolian: volcanic ash, loess, sand dune

23. h. Parent Material
Modes of Deposition:
Ø Fluviatile
qFlood-plain: backswamp, natural levee,
riverbed
qAlluvial
qDeltaic
qTerrace (Old alluvial and recent alluvial)

24. h. Parent Material
Modes of Deposition:
Accumulative.
Anthropogenic

25. i. Drainage
Soil Drainage Classes:
Class 0 Very poorly drained
Class 1 Poorly drained
Class 2 Imperfectly drained
Class 3 Moderately well drained
Class 4 Well drained
Class 5 Somewhat excessively drained
Class 6 Excessively drained

26. j. Moisture Condition in the Soils
description of the moisture conditions
prevailing in the soil at the time of
examination

27. k. Depth of the Ground Water
Table
depth at the time of description
average annual fluctuation in depth level
of the ground water surface
maximum rise of the ground water

28. l. Presence of Surface Stones or
Rock Outcrops
concerned with the presence of large
fragments (stones) or rock outcrops on or
near the soil surface that may limit the use
of modern mechanized agricultural
equipment.

29. l. Presence of Surface Stones or
Rock Outcrops
Stoniness Class based on the Soil Survey
Manual:
Class 0 No stones or very few stones:
-too few stones to interfere with tillage.
-Stones cover less than 0.01%

30. l. Presence of Surface Stones or
Rock Outcrops
Stoniness Class based on the Soil Survey
Manual:
Class 1 Fairly stony:
-sufficient stones to interfere with
tillage but not to make inter-tilled crop
impractical.
-Stones cover 0.01% to 0.1% (Stones 15
to 30 cm in diameter, 10 to 30 meters
apart.)

31. l. Presence of Surface Stones or
Rock Outcrops
Stoniness Class based on the Soil Survey
Manual:
Class 2 Stony:
-sufficient stones to make tillage of
inter-tilled crops impractical
-Stones cover 0.1% to 3.0% of the area.

32. l. Presence of Surface Stones or
Rock Outcrops
Stoniness Class based on the Soil Survey
Manual:
Class 3 Very stony:
-sufficient stones to make all use of
machinery impracticable, except for
very light machinery
-Stones cover 3.0% to 15% of the area
(Stones 15 to 30 cm in diameter, 75 to
160 cm apart.)

33. l. Presence of Surface Stones or
Rock Outcrops
Stoniness Class based on the Soil Survey
Manual:
Class 4 Exceedingly stony:
-sufficient stones to make all use of
machinery impracticable.
-Stones cover 15% to 90% of the land.
(Stones 15 to 30 cm in diameter, less
than 75 cm apart.)

34. l. Presence of Surface Stones or
Rock Outcrops
Rock Outcrop Classes based on the Soil
Survey Manual:
Class 0 No rocks or very few rocks:
- no bedrock exposure or too few to
interfere with tillage
- Less than 2% bedrock exposed.

35. l. Presence of Surface Stones or
Rock Outcrops
Rock Outcrop Classes based on the Soil
Survey Manual:
Class 1 Fairly rocky:
- sufficient rock exposures to interfere
with tillage but not to make inter-tilled
crops impracticable.
-exposures are roughly 35 to 100
meters apart and over 2% to 10% of
the surface

36. l. Presence of Surface Stones or
Rock Outcrops
Rock Outcrop Classes based on the Soil
Survey Manual:
Class 2 Rocky:
- sufficient bedrock exposures to
make tillage of inter-tilled crops
impracticable
-exposures are roughly 10 to 35 meters
apart and cover about 10 to 25% of
the area

37. l. Presence of Surface Stones or
Rock Outcrops
Rock Outcrop Classes based on the Soil
Survey Manual:
Class 3 Very Rocky:
- sufficient rock outcrop to make all
use of machinery impracticable,
except for light machinery
-exposures are roughly 3.5 to 10
meters apart and cover about 25 to
50% of the area

38. l. Presence of Surface Stones or
Rock Outcrops
Rock Outcrop Classes based on the Soil
Survey Manual:
Class 4 Extremely Rocky:
-sufficient rock outcrop (or very
shallow soil over rock) to make all use
of machinery impracticable.
- Rock outcrops are about 3.5 meters
apart or less and cover 50 to 90% of
the area.

39. l. Presence of Surface Stones or
Rock Outcrops
Rock Outcrop Classes based on the Soil
Survey Manual:
Class 5 Rock Outcrop:
-over 90% of the land are exposed
bedrock.

40. m. EROSION
Classification of forms, degree of erosion and
redeposition:
Water Erosion
Ø Sheet erosion
Ø Rill erosion
Ø Gully erosion

41. m. EROSION
Classification of forms, degree of erosion and
redeposition:
Wind erosion
Water deposition
Wind deposition

42. m. EROSION
Degree of erosion:
Very slight:
-Up to 25 percent of the original
topsoil may have been removed
Moderate:
-25 to 75 percent of the original topsoil
may have been lost

43. m. EROSION
Degree of erosion:
Severe:
-More than 75 percent of the original
topsoil and part or all of the underlying
horizons has been lost

44. m. EROSION
Description of the Degree of Redeposition
must include:
- shape and scale of redeposition
- kind of redeposition
- particle size
- depth of redeposition material.

45. n. Presence of Salt or Alkali
Class Degree of
Salinity
Conductivity of
Saturation Extract in
Millimhos per cm2
Class 0 Free 0-4
Class 1 Slightly
affected
4-8
Class 2 Moderately
affected
9-15
Class 3 Strongly
affected
Above 15
Approximate limits of Salinity Classes

46. o. Human Influence
Must include:
-any evidence of human activity
-evidence of management practices
-practice of land improvement works
-significant applications of organic or
mineral fertilizers

47. Ø 1st column on the left- horizon
designation
Ø 2nd column from the left-depth of the
upper and lower boundaries of a
horizon(in centimeters)
Ø followed by the horizon description
A. Profile Description Format
2. LAYOUT FOR PEDON DESCRIPTION

48. Examples of Individual Horizon Description:
 A2 10-25 cm. Light yellowish brown (2.5Y
6/4) loam, light gray (10YR 7.2) dry; very
weak, fine granular structure, soft, very
friable; few fine roots; few very fine pores;
f e w f i n e b l a c k a n d d a r k b r o w n
concretions; 5% cobblestones; stongly
acidic (pH 5.3); clear smooth boundary.
A. Profile Description Format
3. HORIZON CHARACTERISTICS