CSV

WRB Reference Soil Groups - CSV

The WRB Reference Soil Groups represent the highest hierarchical level in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB), established by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS). The fourth edition of 2022 defines 32 Reference Soil Groups (RSGs), systematically classified based on soil-forming processes and characteristics. This classification system is widely used as a standard reference for creating soil maps and facilitating international soil information exchange.

soil classification WRB IUSS Reference Soil Groups soil science pedology

code,slug,name,description,category
HS,histosol,Histosol,Soils with thick organic layers.,Soils with thick organic layers
AT,anthrosol,Anthrosol,"Soils with long and intensive agricultural use, often altered to enhance fertility.",Soils with strong human influence
TC,technosol,Technosol,Soils containing significant amounts of artefacts.,Soils with strong human influence
CR,cryosol,Cryosol,Permafrost-affected soils.,Soils with limitations to root growth
LP,leptosol,Leptosol,Thin soils or soils with many coarse fragments.,Soils with limitations to root growth
SN,solonetz,Solonetz,Soils with a clay-enriched subsoil with high concentrations of exchangeable Na.,Soils with limitations to root growth
VR,vertisol,Vertisol,"Soils with high contents of shrink-swell clays, alternating wet-dry conditions.",Soils with limitations to root growth
SC,solonchak,Solonchak,Soils with high concentrations of soluble salts.,Soils with limitations to root growth
GL,gleysol,Gleysol,"Groundwater-dominated soils, underwater or in tidal areas.",Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry
AN,andosol,Andosol,Soils with allophanes and/or complexes of Al and organic matter.,Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry
PZ,podzol,Podzol,Soils with subsoil accumulation of organic matter and/or oxides.,Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry
PT,plinthosol,Plinthosol,Soils with accumulation and redistribution of Fe.,Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry
PL,planosol,Planosol,Soils with stagnant water and abrupt textural difference.,Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry
ST,stagnosol,Stagnosol,Soils with stagnant water and no or only moderate textural difference.,Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry
NT,nitisol,Nitisol,"Soils with low-activity clays, P fixation, many Fe oxides, strongly structured.",Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry
FR,ferralsol,Ferralsol,Soils with dominance of kaolinite and oxides.,Soils distinguished by Fe/Al chemistry
CH,chernozem,Chernozem,Soils with very dark and well-structured topsoil and secondary carbonates.,Pronounced accumulation of organic matter in the mineral topsoil
KS,kastanozem,Kastanozem,Soils with dark topsoil and secondary carbonates.,Pronounced accumulation of organic matter in the mineral topsoil
PH,phaeozem,Phaeozem,"Soils with dark topsoil, no secondary carbonates (unless very deep), and high base status.",Pronounced accumulation of organic matter in the mineral topsoil
UM,umbrisol,Umbrisol,Soils with dark topsoil and low base status.,Pronounced accumulation of organic matter in the mineral topsoil
DU,durisol,Durisol,"Soils with accumulation of, and cementation by, secondary silica.",Accumulation of moderately soluble salts or non-saline substances
GY,gypsisol,Gypsisol,Soils with accumulation of secondary gypsum.,Accumulation of moderately soluble salts or non-saline substances
CL,calcisol,Calcisol,Soils with accumulation of secondary carbonates.,Accumulation of moderately soluble salts or non-saline substances
RT,retisol,Retisol,"Soils with interfingering of coarser-textured, lighter-coloured material into a finer-textured, stronger-coloured layer.",Soils with clay-enriched subsoil
AC,acrisol,Acrisol,Soils with low-activity clays and exchangeable Al greater than exchangeable base cations.,Soils with clay-enriched subsoil
LX,lixisol,Lixisol,Soils with low-activity clays and exchangeable base cations equal to or greater than exchangeable Al.,Soils with clay-enriched subsoil
AL,alisol,Alisol,Soils with high-activity clays and exchangeable Al greater than exchangeable base cations.,Soils with clay-enriched subsoil
LV,luvisol,Luvisol,Soils with high-activity clays and exchangeable base cations equal to or greater than exchangeable Al.,Soils with clay-enriched subsoil
CM,cambisol,Cambisol,Moderately developed soils.,Soils with little or no profile differentiation
FL,fluvisol,Fluvisol,"Soils with stratified fluviatile, marine or lacustrine sediments.",Soils with little or no profile differentiation
AR,arenosol,Arenosol,Very sandy soils.,Soils with little or no profile differentiation
RG,regosol,Regosol,Soils with no significant profile development.,Soils with little or no profile differentiation