TSV
WRB Reference Soil Groups - TSV
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