Profisol

Soil Profile Database – PROFISOL

The soil profile (soil section), also known as pedogenetic profile, consists of a succession of layers that differ in color and chemical composition, called pedogenetic horizons, from the land surface down to the parent rock. The soil appears structured in parallel and multi-parallel layers. These layers formed during the soil formation process and are referred to as pedogenetic horizons.

The database of main characteristics of soil profiles in Romania – PROFISOL – was developed within ICPA’s research-development program in several stages, between 1986 and 1996 (Vlad et al., 1987-1996). Its purpose was to provide facilities for storing, retrieving, and processing data on existing soil profiles and those to be created within pedological studies and research in Romania.

The PROFISOL database is a complex tool that includes morphological, physical, and chemical characteristics of the soil, pedotransfer functions, and various processing facilities in an integrated form.

 

Cambic Rendzina

 

Lithic Alluviosol

 

Typical Gleysol

 

Albic Luvisol

PROFISOL Database Components

GENERAL DATA

PHYSICAL DATA

CHEMICAL DATA

MORPHOLOGICAL DATA AND FIELD CONDITIONS

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS

Example of physical and chemical properties of soil profile 006334 from Segarcea – Dolj: Typical Argilluvic Chernozem (EUROPEAN SOIL BUREAU – RESEARCH REPORT NO.4)

Horizon / Horizon Depth / Sample Depth Unit Ap / 0-18 / 0-18 Am / 18-41 / 20-30 A/B / 42-73 / 50-60 Bt1 / 73-105 / 80-90 Bt2 / 103-140 / 110-120 Cc / 140-160 / 145-155
Physical Properties
Coarse sand %W/W 0.3 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.5
Fine sand %W/W 32.4 29.1 26.2 27.5 30.0 31.3
Silt %W/W 26.9 22.9 22.8 24.7 23.6 23.2
Clay %W/W 40.4 47.4 50.5 47.3 44.8 45.0
Physical clay %W/W 54.6 62.1 66.6 62.2 58.8 60.0
Bulk density G/CM3 1.28 1.33 1.40 1.51 1.43 1.40
Total porosity % V/V 51.6 49.8 47.3 43.6 46.5 48.1
Aeration porosity % V/V 15.9 14.4 12.2 8.8 14.5 16.5
Shrinkage index % V/V 0.0 5.5 11.1 17.2 11.0 8.1
Hygroscopicity coefficient % W/W 9.0 11.1 12.6 11.5 11.5 11.1
Wilting coefficient % W/W 13.5 16.6 18.6 17.2 17.5 16.6
Field capacity % W/W 27.9 26.6 25.1 23.0 22.7 22.6
Total water capacity % W/W 40.3 37.4 33.8 28.8 32.5 34.4
Average moisture capacity % W/W 14.4 9.9 6.2 5.7 5.1 5.9
Available water capacity % W/W 12.4 10.8 8.7 5.8 10.7 11.8
Hydraulic conductivity MM/H 1.9 0.8 0.4 0.2 0.5 0.5
Chemical Properties
Humus % W/W 4.0 2.5 1.9 1.2 0.7 0.8
Total Nitrogen (N) % W/W 0.180 1.120 0.089 0.055 0.033 0.037
C/N – 15.0 1.5 14.4 14.6 14.1 14.6
CaCO3 % W/W 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.2
pH in H2O – 6.4 6.3 6.3 6.5 6.9 8.1
Total Cation Exchange Capacity ME/100 G 30.4 30.2 31.5 30.3 nd 27.6
Exchangeable Calcium Cations ME/100 G 24.8 24.1 24.8 24.0 nd 22.7
Exchangeable Magnesium Cations ME/100 G 4.7 5.4 5.9 5.4 nd 4.0
Exchangeable Potassium Cations ME/100 G 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.6 nd 0.5
Exchangeable Sodium Cations ME/100 G 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.3 nd 0.4

To date, the database has been loaded with data from over 4200 soil profiles, all of which have physical data (approx. 200 data points/profile), over 450 also have chemical data (approx. 125 data points/profile, including for groundwater), and over 170 have all types of data (approx. 1000 data points/profile).