| Main authors: | Gergely Tóth (Joint Research Centre), Xiaodong Song (Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Tamás Hermann (University of Pannonia), Brigitta Tóth (University of Pannonia) |
| Editor: | Jane Brandt |
| Source document: | Tóth, G.. et al. (2016) Hierarchical and multi-scale pedoclimatic zonation. iSQAPER Project Deliverable 2.1 125 pp |
| Contents table |
| 1. Main features of the pedoclimatic zones |
1. Main features of the pedoclimatic zones
Regional differentiation of soil genesis and processes is mainly considered. It refers not only to the soil and the climate, vegetation, topography, and parent material for a long time and integrated effects, but also contains soil processes and behavior characteristics of the soil itself. Therefore, when to delineate the soil zones, it cannot simply adopt the soil conditions zonality, or the geology and geomorphology, but should pay close attention to the soil formation, development of natural geographical and historical background.
The eastern part of Inner Mongolia, Southeast of the Loess Plateau and the Tibetan Plateau are designated as a level of soil zone, which is according to our understanding of the principle of consideration. This vast region has similar conditions in terms of the soil, the development of regional natural historical background. In the eastern monsoon region to the northwest inland arid area of the transition zone, main vegetation types are the forest, forest steppe and steppe where geomorphology is since Tertiary uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and mountain. In this area the loess and loose materials are widely distributed. The dryness is more than or equal to 1.0 and smaller than 3.5, equivalent to the ustic moisture condition. The soil types are mainly Ustic Cambosols and Ustic Argosols. For the agricultural management, dry land is used for the basic farmland. Here a business oriented management system of water-saving agriculture is developed. Therefore, it is appropriate to separate this area for the soil and agricultural production planning.
Table: Summary of each pedoclimatic zone
| Primary zone | Secondary zone | Reference Soil Groups | Accumulated annual air temperature > 10°C |
Lowest monthly air temperature (°C) |
Dryness (K) | Vegetation | Agriculture Type |
| I Eastern Udic Soil Moisture Zones | I.1: Cold temperate zone | »PODZOLS »UMBRISOLS »GLEYSOLS |
<1600 | <-30 | 0.4-1.0 | Coniferous forest | One sesaon, very early crop |
| I.2: Middle temperate zone | »CAMBISOLS »PHAEOZEMS |
1600-3200 | -30 to -12 | <1.0 (part 1.0-2.0) |
Mixed broadleaf-conifer forest | One year one crop, mainly spring wheat | |
| I.3: Warm temperate zone | »LUVISOLS »CAMBISOLS |
3200-4500 | -12 to 0 | 1.0-2.0 | Deciduous forest | Two years three crops, mainly winter wheat | |
| I.4: Northern subtropical zone | »ANTHROSOLS LIXISOLS |
4500-5100 | 0 to 4 | 0.4-1.0 | Evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forest | One year two crops, mainly rice and wheat | |
| I.5: Mid-subtropical zone | »ACRISOLS LIXISOLS |
5100-6900 | 4 to 10 | 0.4-10 (part <0.4) |
Evergreen broad-leaved forest | Two year five crops, double cropping rice | |
| I.6: Southern subtropical zone | »ACRISOLS FERRALSOLS |
6900-8000 | 10 to 15 | 0.4-10 (part <0.4) |
Monsoon forext, evergreen broad-leaved forest | One year three crops, double cropping rice | |
| I.7: Tropical zone | FERRALSOLS »ACRISOLS |
>8000 | >15 | 0.4-1.0 | Rainforest, monsoon forest |
Thermopilic crops, annual growth |
|
| II Middle Ustic Soil Moisture Zones | II.1: Middle temperate zone | »PHAEOZEMS »ARENOSOLS |
1600-3200 | -30 to -12 | 1.0-3.5 | Steppe | One year one crop, chimonophilous crops |
| II.2: Warm temperate zone | »CAMBISOLS »UMBRISOLS »LUVISOLS |
3200-4500 | -12 to 0 | 1.0-3.0 | Forest steppe | Two year three crops or one year two crops | |
| II.3: Plateau temperate zone | »CAMBISOLS »LUVISOLS »LEPTOSOLS |
-10 to 0 | 0.4-2.0 | Coniferous forest, Valley shrub grassland | One year one or two crops | ||
| II.4: Plateau subfrigid zone | »LEPTOSOLS »HISTOSOLS »GLEYSOLS |
-10 to -6 | 1.0-2.0 | Alpine meadow | Animal Husbandry | ||
| III Northwestern Arid Zones | III.1: Middle temperate zone | »CALCISOLS »ARENOSOLS |
-30 to -12 | 3.5-14 | Steppe, desert | One year one crop, mainly winter wheat and cotton | |
| III.2: Warm temperate zone | »GYPSISOLS »SOLONCHAKS |
-12 to 0 | >14 | Shrub and desert | Two year three crops or one year two crops | ||
| III.3: Plateau temperate zone | »CALCISOLS »CHERNOZEMS »SOLONCHAKS |
-10 to 0 | 2.0-14 | Alpine grasslands, meadows local coniferous forest | Animal Husbandry | ||
| III.4: Plateau temperate zone | »UMBRISOLS »CAMBISOLS |
-10 to 0 | 1.0-3.5 | Alpine grassland | Alpine agriculture | ||
| III.5: Plateau subfrigid zone | »CAMBISOLS »CALCISOLS |
-10 to -6 | 2.0-3.5 | Alpine grassland | Animal Husbandry | ||
| III.6: Plateau frigid zone | »CAMBISOLS »ARENOSOLS »SOLONCHAKS |
-18 to -10 | 2.0-3.5 | Alpine desert | No man's land |
Note: For full references to papers quoted in this article see