Características morfológicas, físicas y químicas de algunos suelos derivados de cenizas volcánicas en Centroamérica

Abstract

An attempt was made to characterize the morphological, physical and chemical properties of 39 ash-derived soils from Central America, including 60 A horizons, 23 B horizons and 11 C horizons. Although soil morphology was relatively uniform, some physical and chemical properties varied considerably. The dominant morphological and physical characteristics were: color blue, 10YR; texture, sandy loam, loam or silt loam; structure, strong fine granular in A horizons; weak fine subangular blocky in B horizons; consistency, slightly plastic and slightly sticky, wet, and friable to very friable, moist, there were, generally, no mottles; concretions or stones and roots were abundant to common. The levels of OM, total N, CEC and exchangeable Ca, Mg and K were usually high, pH, exchangeable Al and base saturation were variable, and soluble P and free iron oxides were low. The CEC values correlated significantly with OM, silt + clay, free iron oxides and exchangeable Al. Base saturation and pH correlated higher with Ca and Al and lower with Mg and K. Climatic factors affected significantly soil properties such as OM, N, Ca, Mg, K, base saturation, pH, Al and CEC.