Foreword
Introduction
1 Scope
2 Normative references
3 General references
3.1 Site/profile numbers
3.2 Location
3.3 Geographical coordinates
3.4 Date of observation
3.5 Author and organization
4 Profile environment
4.1 Previous precipitation
4.2 Land use at plot level (checked by detailed
field survey)
4.3 Type of cultivation or vegetation or human
utilization (at the plot level)
4.4 Geomorphology of the site
4.5 Slope length (in metres)
4.6 Slope value
4.7 Orientation (aspect) of the slope
4.8 Nature of the parent material
4.8.1 Modified or artificial material
4.8.2 Natural material
4.9 Presence and depth of water table
4.9.1 General
4.9.2 Depth
4.9.3 Minimum depth of water table
4.9.4 Maximum depth of water table
4.9.5 Nature of the water
5 Surface appearance
5.1 Percentage of land surface occupied by rock
outcrops or surface exposures of "non-natural"
material (e.g. on an industrial site)
5.2 Evidence of erosion
6 General designation - Soil type
6.1 General
6.2 Type of soil classification used
6.3 Soil type with reference to the soil classification
used
6.4 Type of horizon designation used
6.5 Sequence of horizons
7 Horizon or layer description
7.1 General
7.2 Horizon or layer number
7.3 Depth
7.4 Estimation of moisture status
7.5 Colour of the horizon or layer matrix
7.6 Mottles
7.6.1 General
7.6.2 Abundance
7.6.3 Colour
7.7 Estimated organic matter content
7.8 Texture
7.8.1 Description of texture diagram
7.8.2 Estimation
7.9 Coarse elements
7.9.1 General
7.9.2 Abundance (in percent volume fraction)
7.9.3 Maximum size of the most frequently
observed coarse elements
7.9.4 Nature
7.10 Carbonates and effervescence
7.10.1 Intensity of effervescence
7.10.2 Location of effervescence
7.11 Main categories of structure
7.12 Compactness
7.13 Total estimated porosity
7.14 Roots
7.14.1 Size (diameter) of most frequently observed
roots
7.14.2 Abundance
7.15 Density of worm channels (usually an average over
a number of square decimetres)
7.16 Nature of lower horizon boundary
Annex A (informative) - Charts for estimating proportions
of mottles, coarse elements, etc
Annex B (informative) - Reference soil groups of the World
Reference Base for soil resources (FAO, ISRIC and
ISSS, 2006)
Annex C (informative) - Soil horizon designation - Example
of the FAO System (2006)
Annex D (informative) - Examples of texture diagrams
Annex E (informative) - Determination of soil texture in
the field
Annex F (informative) - Some types of soil structure
Bibliography