Revised Proposed Classifications for Typical Anthropogenic Soils in China

Shiheng Hao, Kening Wu (), Ling Li, Xiaoliang Li, Hongbin Wei, Xiangyuan Wu and Bingrui Liu
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Shiheng Hao: School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Kening Wu: School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Ling Li: College of Resources and Environment, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Xiaoliang Li: School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Hongbin Wei: Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Center, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beijing 100035, China
Xiangyuan Wu: School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Bingrui Liu: School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: As global industrialization and its associated anthropogenic activities rapidly increase, so too does the areal extent of human-altered soils. The soil classification framework must incorporate the classification schemes of these disturbed soils in order to remediate land. Soil Taxonomy (ST) and the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) are the most widely used soil classification systems in the world. In this study, 15 typical anthropogenic soil profiles with engineering and technical characteristics from China were selected for a classification study. The aim of this study was to clarify the classifications of these soil profiles in the ST, WRB, Chinese Soil Taxonomy (CST), and Geogenetic Soil Classification of China (GSCC), and make references accordingly. The results showed that the WRB can classify these soils as Technosols in the first level. ST can classify most of these soils as subgroups within the different great groups under Entisols, as well as the Human-Altered and Human-Transported Material classes within the soil family differentiae. For Chinese soil classification schemes, there is a large loophole in the CST regarding the classification of anthropogenic soils. Many anthropogenic soils cannot reflect these soils’ artificial and technical naming characteristics. For the CST, revised proposals based on the WRB and ST were proposed. Based on the artificial disturbance of soil layers, a manufactured layer was added to the diagnostic basis. The Artificalic Anthrosols suborder was added, and it can be divided into the Transporti-Artificalic Anthrosols and Alteri-Artificalic Anthrosols groups. The subgroups were defined by their levels of contamination, imperviousness, and artifact content. The “T” layer symbol was added to soil profile descriptions to reflect a specific layer about technology, such as A, E, B, and C, to reflect the main genetic horizons. This revised classification system is proposed for inclusion in the revised CST to account for the very large and expanding extent of disturbed soils in China and to remain current with other global soil taxonomy systems.

Keywords: soil taxonomy; soil genetic classification; Anthrosols; Technosols; the third Chinese National Soil Survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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