Soil types: a table of the main natural zones, their characteristics and properties

The success of growing plants largely depends on the type of soil, because they have different characteristics, including fertility, moisture retention, water and air permeability, the amount of humus and more. All types of existing soils are collected in a table, which helps to systematize knowledge about them and be able to compare similarities and differences.

Features of the main types of soils

The shape of the planet determined the presence of several climatic zones, which differ in a set of their own characteristics: climate, humidity level, landscape, a unique selection of animals, plants, microorganisms and representatives of other kingdoms of nature.This climatic diversity also affects soils, their composition, nutritional value, moisture level, and so on.

At the same time, the main properties of their main types are directly related to vegetation, wildlife and the level of heat. The fewer these qualities, the more scarce and barren the land. The northern territories, characterized by a minimum level of insolation and warm days, a low level of vegetation, have lean, infertile soils with a small amount of humus.

Conversely, arid areas of semi-deserts with excessively high temperatures, dryness and plenty of sunlight give almost the same result, except that, with stable irrigation, such lands can produce a tolerable crop of some hardy crops.

The most fertile are areas with a temperate, tropical and subtropical climate, sufficient rainfall and average annual temperatures.There is rich, abundant vegetation, many animals, actively working microorganisms that do not suffer from freezing in winter or drying out in summer. This gives a large layer of humus and high fertility, so most chestnut, podzolic, chernozem soils and loams have characteristics suitable for active farming.

Natural areas of the world

These are large territories united by a common landscape, flora and fauna. They divide the globe into certain areas by latitude, but not by solid stripes, since the presence of mountain ranges and proximity to the seas and oceans affect climatic conditions and the composition of soils.

Also, natural areas are formed vertically. In the mountains, they are located "in layers": the lower tier, at the base of the mountains, where the most lush vegetation differs from all subsequent ones. The higher, the colder and the less fertile the land there.Natural land areas are divided as follows (counting from the equator to the poles):

1. Rainforests.
2. Semi-deserts and deserts.
3. Savannas and woodlands.
4. Evergreen hardwood forests and shrubs.
5. Steppes and forest-steppes.
6. Broad-leaved and mixed forests.
7. Taiga.
8. Tundra and forest tundra.
9. Arctic deserts.

Each of these zones has its own characteristics and unique soil compositions.

Soil types: table

In order of shift from north to south, zonal soil types are divided as follows:

1. Tundra gley.
2. Brown tundra forest.
3. Podzolic.
4. Grey forest or sod-podzolic.
5. Steppe chernozems.
6. Chestnut.
7. Gray-brown semi-desert lands.
8. Sierozems of semi-deserts.
9. Krasnozems of the subtropics.

Minimal fertile, on permafrost, with a gley layer European taiga Podzolic Acid washingsSlightlySignificant layer of dead plants dominated by coniferous litterTaiga of Eastern Siberia Taiga-permafrostUnheated, with low fertility A littleThin layer of soil on permafrostMixed forests Sod -podzolicMore fertile than in the Siberian taigaMore than in podzolic soilsA lot of dead mixed vegetation typeBroad-leaved forests Grey forest soilsSufficiently fertile4-5 %Leaf forest soils with a large layer of plant remains originSteppes Chernozems Less than steppe soils

Natural areas	Soil types	Properties soils	Presence and amount of humus	Soil formation conditions
Arctic deserts	Arctic	Infertile, unsuitable for agriculture	Minimum or non-existent	In the Arctic desert there is practically no vegetation, a harsh cold climate, little sun. Animals and birds visit this zone periodically, foraging or during flights
Little humus	Cold climate with short summers, lack of heat and excess moisture
	Chestnut soils	Most fertile	10-12%	Soddy soils, nutritious, powerful enough . A lot of heat marginal
Sparse vegetation cover, hot and dry climate with little rainfall

Soil fertility is a characteristic that can be increased with best practices within the capacity of the climate zone.

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