# Cutans

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'''Cutans''' are the modification of the [soil texture](/source/soil_texture), or [soil structure](/source/soil_structure), at natural surfaces (particle, pore, or ped) in soil materials due to [illuviation](/source/illuvium). Cutans are oriented deposits<ref>{{cite web | title = Glossary of Soil Science Terms | publisher = [Soil Science Society of America](/source/Soil_Science_Society_of_America) | url = http://www.soils.org/sssagloss/index.php | accessdate = 2006-11-10 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20060927234111/http://www.soils.org/sssagloss/index.php | archivedate = 2006-09-27 }}</ref> which can be composed of any of the component substances of the soil material.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/plymouth/programs/ped.html | title = Pedological features | author = Richard Drees | accessdate = 2006-10-17 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060918174712/http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/plymouth/programs/ped.html | archive-date = 2006-09-18 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Cutans are common features in soil and represent focuses of chemical and biological reactions. Cutans may include [clay](/source/clay) skins or coatings of [silica](/source/silica), [sesquioxide](/source/sesquioxide), [manganese](/source/manganese), [ferromanganese](/source/ferromanganese), [soil organic matter](/source/soil_organic_matter) or [carbonate](/source/carbonate).<ref>{{cite web | url = http://home.entouch.net/dmd/paleosol.htm | title = Paleosols | author = Jonathan Clark | accessdate = 2006-10-17 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20061026205314/http://home.entouch.net/dmd/paleosol.htm | archivedate = 2006-10-26 }}</ref> Clay skins are also called argillans, and [soil horizons](/source/soil_horizons) with sufficient clay illuviation are termed argillic horizons.

==Significance==
Cutans provide physical evidence, observable in the field, as to the degree and nature of [pedogenesis](/source/pedogenesis). The ability to assess cutans is a core skill in [soil morphology](/source/soil_morphology) and [paleopedology](/source/paleopedology).

==See also==
*[Alfisols](/source/Alfisols)
*[Soil profile](/source/Soil_profile)

==References==
<references/>

Category:Pedology
Category:Sedimentology

{{Sedimentology-stub}}

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