{{Short description|Soil type}} {{FOR | the order in the Canadian system of soil classification | Canadian system of soil classification#Luvisolic Order}} {{Infobox soil |name = Luvisol |alternative_name = |type = |type_link = |image = ISRIC monolith NL-001.jpg |image_size = 250px |image_caption = Luvisol from the Netherlands |classification_system = WRB, other |profile = AhEBtC |parent_material = |code = LV |climate = Humid temperate climate }} '''Luvisols''' are a group of soils, comprising one of the 32 Reference Soil Groups in the international system of soil classification, the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB).<ref name = WRB>{{Cite web|url = https://wrb.isric.org/files/WRB_fourth_edition_2022-12-18.pdf|title = World Reference Base for Soil Resources, fourth edition|author=IUSS Working Group WRB|year = 2022|publisher = International Union of Soil Sciences, Vienna}}</ref> They are widespread, especially in temperate climates, and are generally fertile. Luvisols are widely used for agriculture.<ref name = BdW>{{cite book | title = Böden der Welt | year = 2014 | edition = 2nd | last1 = Zech | first1 = Wolfgang | last2 = Schad | first2 = Peter | last3 = Hintermeier-Erhard | first3 = Gerd | language = German | publisher = Springer Spektrum | location = Berlin}}</ref>
==Distribution== thumb|Global distribution Luvisols cover 500–600 million ha of land area, mainly in the temperate zones. They form on a wide variety of mineral parent materials. In Mediterranean regions, the formation of hematite can produce red-coloured Chromic Luvisols.<ref name = BdW/> ==Description and formation== The main characteristic of Luvisols is an argic horizon, a subsurface zone with higher clay content than the material above it.<ref name = WRB/> This typically arises as clay is washed downward by water and accumulates at greater depth. The clay minerals have not been extensively weathered and are therefore of the high-activity, 2:1 type, giving these soils high cation exchange capacities and high base saturation.<ref name = WRB/><ref name = BdW/> In uneroded landscapes, a lighter, clay-depleted eluvial horizon occurs above the argic horizon.<ref name = BdW/>
==In other classification systems== The Canadian system of soil classification includes Luvisols. In the USDA Soil Taxonomy, Luvisols are typically classified as Alfisols.<ref name = BdW/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== * W. Zech, P. Schad, G. Hintermaier-Erhard: Soils of the World. Springer, Berlin 2022, Chapter 4.3.2. {{ISBN|978-3-540-30460-9}}
== External links == * [https://wrb.isric.org/picture-gallery/ profile photos (with classification)] WRB homepage * [https://www.iuss.org/index.php?article_id=73|title=IUSS profile photos (with classification)] IUSS World of Soils * [https://wrb.isric.org/teaching-material/ videos with instructions how to describe and classify a Luvisol] WRB homepage {{Soil type}} Category:Pedology