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Countesswells

Distribution of Countesswells Soil Association DERIVATION:

Granite or granitic gneiss rock

TYPES OF PARENT MATERIALS MAPPED:

  • glacial drift, often shallow
  • glacial till
  • shattered rock in situ
  • deeply weathered rock
  • morainic deposits
  • cryogenic deposits

COLOUR:

Light reddish brown or light yellowish brown

TEXTURE:

Sandy loam to sandy clay loam, often gritty. Soils developed on shallow stony drift, shattered rock or morainic deposits have coarser textures than those developed on till. Moderately or very stony subsoils, often boulders present.

LANDFORMS:

Highly variable, from high summits with cryogenic deposits to lowland sites with glacial drift. Glacial till deposits are generally confined to valley bottom sites and shattered rock in situ or shallow drifts to hill crests and isolated hill tops.

SOIL CHEMISTRY:

Inherently acid with low amounts of basic cations. Generally low levels of available cobalt and copper.

SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:

Potential rooting depth 20-40cm, locally to 70cm, depending upon depth to induration or rock (shattered or bedrock). Weak structure at depth.

SERIES NAME SOIL TYPE DRAINAGE PARENT MATERIAL
Balfour Brown forest soil with gleying Imperfect Drift and till
Bhreac Peaty podzol Free below iron pan Shallow drift
Charr Peaty podzol Free below iron pan Drift and till
Countesswells Humus-iron podzol and iron podzol Free Till and drift
Countskel Skeletal soil Variable Shallow drift
and residual
Dalriach Peaty podzol Imperfect Drift and till
Dess Humus-iron podzol and iron podzol Imperfect Drift and till
Drumlasie Peaty gley (SW) Poor and Very Poor Drift, till and colluvium
Meallmore Peaty podzol Imperfect Drift and till
Moy Peaty gley (SW) Poor and Very Poor Shallow drift
Raemoir Brown forest soil Free Drift and till
Rinnes Alpine podzol Free Cryogenic
Saighdeir Subalpine podzol Free Cryogenic
Spinneag Peaty ranker Poor Shallow drift, colluvium and organic
Strathgyle Peaty gley (SW) Poor Drift and till
Terryvale Noncalcareous gley Poor Drift and till

* Occurs only as component in soil complexes

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