Pedologist’s report – Soil characteristics for "Sandy"

Name:

Regosol/Brown Calcareous Soil

Age:

Young by Scottish standards

Address:

Coastal locations

Preferred soil functions:

Often used for recreation (golf) in the east, but is the mainstay of many crofting communities in the west (machair). Has a strong natural and cultural heritage dimension.

Height/Weight:

Depth can vary and the soil is prone to serious erosion

Colour:

Yellow brown, with a darker shallow surface

Characteristics:

Very loose and soil is prone to wind erosion

Notes:

Regosols are very coarse textured and exhibit excessively free drainage. Formed primarily from acid (quartzose) sand in the east, but from alkaline (shelly) sand in the west

Health advice:

In the east, will require fertilization and frequent cutting to sustain golfing activity, whereas in the west seaweed is applied as a natural fertiliser and grass cutting is allowed once a year to protect nesting birds that rely on the habitat sustained by machair soils.