Genesis and ecology of a 'Silcretic Duraquept'

Pfisterer, U.; Kanig, M.; Blume, H. P.; Schnitt, H.

In a moist tropical climate in SE Brazil, this soil has developed at the foot of a hill under rain forest. The relief of the saprolite from which the hill is largely formed causes percolating water to come to the surface at the foot of the slope. This water is rich in Si and Mg. The profile is composed principally of silcrete in the Aa to Amh horizons, which limits the soil available for rooting to 20% of the volume.