Page 42 - GRIHA Manual Volume II - Introduction to National Rating System
P. 42
34 GrIha Manual: Volume 2
At a later date, particularly for landscape design, soil is extracted from other sites. This not only
depletes the fertility of the soil there, but also takes time to adjust/bind to the lower soil strata in the
building area.
Fully paving the entire building site covers the soil with an impermeable membrane and ends
its possibility of replenishing its nutrient richness through natural processes. Since water is also
disallowed from percolating into the soil, the soil eventually changes its characteristics over a period
of time and can pose a threat to the building.
In India, we have several different soil types. The following is a description of how soils are formed
and named.
Nomenclature
Aquic Wet soils that are seasonally or permanently saturated with groundwater, which affects plant growth.
Formative element Aqu
Udic Moist soils that are not dry for a long time that affect plant growth. Formative element Ud
Ustic Soils with limited moisture but present at the time needed by crop plants. In India it is generally during
July-September. Formative element Ust
Aridic Or torric soils that are usually hot and dry. Formative element Id
Psamm Sand and Sandy soils. Formative element Psamm
Orth Common or typical soils generally of erosional surfaces. Formative element Orth
Fluv Of river soils formed on alluvium. Formative element Fluv
Trop Humid and continuously warm soils of the tropical regions. Formative element Fluv
Soil Orders
The nomenclature is systematic. The names of the soil topes end in ‘sols’ (L, Solum, Soils) for example Alisols, and contain a
formative element used as the inal syllable in names of taxa, suborders, great groups and sub groups.
Alisols Soils of medium to high base status and subsurface horizons* of clay accumulation. Formative element
Alf
Aridisols Usually dry soils with pedogenic horizons and very low in organic matter. Formative element Id.
Entisols Soils without pedogenic horizons that have retained the original structure of parent materials. Formative
element Ent
Inceptisols Soils with weakly developed horizons showing alterations of parent materials. Formative element Ept
Mollisols Soils with nearly black, organic-rich surface horizon and high base status. Formative element Oll
Ultisols Soils with red-colour, low base status, and subsurface horizons of clay accumulation. Formative element
Ult
Vertisols Soils with high clays of cracking nature and dark grey colours. Formative element Ert
Names of suborders consist of two syllables, for example Aqualf. The irst syllable connotes something of the diagnostic properties of
the soil. The second is the formative element from the name of the order. Formative element in the legend is as follows: Aqu – L. Aqua,
water, soils that are wet for long periods of time. Arg – modiied from L. argilla, clay, soils with a horizon of clay accumulation.
* Horizons: A soil horizon is a speciic layer in the land area which measures parallel to the soil surface and possesses physical
characteristics which differ from the layers above and beneath. Horizon formation is a function of a range of geological, chemical,
and biological processes and occurs over long time periods (Source, last accessed on 8
Feruary 2010).
At a later date, particularly for landscape design, soil is extracted from other sites. This not only
depletes the fertility of the soil there, but also takes time to adjust/bind to the lower soil strata in the
building area.
Fully paving the entire building site covers the soil with an impermeable membrane and ends
its possibility of replenishing its nutrient richness through natural processes. Since water is also
disallowed from percolating into the soil, the soil eventually changes its characteristics over a period
of time and can pose a threat to the building.
In India, we have several different soil types. The following is a description of how soils are formed
and named.
Nomenclature
Aquic Wet soils that are seasonally or permanently saturated with groundwater, which affects plant growth.
Formative element Aqu
Udic Moist soils that are not dry for a long time that affect plant growth. Formative element Ud
Ustic Soils with limited moisture but present at the time needed by crop plants. In India it is generally during
July-September. Formative element Ust
Aridic Or torric soils that are usually hot and dry. Formative element Id
Psamm Sand and Sandy soils. Formative element Psamm
Orth Common or typical soils generally of erosional surfaces. Formative element Orth
Fluv Of river soils formed on alluvium. Formative element Fluv
Trop Humid and continuously warm soils of the tropical regions. Formative element Fluv
Soil Orders
The nomenclature is systematic. The names of the soil topes end in ‘sols’ (L, Solum, Soils) for example Alisols, and contain a
formative element used as the inal syllable in names of taxa, suborders, great groups and sub groups.
Alisols Soils of medium to high base status and subsurface horizons* of clay accumulation. Formative element
Alf
Aridisols Usually dry soils with pedogenic horizons and very low in organic matter. Formative element Id.
Entisols Soils without pedogenic horizons that have retained the original structure of parent materials. Formative
element Ent
Inceptisols Soils with weakly developed horizons showing alterations of parent materials. Formative element Ept
Mollisols Soils with nearly black, organic-rich surface horizon and high base status. Formative element Oll
Ultisols Soils with red-colour, low base status, and subsurface horizons of clay accumulation. Formative element
Ult
Vertisols Soils with high clays of cracking nature and dark grey colours. Formative element Ert
Names of suborders consist of two syllables, for example Aqualf. The irst syllable connotes something of the diagnostic properties of
the soil. The second is the formative element from the name of the order. Formative element in the legend is as follows: Aqu – L. Aqua,
water, soils that are wet for long periods of time. Arg – modiied from L. argilla, clay, soils with a horizon of clay accumulation.
* Horizons: A soil horizon is a speciic layer in the land area which measures parallel to the soil surface and possesses physical
characteristics which differ from the layers above and beneath. Horizon formation is a function of a range of geological, chemical,
and biological processes and occurs over long time periods (Source
Feruary 2010).
