Raw Soils [W]

Infant soils that may never grow older because of active erosion or sedimentation

Raw Soils are very young soils. They lack distinct topsoil development or are fluid at a shallow depth. They occur in environments where the development of topsoils is prevented by rockiness, by active erosion, or by deposition.

Occurrence

Raw Soils are scattered throughout New Zealand, particularly in association with high mountains (alpine rock areas and active screes), braided rivers, beaches and tidal estuaries. They cover 3% of New Zealand.

Physical properties

Raw Soils have no B horizon, and a topsoil is either absent or less than 5 cm thick. Most occur in environments with active erosion or deposition. Fluid soils have a continuously high water-table.

Chemical properties

Fertility is limited by lack of organic matter and nitrogen deficiency.

Biological properties

Vegetation cover is sparse and often consists of ephemeral herbaceous plants, mosses, or lichens.

View map of Raw Soils

Soil groups

Soil orders are divided into soil groups based on variation in factors such as drainage status, parent material, chemical and physical properties:

[WG] Gley Raw Soils — periodically wet
[WH] Hydrothermal Raw Soils — soils naturally warmed by geothermal activity
[WX] Rocky Raw Soils — rock at shallow depths
[WS] Sandy Raw Soils — dominated by sand or loamy sand to depth
[WF] Fluvial Raw Soils — in sediments deposited by flowing water
[WT] Tephric Raw Soils — in sediments originating as volcanic ejecta
[WO] Orthic Raw Soils — other Raw Soils

Distribution maps

Distribution of Gley Raw Soil

Distribution of Hydrothermal Raw Soil

Distribution of Rocky Raw Soil

Distribution of Sandy Raw Soil

Distribution of Fluvial Raw Soil

Distribution of Tephric Raw Soil

Distribution of Orthic Raw Soil

Find related content

Soil classification NZSC

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