Morphology, Mineralogy, Genesis and Classification of Soils of the Subhumid Temperate Highlands of the Central Himalayas

Based on recannaissance soil survey of the subhumid temperate highlands in the central Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh, two typical pedons were selected for determining their morphological, physicochemical and mineralogical characteristics. Both the pedons did not show much horizon differentiation. The soils formed on steep slopes over granite/gneiss parent material, having mixed vegetation (coniferous and deciduous), had ochric intergrading to mollie epipedon. Contrary to this, the soils on mild slopes over similar parent materials and under potato cultivation, had mollie epipedon underlain by cambic sub-surface horizon. The soils have been classified as Mollie Udorthents and Fluventic Hapludolls.