Morphology, Genesis and Classification of Two Dominant Soils of the Warm Temperate and Humid Region of the Central Himalayas

A reconnaissance soil survey was carried out of the warm temperate and humid region in the central Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh. Based on the study of several pedons. the two most typical of the area were investigated for their morphology, micromorphology, mineralogy and physicochemical properties. The mountain soils on slopes formed on chlorite-schist under deciduous forest have a moltic epipedon underlain by a cambic horizon. The soils in the valleys developed on colluviutn (derived mainly from gneisses) show a clay-enriched Bt-horizon and an ochric on limit with mollic epipedon. According to Soil Taxonomy, these mountain and valley soils have been classified as Typic Hapludolls and Mollic Hapludalfs, respectively. The classification finds support from their geographic distribution with Umbrepts in their north-east (cool perhumid) and Humults in the south-west (warm perhumid) zones. In the pedogenic evolution of these soils, climate and topography have played significant role.