Affiliation of latosols from Guangxi in Chinese soil genetic classification and Chinese soil taxonomy

The morphological characteristics and physico-chemical properties of six latosol soil profiles collected from coastal areas of Guangxi were studied and the characteristics of horizons of soil profiles as well as their related taxonomic category were defined on the basis of Chinese Soil Taxonomy(3rd edition).The relation of taxa between Chinese Soil Genetic Classification and Chinese Soil Taxonomy were also discussed.The results showed that there were different diagnostic horizons in the soil profiles because of the different soil-forming factors.Six soil profiles were affiliated to three orders including ferralosols,ferrosols and primosols and four groups of the Chinese soil taxonomy.Since the six latosol profiles collected from Guangxi were not entirely affiliated to some order group of the Chinese Soil Taxonomy,the diagnostic horizons and diagnostic characteristics of soil profiles should be identified and classified according to the morphological characteristics and physico-chemical properties and was named by retrieval system in practice.