pedalfer

English

Etymology

From pedo- (“soil”) +‎ Latin al(umen) + fer(rum).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pəˈdælfəɹ/

Noun

pedalfer (plural pedalfers)

1. (geology) Soil containing aluminum and iron that lacks a hardened layer of carbonates.
   • 1976, Anthony Young, Tropical Soils and Soil Survey, Cambridge University Press, published 1980, page 130:

     In respect of properties of the fine fraction, lithosols may be pedalfers or pedocals, but their morphology is dominated by rock, stones or concretionary material. Regosols, immature soils on sands, are included in this group for convenience.

   • 1995, Terry R. West, Geology Applied to Engineering, published 2010, page 160:

     The three most important groups are pedalfers, pedocals, and laterites. […] A pedalfer is a soil in which much clay and iron have been added to the B horizon.

   • 2012, William M. Marsh, Martin M. Kaufman, Physical Geography: Great Systems and Global Environments, page 315:

     These are called the pedocals and pedalfers. Pedalfers are humid-climate soils where leaching is dominant. The al and the fer in the pedalfer refer to the concentrations of aluminum and iron (ferum) that are found in the zone of illuviation.

Derived terms

• pedalferic

See also

• laterite
• lithosol
• pedocal
• FAO soil classification on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• USDA soil taxonomy on Wikipedia.Wikipedia