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Soil depth

The below figure of a typical in situ soil shows the difference between the terms:
  • soil depth
  • soil profile
  • solum

    • The estimate of soil depth of some soils is also limited to the horizons above a pan, rather than rock.

    figure 1

    Rock or pans are not always encountered in some soils and instead they overlie unconsolidated mineral material (D horizons) or buried soils. These horizons can be included as part of the soil profile and soil depth concept. s

    Diagram: National Committee on Soil and Terrain (2024) Australian Soil and Land Survey Field Handbook. 4th edn. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne