The Australian Soil Classification

Third Edition

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Tenosols [TE]

[Pronounced Ten-oh-sols]

Concept

This order is designed to embrace soils with generally only weak pedologic organisation apart from the A horizons, excluding soils that have deep sandy profiles with a field texture of sand, loamy sand or clayey sand in 80% or more of the upper 1.0 m. It encompasses a rather diverse range of soils which occur in many parts of Australia.

Distribution of Tenosols in Australia.
Soil Profile (View type example photo of Sesqui-Nodular Tenosol).

Definition

Soils that do not fit the requirements of any other soil orders and generally with one or more of the following:

1. A peaty horizon.
2. A humose, melacic or melanic horizon, or conspicuously bleached A2 horizon, which overlies a calcrete pan, hard unweathered rock or other hard materials; or partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite, or unconsolidated mineral materials.
3. A horizons which meet all the conditions for a peaty, humose, melacic or melanic horizon except the depth requirement, and directly overlie a calcrete pan, hard unweathered rock or other hard materials; or partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite, or unconsolidated mineral materials.
4. A1 horizons which have more than a weak development of structure and directly overlie a calcrete pan, hard unweathered rock or other hard materials; or partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite, or unconsolidated mineral materials.
5. An A2 horizon which overlies a calcrete pan, hard unweathered rock or other hard materials; or partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite, or unconsolidated mineral materials.
6. B2 horizon with 15% clay (SL) or less¹ , or a transitional horizon (C/B) occurring in fissures in the parent rock or saprolite which contains between 10 and 50% of B horizon material (including pedogenic carbonate).
7. A ferric or bauxitic horizon >0.2 m thick.
8. A calcareous horizon >0.2 m thick.

Comment

It may be desirable to specify a minimum thickness for those A1 horizons which do not meet the requirements for a peaty, humose, melacic or melanic horizon. The inclusion of certain soils with conspicuously bleached A2 horizons may be questioned by some, but it is difficult to find a more appropriate place for them.

The Tenosols will differ from Rudosols by virtue of having either a more than weakly developed A1 horizon, an A2, or a weakly developed B horizon. As B horizons are difficult to identify consistently in some Tenosols, specific mention of a B horizon is omitted from some Suborders. They will obviously grade to Kandosols, and some difficulty may be experienced in separating medium-textured Tenosols from Kandosols. Here again, B horizon development is the key; Kandosols must have a clearly distinguishable, well-developed B2 horizon with more than 15% clay. Tenosols will grade to Podosols, but the latter must have a Podosol diagnostic B horizon. Tenosols also grade to Arenosols but lack the deep sandy horizons characteristic of this order. In cold, wet environments, some Tenosols with peaty A horizons will grade to Organosols.

This third edition of the Australian Soil Classification removes the Orthic term from the bleached and colour suborders.

Suborders

• Soils with a peaty, humose, melacic or melanic horizon, and are underlain within 0.5 m of the surface by a calcrete pan; hard unweathered rock or other hard materials; or partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite. An unbleached A2 horizon may be present between the dark surface horizons and the substrate material.
Chernic-Leptic [BF]
• Other soils with a peaty, humose, melacic or melanic horizon. A conspicuously bleached A2 horizon is not present.
Chernic [BE]
• Soils with a ferric or bauxitic horizon (nodules or concretions) that is at least 0.2 m thick and occupies >50% of the solum depth. The solum depth excludes cemented layers. Genetically these soils may be closely related to Podosols
Sesqui-Nodular [IL]
• Soils with a horizon containing more than 20% of fine earth carbonate that is at least 0.2 m thick.
Calcenic [IM]
• Soils with a conspicuously bleached A2 horizon, and are underlain within 0.5 m of the surface by a calcrete pan ; hard unweathered rock or other hard materials; or partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite.
Bleached-Leptic [AW]
• Other soils which are underlain within 0.5 m of the surface by a calcrete pan; hard unweathered rock or other hard materials; or partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite.
Leptic [CY]
• Soils with a conspicuously bleached A2 horizon.
Bleached [AT]

The dominant colour class in the major part of the upper 0.5 m of the profile (or the entire profile if it is less than 0.5 m thick) is:

• Red.
Red [AA]
• Brown.
Brown [AB]
• Yellow.
Yellow [AC]
• Grey.
Grey [AD]
• Black.
Black [AE]

Great Groups

If a diagnostic feature in the key begins more than 1.5 m from the soil surface it may not have a significant impact on the performance of the soil. Refer to diagnostic features in the glossary for guidance on the use of such features in the classification.

Chernic-Leptic and Leptic Tenosols

• Soils which overlie a red-brown hardpan.
Duric [BJ]
• Soils which contains a ferric horizon and directly overlies ferricrete, a petroferric horizon or a petroreticulate horizon.
Ferric-Petroferric [GE]
• Other soils which overlie ferricrete, a petroferric horizon or a petroreticulate horizon.
Petroferric [EA]
• Soils which overlie a siliceous pan.
Silpanic [EM]
• Soils which overlie a calcrete pan.
Petrocalcic [DZ]
• Soils which overlie hard rock.
Lithic [CZ]
• Soils which overlie partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite.
Paralithic [DU]

Chernic Tenosols

• Soils which overlie ferricrete, a petroferric horizon or a petroreticulate horizon.
Petroferric [EA]
• Soils which overlie a siliceous pan.
Silpanic [EM]
• Soils which overlie a calcrete pan.
Petrocalcic [DZ]
• Soils with a thin ironpan.
Placic [EC]
• Soils which have andic properties and has formed in basaltic tephric materials that may be visibly stratified.
Andic [AK]
• Other soils which have formed in tephric materials that may be visibly stratified.
Tephric [HF]
• Soils with a bauxitic horizon.
Bauxitic [AS]
• Soils with a ferric horizon.
Ferric [BU]
• Soils with a transitional horizon (C/B) occurring in fissures in the parent rock or saprolite which contains between 10 and 50% of B horizon material (including pedogenic carbonate).
Inceptic [IA]
• Soils which overlie hard rock.
Lithic [CZ]
• Soils which overlie partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite.
Paralithic [DU]
• Soils which overlie marl.
Marly [DD]
• Soils which overlie other unconsolidated mineral materials.
Regolithic [GF]

Sesqui-Nodular Tenosols

• Soils which overlie a red-brown hardpan.
Duric [BJ]
• Soils which overlie ferricrete, a petroferric horizon or a petroreticulate horizon.
Petroferric [EA]
• Soils which overlie a reticulate horizon.
Reticulate [EF]
• Soils which overlie a siliceous pan.
Silpanic [EM]
• Soils which overlie a calcrete pan.
Petrocalcic [DZ]
• Soils with an argic horizon within the solum.
Argic [AP]
• Soils with a transitional horizon (C/B) occurring in fissures in the parent rock or saprolite which contains between 10 and 50% of B horizon material (including pedogenic carbonate).
Inceptic [IA]
• Soils which overlie hard rock.
Lithic [CZ]
• Soils which overlie partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite.
Paralithic [DU]
• Soils which overlie other unconsolidated mineral materials.
Regolithic [GF]

Calcenic Tenosols

• Soils which overlie a red-brown hardpan.
Duric [BJ]
• Soils which overlie a siliceous pan.
Silpanic [EM]
• Soils which overlie a calcrete pan.
Petrocalcic [DZ]
• Soils with a ferric horizon within the solum.
Ferric [BU]
• Soils which have andic properties and has formed in basaltic tephric materials that may be visibly stratified.
Andic [AK]
• Other soils which have formed in tephric materials that may be visibly stratified.
Tephric [HF]
• Soils with an argic horizon within the solum.
Argic [AP]
• Soils in which the profile is not or only slightly gravelly (<20% >2mm) throughout, the soil material is either loose or only weakly coherent both moist and dry, may have aeolian cross bedding, and the texture is dominantly sandy (i.e. field textures of S-LS-CS) in >80% of the profile and no layer with a clay content of >15% (i.e. field texture of SL+).
Arenic [AO]
• Soils which overlie hard rock.
Lithic [CZ]
• Soils which overlie partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite.
Paralithic [DU]
• Soils which overlie other unconsolidated mineral materials.
Regolithic [GF]

Bleached-Leptic Tenosols

• Soils which contains a ferric horizon and directly overlies ferricrete, a petroferric horizon or a petroreticulate horizon.
Ferric-Petroferric [GE]
• Soils which overlie ferricrete, a petroferric horizon or a petroreticulate horizon.
Petroferric [EA]
• major part of the upper 1.0 m has a distinct gritty feel and overlies a siliceous pan.
Gritty-Silpanic [JV]
• Soils which overlie a siliceous pan.
Silpanic [EM]
• Soils which overlie a calcrete pan.
Petrocalcic [DZ]
• Soils in which the A2 horizon contains or overlies a ferric horizon.
Ferric [BU]
• Soils in which the major part of the upper 1.0 m has a distinct gritty feel and overlies hard rock.
Gritty-Lithic [JW]
• Other soils which overlie hard rock.
Lithic [CZ]
• Soils in which the major part of the upper 1.0 m has a distinct gritty feel and overlies partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite.
Gritty-Paralithic [JX]
• Other soils which overlie partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite.
Paralithic [DU]

Bleached, Yellow, Red, Brown, Grey and Black Tenosols

• Soils which have a ferric horizon and overlies a red-brown hardpan.
Ferric-Duric [FK]
• Other soils which overlie a red-brown hardpan.
Duric [BJ]
• Soils which contains a ferric horizon and directly overlies ferricrete, a petroferric horizon or a petroreticulate horizon.
Ferric-Petroferric [GE]
• Other soils which overlie ferricrete, a petroferric horizon or a petroreticulate horizon.
Petroferric [EA]
• Soils which overlie a siliceous pan.
Silpanic [EM]
• Soils which overlie a calcrete pan.
Petrocalcic [DZ]
• Soils which contain a ferric horizon and which overlie a reticulate horizon.
Ferric-Reticulate [IS]
• Soils which overlie a reticulate horizon.
Reticulate [EF]
• Soils with a ferric horizon.
Ferric [BU]
• Soils with a bauxitic horizon.
Bauxitic [AS]
• Soils which have andic properties and has formed in basaltic tephric materials that may be visibly stratified.
Andic [AK]
• Soils which have formed in tephric materials that may be visibly stratified.
Tephric [HF]
• Soils with an argic horizon.
Argic [AP]
• Soils in which the profile is not or only slightly gravelly (<20% >2mm) throughout, the soil material is either loose or only weakly coherent both moist and dry, may have aeolian cross bedding, and the texture is dominantly sandy (i.e. field textures of S-LS-CS) in >80% of the profile and no layer with a clay content of >15% (i.e. field texture of SL+).
Arenic [AO]
• Soils with a transitional horizon (C/B) occurring in fissures in the parent rock or saprolite which contains between 10 and 50% of B horizon material (including pedogenic carbonate).
Inceptic [IA]
• Soils in which the major part of the upper 1.0 m has a distinct gritty feel and overlies hard rock.
Gritty-Lithic [JW]
• Other soils which overlie hard rock.
Lithic [CZ]
• Soils in which the major part of the upper 1.0 m has a distinct gritty feel and overlies partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite.
Gritty-Paralithic [JX]
• Other soils which overlie partially weathered or decomposed rock or saprolite.
Paralithic [DU]
• Soils which overlie marl.
Marly [DD]
• Soils in which the major part of the upper 1.0 m has a distinct gritty feel.
Gritty [JQ]
• Soils in which the B horizon directly overlies other unconsolidated mineral materials.
Regolithic [GF]

Subgroups

These have been grouped into the various suborders, but not all subgroups will be appropriate for each great group of a particular suborder.

If a diagnostic feature in the key begins more than 1.5 m from the soil surface it may not have a significant impact on the performance of the soil. Refer to diagnostic features in the glossary for guidance on the use of such features in the classification.

Subgroups of Chernic-Leptic Tenosols

• Soils with a peaty horizon.
Peaty [DW]
• Soils with a humose horizon.
Humose [CK]
• Soils with a melacic horizon.
Melacic [DG]
• Soils with a melanic horizon.
Melanic [DK]

Subgroups of Chernic Tenosols

• Soils with a peaty horizon.
Peaty [DW]
• Soils with a humose horizon and the major part of the B horizon (if present) is strongly acid.
Humose-Acidic [GY]
• Soils with a humose horizon and at least some part of the B, BC or C/B horizon (if present) is calcareous.
Humose-Calcareous [GU]
• Other soils with a humose horizon.
Humose [CK]
• Soils with a melacic horizon and the major part of the B horizon (if present) is not strongly acid but the B and BC or C/B horizons are not calcareous.
Melacic-Basic [FU]
• Other soils with a melacic horizon.
Melacic [DG]
• Soils with a melanic horizon and the major part of the B horizon (if present) is strongly acid.
Melanic-Acidic [FV]
• Soils with a melanic horizon and at least some part of the B, BC or C/B horizon (if present) is calcareous.
Melanic-Calcareous [FC]
• Other soils with a melanic horizon.
Melanic [DK]

Subgroups of Sesqui-Nodular Tenosols

• Soils with a conspicuously bleached A2 horizon and a manganic horizon within the solum.
Bleached-Manganic [AY]
• Other soils with a manganic horizon with the solum.
Manganic [DC]
• Soils with a conspicuously bleached A2 horizon.
Bleached [AT]
• Soils in which the major part of the solum is strongly acid.
Acidic [AI]
• Soils in which the major part of the solum is not strongly acid and no part of the solum is calcareous.
Basic [AR]
• Other soils in which at least some part of the solum is calcareous.
Calcareous [BC]

Subgroups of Calcenic Tenosols

• Soils in which the calcareous horizon contains more than 50% of hard calcrete fragments and/or carbonate nodules or concretions.
Lithocalcic [DA]
• Soils in which the calcareous horizon contains 20-50% of hard calcrete fragments and/or carbonate nodules or concretions.
Supracalcic [FB]
• Other soils in which the calcareous horizon contains less than 20% of hard calcrete fragments and/or carbonate nodules or concretions.
Hypercalcic [CQ]

Subgroups of Bleached-Leptic Tenosols

• Soils with a peaty horizon.
Peaty [DW]
• Soils with a humose horizon and the major part of the A2 horizon is strongly acid.
Humose-Acidic [GY]
• Soils with a humose horizon and at least some part of the A2 horizon is calcareous.
Humose-Calcareous [GU]
• Other soils with a humose horizon.
Humose [CK]
• Soils with a melacic horizon and the major part of the A2 horizon is not strongly acid.
Melacic-Basic [FU]
• Other soils with a melacic horizon.
Melacic [DG]
• Soils with a melanic horizon and the major part of the A2 horizon is strongly acid.
Melanic-Acidic [FV]
• Soils with a melanic horizon and at least some part of the A2 horizon is calcareous.
Melanic-Calcareous [FC]
• Other soils with a melanic horizon.
Melanic [DK]
• Soils in which the major part of the A2 horizon is strongly acid.
Acidic [AI]
• Other soils in which the major part of the A2 horizon is not strongly acid but the A2 horizon is not calcareous.
Basic [AR]
• Other soils in which at least some part of the A2 horizon is calcareous.
Calcareous [BC]

Subgroups of Leptic Tenosols

• Soils with all the requirements for a peaty horizon except the thickness.
Subpeaty [ID]
• Soils with all the requirements of a humose horizon except the thickness.
Subhumose [DR]
• Soils with all the requirements of a melacic horizon except the thickness.
Submelacic [FF]
• Soils with all the requirements of a melanic horizon except the thickness.
Submelanic [FG]
• Soils in which the major part of the solum is strongly acid.
Acidic [AI]
• Soils in which the major part of the solum is not strongly acid and no part of the solum is calcareous.
Basic [AR]
• Other soils in which at least some part of the solum is calcareous.
Calcareous [BC]

Subgroups of Bleached, Red, Brown, Yellow, Grey and Black Tenosols

• Soils with a peaty horizon.
Peaty [DW]
• Soils with a humose horizon and the major part of the A2 horizon is strongly acid.
Humose-Acidic [GY]
• Soils with a humose horizon and at least some part of the A2 horizon is calcareous.
Humose-Calcareous [GU]
• Other soils with a humose horizon.
Humose [CK]
• Soils with a melacic horizon and the major part of the A2 horizon is not strongly acid.
Melacic-Basic [FU]
• Other soils with a melacic horizon.
Melacic [DG]
• Soils with a melanic horizon and the major part of the A2 horizon is strongly acid.
Melanic-Acidic [FV]
• Soils with a melanic horizon and at least some part of the A2 horizon is calcareous.
Melanic-Calcareous [FC]
• Other soils with a melanic horizon.
Melanic [DK]
• Soils with a manganic horizon with the solum.
Manganic [DC]
• Soils in which the major part of the solum is strongly acid.
Acidic [AI]
• Other soils in which the major part of the solum is not strongly acid but the A2 horizon is not calcareous.
Basic [AR]
• Other soils in which at least some part of the solum is calcareous.
Calcareous [BC]

Family Criteria

Note that in some suborders the soil depth may be the same as A1 horizon thickness. In those suborders it will not be relevant to record maximum B horizon texture.

A1 horizon thickness plus the thickness of organic horizons (O2, P1 or P2) if present

Gravel of surface and A1 horizon

A1 horizon texture or the texture of organic horizons (O2, P1 or P2) if present

B horizon maximum texture²

Soil depth

Water repellence of surface soil

¹ This means that a strongly developed B2w horizon in terms of colour development, is allowed in Tenosols provided the clay content does not exceed 15%.

² This refers to the most clayey field texture category. This may include a transitional C/B horizon.

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