Principles of classification

• Why do we classify?

Why we classify

• The purpose of any classification is so to organize our knowledge that the properties of
objects may be remembered and their relationships may be understood most easily for a
specific objective.

• Classification helps us deal with complexity. There are too many objects to consider
individually. If we can find some common properties or behaviour between them, we can make
meaningful classes.
• Classification also help to simplify our decision-making.

• Classification help us to exchange scientific findings internationally

• To provide a basis for research and experimentation

• To understand relationships among individuals of the population

The process involves formation of classes by grouping the objects on the basis of their common
properties. The properties chosen as the basis for grouping are known as differentiating
characteristics. The differentiating characteristics chosen for any classification must:-

a) be a property of the object to be classified

b) be important for the purpose of the classification

c) be associated with other characteristics (accessory or 999 characteristics)

which are also important for the purpose of the classification

We classify individual objects, for example soil profiles, by grouping them into classes, for
example soil series. These classes then form other objects that can in turn be classifiedinto still
more general classes, for example, reference soil groups. This is a hierarchical classification,
and is common in soil science.
The characteristic used for classification of soils are those of the soil profiles and include the
following:
1. Number of horizons in the profile

2. Colour of various horizons with special emphasis on the surface one or two

3. Texture of each horizon

4. Structure of the horizons

5. Relative arrangement of horizons

6. Thickness of horizons
7. Thickness of the true soil (profile)

8. Chemical composition of horizons

9. Character of the soil material [alluvial, loess, sand]

10. Geology of the soil material [parent material]

Major ways of classifying soils

There are various ways to organise a soil classification. A major distinction is between

natural and technical approaches:

• Natural soil classifications group soils by some intrinsic property, behaviour, or genesis of
the soils themselves, without reference to use. Examples of natural classification include
grouping of soil by ecologic region, e.g. “prarie soils”, “boreal soils”, grouping by presumed
genesis, i.e. the development pathway of the soil profile (These are called genetic soil
classifications) and grouping by similar properties.

Technical soil classifications group soils by some properties or functions that relate directly to
a proposed use or group of uses. Examples of technical classification includes:-

• Hydrologic response

• Suitability classes (FAO Framework for Land Evaluation)

• Land Use Capability (USDA LCC)

• Fertility Capability Classification (FCC)

• Engineering group

SOIL TEXTURE

Soil texture is the relative proportion of various soil separates in a soil. It is usually expressed
on percentage basis.
Soil separates are group of soil particles of given size range i.e. different size of particles which
together make up a given soil.
The main textural classes are sand, silt and clay. These textural classes may be modified by
addition of suitable adjective based on relative amount of each separate that make up the soil.

In general, the twelve textural classes may be defined as follow:

1. Sand: Soil materials that contains 85% or more of sand and a percentage of silt plus 1.5 times
the percentages of clay not exceeding 15.

2. Loamy sand: Soil material that contains at the upper limit 85 to 90% sand and the percentage
of silt plus 1.5 times the percentage of clay is not less than 15; at the lower limit it contains not
less than 70 – 85% sand, and the percentage of silt plus twice the percentage of clay does not
exceed 30.

3. Sandy loam: Soil material that contains either 20% clay o less and the percentage of silt plus
twice the percentage of clay exceeds 30 and 52% or more sand; or less than 7% clay, less than
50%silt and between 43% and 52 % sand.

4. Loam: Soil material that contains 7 to 27% clay, 28 to 50% silt and less than 52% sand.

5. Silt loam: Soil material that contains 50% or more silt and 12 to 27 % clay (or) 50 to 80%
silt and less than 12% clay.
6. Silt: Soil material that contains 80% or more silt and less than 12% clay.
7. Sandy clay loam: Soil materials that contains 20 to 35% clay, less than 28% silt and 45% or
more sand.

8. Clay loam: Soil material that contains 27 to 40 % clay and 20 to 45 % sand.

9. Silty clay loam: Soil material that contains 27 to 40% clay and less than20% sand.

10. Sand clay: Soil material that contains 35% or more clay and 45% or more sand.

11. Silt clay: Soil material that contains 40% or more clay and 40% or more silt.

12. Clay: Soil material that contains40% or more clay, less than 45% sand, and less than 40%
silt.

The textural Triangle is a system which has been developed to determine textural class of soil.

Determination of Soil Texture

Soil texture may be determined on the field by textural feel and in the laboratory by soil
mechanical analysis or soil particle size distribution. The mechanical analysis in the laboratory
may be carried out either by Pipette or hydrometer method.

After the proportion of each of the soil separates are determination, the textural class of the soil
is identified using a USDA Soil Textural Triangle. The sides of the soil texture triangle are
scaled for the percentages of sand, silt, and clay.

The Textural Triangle

It is used to determine the soil textural name after the percentages of sand, silt, and clay are
determined from a laboratory analysis. Since the soil's textural classification includes only
mineral particles and those of less than 2 mm diameter, the sand plus silt plus clay percentages
equal 100 percent. (note that organic matter is not included.) Knowing the amount of any two
fractions automatically fixes the percentage of the third one
Figure 2: Textural Triangle

SOIL STRUCTURE
Soil structure maybe defined as the aggregation of primary soil particles (sand, silt and clay)
into compound particles termed peds or aggregates which are separated for the adjoining peds
by lines of weakness.

Field description of soil structure is split into three namely: Grade, Class and Type.
Grade of soil structure refers to the degree of aggregation and expresses the differential between
cohesion within aggregates and adhesion between aggregates. In field practice, grade of
structure ids determined mainly by noting the resistance of the aggregates when they are gently
crushed.

Four terms commonly used to describe the grade of soil structure are:

1. Structureless: There is no noticeable aggregation, such as conditions exhibited by loose sand.

2. Weak Structure: Poorly formed, indistinct formation of peds, which are not durable and much
un aggregated material.

3. Moderate structure: Moderately well developed peds, which are fairly durable and distinct.
4. Strong structure: Very well formed peds, which are quite durable and distinct

Class of soil structure refers to the size of the aggregates or peds and is described as very fine,

fine medium, coarse and very coarse

Types of soil structure refers to the shape of the aggregates or peds and includes such forms

such as granular, crumb, platy, blocky, subangular blocky, prismatic and columnar.

Soil structure is important to agriculture from the point of view that a weakly aggregated soil
is often well drained, has good permeability of water, air and roots. Such soil is also easily
worked or tilled and thus serves to control erosion. All these are made possible because of the
numerous lines of weakness between the aggregates or peds.

Common agents of aggregation which are responsible for binding primary soil particles into
peds include the following:

1. Colloidal clay minerals which consist of the finer more reactive part of clay minerals.

2. Colloidal oxides of iron, aluminum and manganese. These are typical in tropical soils.

3. Microbial gums; which are gums secreted by microorganisms in soils.

4. Organic compounds; especially humus which are also colloidal in nature

5.Carbonates.

Types of soil Structure

1. Granular: Relative nonporous, small and spheroidal peds, not fitted to adjoining

aggregates.

2. Crumb: Relatively porous, small and spheroidal peds; not fitted to adjoining aggregates.

3. Platy: Aggregates are plate like, Plates often overlap and impair permeability.

4. Blocky: Block like peds bounded by other aggregates whose sharp angular faces form the
cast for the ped. The aggregates often break into small blocks.
5. Subangular blocky: Block like peds bounded by other aggregateswhose rounded subangular
faces from the cast for the ped.

6. Prismatic: Column like peds without rounded caps. Other prismatic aggregates form the cast
for the ped. Some prismatic aggregates break into smaller blocky peds.

7. Columnar: Column like peds with rounded caps bounded laterally by other columnar
aggregates that form the cast from the peds.