soil taxonomy The classification of types of soil, in a manner similar to that used for biological classification. In the most widely used system, devised by workers at the US Soil Survey, within the USDA, soils are divided into 11 orders: Alfisols, Andisols, Aridisols, Entisols, Histosols, Inceptisols, Mollisols, Oxisols, Spodosols, Ultisols, and Vertisols. These orders are further subdivided into suborders, great groups, families, and soil series, defined by diagnostic horizons.

soil taxonomy The classification of types of soil, in a manner similar to that used for biological classification. In the most widely used system, devised by workers at the US Soil Survey, within the USDA, soils are divided into 11 orders: Alfisols, Andisols, Aridisols, Entisols, Histosols, Inceptisols, Mollisols, Oxisols, Spodosols, Ultisols, and Vertisols. These orders are further subdivided into suborders, great groups, families, and soil series, defined by diagnostic horizons.