Morphological, Physical, and Chemical Characteristics of Some Volcanic Soils of MT. Galunggung

Abstract

Results of study on morphological, physical, and chemical characteristics of three pedons developed on volcanic materials of Mt. Galunggung, namely BM1, BM2, and BM3, showed that these pedons had a different stage of profile development. Pedon BM1 is dassified as undeveloped, BM2 is medium developed, and BM3 is strongly developed. This is mainly caused by differences in relative age of the parent rocks, and elevation. Although classified as undeveloped, the soil represented by pedon BMI, the youngest, has immediately been used by farmers for rice cultivation because of water abundance, and h i availability of P, and basic cations derived from weathering of easily weathered amorphous materials and minerals. According to the Soil Taxonomy system of the USDA (Soil Survey Staff, 1996), pedons BMI, BM2, and BM3 are classified as Typic Udipsamment, Tapsha Hapludandic Typic Tmpdhent, and Hwnic ~ I Yres,pecti vely. Whitst, according to FAOtUNESCO system (1988), these pedons are dassified as Ed& Regosol, Eubic Regosol and Humic Alisol, respectively.