SANDBANK SPODOSOLS

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to perform a review of the existing literature on sandbank Spodosols. Spodosols are soils rich in acid and poor in exchangeable bases. From the physical standpoint, they are usually sandy in texture and have a very low water- and nutrient-retention capacity. They also have draining problems in the basin positions, where hardened horizons block the percolation of water. These horizons are formed by the podzolization process that consists of the translocation of organic material and Al, with or without Fe, from surface horizons to subsurface horizons, generating the spodic horizon. Understanding these soils is of major importance to the environmental studies in sandbanks, provided that they are more representative and little known. This study will subsidize environmental conservation and recovery measures in the sandbank ecosystems.