ABSTRACT
Morfology of Soils in the Talhuen Basin, Semiarid Dryland of the Fourth Región, Chile

Ricardo Oyarzún L.1 y Pablo Alvarez L.
 

This paper is part of a semi-detailed agrological study of the Talhuén Basin, located between 30°24’ - 30°36’ S lat and 71°11’ - 71°22’ W long in Ovalle County, IV Region, Chile. The information obtained led to the definition of five series and eight miscellaneous groups. The soils were taxonomically classified up to the large group category as Haplocalcids y Haplocambids. In relation to the soil’s parent materials, they are of the type transported by water and gravity. With respect to the profiles, three horizons were defined with the following characteristics: Hue between 5YR and 2.5YR, prismatic and blocky structures, coarse fragments between 5 - 30% and fine textures. The profiles are thin and have a Petrocalcic horizon located between 45 - 120 cm deep.

Keywords: Aridisols, agrology, cambids, calcids, Talhuén Basin.
1 Ricardo Oyarzún L. Marcela Paz 646, La Serena, Chile. E-mail: oyar640@entelchile.net.