Soils of the European Union - European Soil Portal - Europa

4.15 LuvisolsGeographical distributionLuvisols, with nearly 15% share (over 610,000 km 2 ) in the area coverage constitute the second largest Reference SoilGroup of the European Union. Apart from the northernmost regions of Europe, Luviosls can be found in all parts of thecontinent, either as dominant, associated or inclusion soils.The nine different units of the Reference Soil Group indicate the diversity of the European Luvisols (Table 4.15., Figure4.15)Table 4.15 Area of the second level units of LuvisolsUnits in the Reference Soil Groupin the EUCodes ofsoil unitsArea in the EUkm 2Albic Luvisol LVab 5431Arenic Luvisol LVar 16370Calcic Luvisol LVcc 12165Chromic Luvisol LVcr 110259Dystric Luvisol LVdy 1669Ferric Luvisol LVfr 1897Gleyic Luvisol LVgl 187539Haplic Luvisol LVha 266017Vertic Luvisol LVvr 9593Most Albic Luviols are located in Central-Europe, but they can be found in a few regions of France too. Arenic Albeluviolsare present in nine counties of the EU while Hungary and the eastern part of Germany have the largest proportions of them.Most Calcic Luviosls are shared between the three Baltic States and the two Iberians, but to limited extent they are presentin Cyprus, Romania, Sardinia and in the French Alps too. Bulgaria has the highest share of Chromic Luviols within itsarea. However, these soils are present from Greece to England. Dystric Luvisols are dominant in some mapping units inSlovakia and associated to a few in eastern-central France. While all Ferric Luviols of the EU are in Portugal, GleyicLuviols can be found all around the continent (and is the most important soil in Latvia). Haplic Luviols are distributedaround the continent and are the major soils of Ireland and Belgium. Vertic Luviosls are located only in Portugal, Spain,Greece and France.0.89% 1.99%1.57% 2.68%18.05%0.27%43.54% 30.70%0.31%LVabLVarLVccLVcrLVdyLVfrLVglLVhaLVvrFigure 4.15 Share of the second level soil units in the area of LuvisolsGlobal referenceLuvisols extend to approximately 6 million km 2 world-wide, for the greater part in temperate regions.Luvisols show marked textural differences within the profile. The surface horizon is depleted in clay while the subsurface‘argic’ horizon has accumulated clay. A wide range of parent materials and environmental conditions lead to a greatdiversity of soils in this Reference Soil Group.Most Luvisols have favourable physical properties: these are porous and well aerated. Chemical properties and nutrientstatus varies with parent material and pedogenetic history that also determine the options of land utilization.Other names used for this soil type include Pseudo-podzolic soil (Russia), sols lessivés (France), Parabraunerde (Germany)and Alfisols (Soil Taxonomy).40