Soils of the European Union - European Soil Portal - Europa

4.18 PodzolsGeographical distributionThe Podzol Reference Soil Group is the third most widespread in the European Union, covering more than 0.5 million km 2or 13.66% of its total area. Podzols are dominant in 1,771 polygons, they are associated soils in 2,265 and inclusions in1,960 associations. While vast areas of Podzols are found in the Scandinavian countries, this Reference Soil Group ispresent in twenty-two Member States of the EU and is only absent in Hungary, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Malta and Cyprus.Five Podzol units are distinguished in the European Union. Haplic Podzols have the highest share of their areas. (Table4.18, Figure 4.18)Table 4.18 Area of the second level units of PodzolsUnits in the Reference Soil Groupin the EUCodes ofsoil unitsArea in the EUkm 2Gleyic Podzol PZgl 53836Haplic Podzol PZha 401332Leptic Podzol PZle 73945Placic Podzol PZpi 20146Umbric Podzol PZum 17616The majority of Gleyic Podzols are located north of the 41 o N latitude. However, some can be found in Austria andPortugal. The locations of Haplic Podzols show the general pattern of the Reference Soil Group. This is the major soil typeof Finland, covering most of its area. Leptic Podzols are most frequent in Poland, but they represent large continuous areasin central-France and in the Carpathian Mountain as well. Placic Podzol is the major unit of the Reference Soil Group inthe United Kingdom and Ireland. Umbric Podzols are the most characteristic for Belgium, but also found in nine EUMember States.13.05% 3.55% 3.11% 9.50%PZglPZhaPZlePZpiPZum70.80%Global referenceFigure 4.18 Share of the second level soil units in the area of PodzolsPodzols cover 4.85 million km 2 globally, mainly in temperate and boreal regions on the Northern Hemisphere.Most Podzols develop in humid, well drained areas, particularly, in the Boreal and Temperate Zones, on unconsolidatedweathering materials of siliceous rock, prominent on glacial till, and alluvial and aeolian deposits of quartzitic sands. In theboreal zone Podzols occur on almost any rock. Podzols are associated with soils that have evidence of displacement oforganic-iron/aluminium complexes but not strong enough to qualify as Podzols.Main feature of podzol formation is the migration of aluminium, iron and organic compounds from the surface soil down todeeper layers with percolating rainwater. The humus complexes deposit in an accumulation (spodic) horizon while theoverlying soil is left behind as a strongly bleached.Due to the limiting climatic conditions Zonal Podzols generally have low suitability for agricultural production. Azonalpodzols can be utilized for agricultural use after amelioration (e.g deep ploughing, liming).The name Podzol is common to most national and international soil classification systems; the SoilTaxonomy refers tothese soils as Spodosols.46