Soil Site Reporter

Soilscapes


Soilscapes are an easy-to-understand classification of soils used to describe the soils of England and Wales only (a separate classification being applied in Scotland and Northern Ireland). Soilscapes conveys a summary of the broad regional differences in the soil landscapes of England and Wales. Soilscapes is not intended as a means for supporting detailed assessments, such as land planning applications or site investigations; nor should it be used to support commercial activities. For such applications, a parallel service Soils Site Reporter provides comprehensive reporting for specific locations. More detailed soil datasets are also available for lease from CEC.

Shallow lime-rich soils over chalk or limestone (3)

Texture: Loamy
Drainage: Freely draining
Fertility: Lime-rich
Land Cover: Arable and grassland
Habitats: Herb-rich Downland and limestone pastures; limestone pavements in the uplands; Beech hangers and other lime-rich woodlands
Topsoil Carbon: Low/Medium
Mostly Drains To: Chalk or limestone groundwater
Water Protection Issues: Particularly vulnerable to leaching of nitrate and pesticides to groundwater; surface capping and erosion of chalk soils on steeper slopes under cereals is linked with eutrophication and silting of chalk streams and their gravel spawning beds
General Cropping Guidance: Over chalk, spring and autumn cereals can be grown but the soils are especially vulnerable to nitrate leaching and attract stricter fertiliser limits. Suitable only for grassland where there is hard limestone. Lack of soil moisture is most likely limiting factor to yields

Included Soil Associations
0311c    WETTON 1
0341    ICKNIELD
0342a    UPTON 1
0342b    UPTON 2
0342c    WANTAGE 1
0342d    WANTAGE 2
0343a    ELMTON 1
0343b    ELMTON 2
0343c    Elmton 3
0343d    SHERBORNE
0343e    MARCHAM
0343f    NEWMARKET 1
0343g    Newmarket 2
0343h    ANDOVER 1
0343i    ANDOVER 2
0346    Reach
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Citation: To use information from this web resource in your work, please cite this as follows:
Cranfield University 2024. The Soils Guide. Available: www.landis.org.uk. Cranfield University, UK. Last accessed 08/12/2024




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