Matos, Manuel

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  • Publication
    Taxonomic classification of the soils of Puerto Rico, 2017
    (2018-01) Muñoz, Miguel A.; Lugo, Wanda I.; Santiago, Carmen; Matos, Manuel; Ríos, Samuel; Lugo, Jorge; College of Agricultural Sciences; Agricultural Experimental Station
    The ecological diversity of Puerto Rico is reflected in the diversity of its soils. Ten of the 12 soil orders established by Soil Taxonomy, the official system of soil classification of the United States National Cooperative Soil Survey, are present in Puerto Rico. This report updates a previous publication on the taxonomic classification of the soils of Puerto Rico. It incorporates new categories of soils not recognized at the time of the previous publication, including Aridisols and soils with perudic moisture regimes. Several new soil series have been identified, and others have been eliminated or renamed responding to new data that has become available. The current revised publication is presented in a similar format as the previous one, incorporating tables that are easy to follow, and which conform to different user needs. The Spanish meaning of formative elements for orders and suborders was added to this publication, complementing the English counterpart. A new section has been added containing photos of soil profiles and associated landscapes representing the different soil orders on the Island, providing users with a vivid and appealing view of the diversity of Puerto Rican soils. Two maps of soil orders are included, one representing a previous (1960-1982) classification and another representing the current classification. The new map incorporates recently recognized Aridisols and new Oxisols, which were formerly mapped as Ultisols. The Aridisols in the current map are restricted to the southwest part of the Island, but it is believed that other Aridisol pockets may exist along the south coastal zone. Soil Taxonomy is a dynamic system, constantly in revision to incorporate new knowledge stemming from field and laboratory research. Thus, future revisions are expected to emerge down the road.