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 |
All information Copyright, Cranfield University © 2024
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 19/04/2024
