main characteristics of the soil in Nicaragua and its distribution in the national territory.The following are the main characteristics of the soils of Nicaragua.
Description of the soil level of order:
• Soils Vertisol (Sonzocuite)
A) General:
They are newly developed mineral soils, surface horizon thin, very clay, which during the dry season contract and have wide and deep cracks and during the rainy season expand, trained micro relief on the surface, are very deep to moderately deep (who have no contact rocky less than 50 cm depth), soil fertility is high to low, formed by lake sediments or lagoon, tuffs, basalt rocks and other rich meteorizables bases and easily, slopes of 0-8%, also are pending in up to 15%.
B) Location:
Predominate in the Central Region, the Department of Chontales and extend to the San Juan River (Municipality of San Carlos) and small blocks scattered in the Pacific Region in the departments of Leon and Chinandega, in low-lying areas with gentle slopes, generally inclined.
C) Climate:
These soils are in the areas of life Bosque Seco Subtropical until Premontane Tropical Rainforest with annual average temperatures over 24 ° C and annual rainfall averages from 800 to 2300 mm.
D) Geomorphology and relief:
These soils are in the Depression Nicaraguan physiographic provinces, the Interior Highlands, Pacific Coast and Volcanic Pacific, embossed with ranges of plain terrain slopes that vary from 0-15%, found mostly in outstanding 0-8%.
E) Drainage:
The natural drainage of the soil is imperfect to moderate, poor and very poor.
F) Morphological Characteristics:
The features on the order of Vertisols are: the texture of the surface varies from horizon franc heavy clay to clay, colors gradan from black to dark gray and is thin, with a very clayey subsoil texture (with> 60% content of the clay fraction, mainly montmorillonite), and dark gray colors; soils are very profound to moderately deep (60 to> 120 cm), which in dry periods shrink and are wide and deep cracks (1 cm or more across and up more than 1 m depth) in rainy seasons are expanding; typically relief plain depresional macro and micro relief for the large amount of clays.
The cracks remain open (unless they are irrigated) for 90 cumulative days or more during the year, but not throughout the year. They are extended in depressions, plains and plateaus with slow runoff.
G) Chemical characteristics:
Organic matter content in the value of Vertisols are moderately high to low, pH is extremely acid to slightly acid, cation exchange capacity is very high in the medium, with high content of calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg ), potassium (K) and sodium (Na), the percentage of the base saturation is high and show differences in the percentage of carbonates.
H) Use potential:
Due to the limitations textural and internal drainage, these soils are mostly adequate, with irrigation for crops such as rice, sugarcane, sorghum and forest exploitation.
•Soils Entisols
A) General:Aof genetic horizons, the majority do not possess the horizon surface with some level of development, but when it is has colored (epipedón ócrico) or dark (epipedón úmbrico), depth varies from very deep to superficial relief plane at a very steep, soil fertility is high to low, in some soils floods are frequent and extended during the rainy season.
B) Location:
Predominate in the North Central Region in the departments of Nueva Segovia, Madriz and others blocks scattered in the Pacific Region and extend from the Department of Chinandega to the Department of Rivas in the Pacific coastline. Atlantic small blocks scattered on the coast from Bismuna Lagoon to the north to San Juan de Nicaragua to the south.
C) Climate:
These soils are in the areas of life from Subtropical Forest dry up very humid Premontane Tropical Forest, with annual average temperatures ranging between 18 ° and 27 ° C with average annual rainfall of 800 mm to 6000.
D) Geomorphology and relief:
These soils are in the provinces Volcanic Pacific Coast of the Pacific, Atlantic Coastal Plain and the Interior Highlands, slope ranges of terrain ranging from 0.5% to 75% or more.
E) Drainage:
The internal drainage of these soils vary from excessive moderately good, good, poor to very poor.
F) Morphological Characteristics:
Textures both surface and subsurface vary from sandy to clay, with colors ranging from brown to dark. The depths are very superficial surface (<25-40 cm) in relief steep and subject to erosion active; very superficial to deep (<25 to> 90 cm) in the plains, with a touch stone (rock) to less than 50 cm deep, or an underground quarry that has no evidence of developing and introducing thick textures, particle size varies, with or without rock fragments within the soil profile or on the surface. The water table varies from very superficial to very deep and very frequent and prolonged flooding in some areas during the rainy season.
G) Chemical characteristics:
The content of organic matter in these soils varies from high to low, pH is extremely acid to moderately alkaline, the cation exchange capacity has values medium to very low and the percent saturation bases is high to low.
H) Use potential:
These soils are not recommended for agricultural crops, its proper use is forest or natural vegetation, pasture varieties adaptable to the conditions and conservation of flora and fauna.