8.1.4 Origin of Soil Order Name
‘Organic’ refers to the dominance of soil organic matter over
mineral soil materials. ‘Organic Soil’ is commonly used for
these soils internationally except for Soil Taxonomy and the
World Reference Base that both use the term ‘Histosols’
from the Greek word histos meaning plant tissue.
8.2 Soil Profile Genesis
Organic soils form where conditions inhibit degradation of
dead plant material and thus the organic matter gradually
accumulates. In New Zealand, most Organic Soils are formed
in saturated wetland conditions where lack of oxygen is the
Fig. 8.2 Distribution of Organic
Soils. Many areas of Organic
Soils are too small to feature on a
map of this scale
8.1 Important Features of Organic Soils
115
‘Organic’ refers to the dominance of soil organic matter over
mineral soil materials. ‘Organic Soil’ is commonly used for
these soils internationally except for Soil Taxonomy and the
World Reference Base that both use the term ‘Histosols’
from the Greek word histos meaning plant tissue.
8.2 Soil Profile Genesis
Organic soils form where conditions inhibit degradation of
dead plant material and thus the organic matter gradually
accumulates. In New Zealand, most Organic Soils are formed
in saturated wetland conditions where lack of oxygen is the
Fig. 8.2 Distribution of Organic
Soils. Many areas of Organic
Soils are too small to feature on a
map of this scale
8.1 Important Features of Organic Soils
115