formed iron pans (ortstein-pans) that result in the overlying
E horizon being strongly reduced (Er). In order to view or
sample the saturated soil, it is necessary to pump water from
the profile pit. While probably best left in its natural state
some such areas have been developed. For successful
plantation forestry, it is necessary to break up the pan so
roots can penetrate and to provide some contour so water can
runoff and escape, and to provide the trees with some soil
above the water table. Fertiliser also needs to be added—
usually slow-release at the time of planting.
On the flatter lowlands on the West Coast, many areas
have been converted to pasture which is increasingly being
used for dairy production. Areas in dairy production attest to
the potential of these soils for agricultural use following
substantial drainage and fertiliser and lime input. The soils
occur mainly in areas with a precipitation of 1250 mm or
more and they have a soil water surplus for most of the
year (see Fig. 1.4).
Deep ripping, flipping, and humping and hollowing are
applied to break up iron pans for deeper root penetration and
to remediate poor drainage. Explosives have sometimes been
used to break through the pans to make holes for fence posts
in the Perch-gley Podzol Soils (Fig. 11.10). It has been
assumed that the humus/ortstein-pans were responsible for
the low subsurface hydraulic conductivity but measurements
by Rick Jackson showed that the very slow permeability and
extremely slow lateral drainage was caused by the massive
unstructured silty soil materials in the upper part of the
profile. The Groundwater-gley Podzol Soils are poorly
drained because of prolonged high groundwater tables.
Drainage should be preceded by examination for pans or
other slowly permeable horizons in the soil that may frustrate attempts to drain them.
In the central North Island, pine trees (Pinus radiata)
grow well on Orthic Podzol Soils formed on the
fine-grained, pumiceous ignimbrite of Taupo Tephra on the
Mamaku Plateau (Humic Orthose Podzol Soil, Fig. 11.5)
which do not have the pans and slow permeability of other
Podzol Soils, although they do have low pH and thus
potential for aluminium toxicity. Pines may suffer from trace
element deficiencies, particularly boron. The steeper slopes
are prone to erosion of the low-density pumice materials if
the vegetation is removed so care needs to be taken during
forest harvest.
In Northland, the Densipan Podzol Soils, associated with
existing or former kauri trees, support pasture and pine
forest. The densipan is not cemented but has high strength,
bulk density, and penetration resistance and can benefit from
soil ripping to improve permeability, though the effect may
not persist. As with all Podzol Soils, there is a high
requirement for fertiliser and lime in order to provide effective pasture growth.
Further Reading
Alloway BV, Almond PC, Piet M, al, (2018) Mid-latitude trans-Pacific
reconstructions and comparisons of coupled glacial/interglacial
climate cycles based on soil stratigraphy of cover-beds. Quatern Sci
Rev 189:57–75
Almond PC (1996) Loess, soil stratigraphy and Aokautere ash on late
Pleistocene surfaces in south Westland: interpretation and correlation with the glacial stratigraphy. Quatern Int 32(33):163–176
Almond PC, Tonkin PJ (1999) Pedogenesis by upbuilding in an
extreme leaching and weathering environment, and slow loess
accretion, south Westland, New Zealand. Geoderma 92:1–36
Almond PC, Moar NT, Lian OB (2001) Reinterpretation of the glacial
chronology of south Westland, New Zealand. NZ J Geol Geophys
44:1–15
Almond PC, Barrell D, Hyatt O et al (2007) Quaternary geomorphology, stratigraphy, and paleoclimate of the central Southern Alps,
South Island, New Zealand. In: INQUA 2007 post conference field
trip guide, p 71
Anderson B, Mackintosh A (2006) Temperature change is the major
driver of late-glacial and Holocene glacier fluctuations in New
Zealand. Geology 34(2):121–124
Anderson HA, Berrow ML, Farmer VC et al (1982) A reassessment of
podzol formation processes. J Soil Sci 33:125–136
Barrell DJA (2011) Quaternary glaciers of New Zealand. In: Ehlers J,
Gibbard PL, Hughes PD (eds) Developments in Quaternary science,
vol 15. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 1047–1064
Barrell DJA, Almond PC, Vandergoes MJ et al (2013) A composite
pollen-based stratotype for inter-regional evaluation of climatic
events in New Zealand over the past 30,000 years (NZ-INTIMATE
project). Quatern Sci Rev 74:4–20
Buurman P, Jongmans AG (2005) Podzolisation and soil organic matter
dynamics. Geoderma 125:71–83
Campbell AS (1975) Chemical and mineralogical properties of a
sequence of terrace soils near Reefton, New Zealand. PhD thesis
Lincoln College, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Churchman GJ, Lowe DJ (2012) Alteration, formation, and occurrence
of minerals in soils. In: Huang PM, Li Y, Sumner ME (eds) Handbook of soil sciences, 2nd edn., vol 1: Properties and processes.
CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp 20.1–20.72
Claessens L, Verburg PH, Schoorl JM et al (2006) Contribution of
topographically based landslide hazard modelling to the analysis of
the spatial distribution and ecology of kauri (Agathis australis).
Landscape Ecol 21:63–76
Claessens L, Veldkamp A, ten Broeke EM et al (2009) A Quaternary
uplift record for the Auckland region, North Island, New Zealand,
based on marine and fluvial terraces. Global Planet Change 68:383–
394
Daly BK (1982) Identification of podzols and podzolised soils in New
Zealand by relative absorbance of oxalate extracts of A and B
horizons. Geoderma 28:29–38
Daly BK, Rijkse WC (1974) Chemistry: a typical sequence of soils
derived from air-fall tephra. In: Read NE (ed) Soil groups of New
Zealand. Part 1. Yellow-brown Pumice Soils. NZ Society of Soil
Science, Wellington, pp 65–75
Eden DN, Hammond AP (2003) Dust accumulation in the New Zealand
region since the last glacial maximum. Quatern Sci Rev 22:2037–
2052
Farmer VC (1982) Significance of the presence of allophane and
imogolite in podzol Bs horizons: a review. Soil Sci Plant Nutr
28:571–578
Farmer VC, Fraser AR (1982) Chemical and colloidal stability of sols
in the Al 2 O 3 –Fe 2 O 3 –SiO 2 –H 2 O system: their role in podzolization.
J Soil Sci 33:737–742
176
11 Podzol Soils
E horizon being strongly reduced (Er). In order to view or
sample the saturated soil, it is necessary to pump water from
the profile pit. While probably best left in its natural state
some such areas have been developed. For successful
plantation forestry, it is necessary to break up the pan so
roots can penetrate and to provide some contour so water can
runoff and escape, and to provide the trees with some soil
above the water table. Fertiliser also needs to be added—
usually slow-release at the time of planting.
On the flatter lowlands on the West Coast, many areas
have been converted to pasture which is increasingly being
used for dairy production. Areas in dairy production attest to
the potential of these soils for agricultural use following
substantial drainage and fertiliser and lime input. The soils
occur mainly in areas with a precipitation of 1250 mm or
more and they have a soil water surplus for most of the
year (see Fig. 1.4).
Deep ripping, flipping, and humping and hollowing are
applied to break up iron pans for deeper root penetration and
to remediate poor drainage. Explosives have sometimes been
used to break through the pans to make holes for fence posts
in the Perch-gley Podzol Soils (Fig. 11.10). It has been
assumed that the humus/ortstein-pans were responsible for
the low subsurface hydraulic conductivity but measurements
by Rick Jackson showed that the very slow permeability and
extremely slow lateral drainage was caused by the massive
unstructured silty soil materials in the upper part of the
profile. The Groundwater-gley Podzol Soils are poorly
drained because of prolonged high groundwater tables.
Drainage should be preceded by examination for pans or
other slowly permeable horizons in the soil that may frustrate attempts to drain them.
In the central North Island, pine trees (Pinus radiata)
grow well on Orthic Podzol Soils formed on the
fine-grained, pumiceous ignimbrite of Taupo Tephra on the
Mamaku Plateau (Humic Orthose Podzol Soil, Fig. 11.5)
which do not have the pans and slow permeability of other
Podzol Soils, although they do have low pH and thus
potential for aluminium toxicity. Pines may suffer from trace
element deficiencies, particularly boron. The steeper slopes
are prone to erosion of the low-density pumice materials if
the vegetation is removed so care needs to be taken during
forest harvest.
In Northland, the Densipan Podzol Soils, associated with
existing or former kauri trees, support pasture and pine
forest. The densipan is not cemented but has high strength,
bulk density, and penetration resistance and can benefit from
soil ripping to improve permeability, though the effect may
not persist. As with all Podzol Soils, there is a high
requirement for fertiliser and lime in order to provide effective pasture growth.
Further Reading
Alloway BV, Almond PC, Piet M, al, (2018) Mid-latitude trans-Pacific
reconstructions and comparisons of coupled glacial/interglacial
climate cycles based on soil stratigraphy of cover-beds. Quatern Sci
Rev 189:57–75
Almond PC (1996) Loess, soil stratigraphy and Aokautere ash on late
Pleistocene surfaces in south Westland: interpretation and correlation with the glacial stratigraphy. Quatern Int 32(33):163–176
Almond PC, Tonkin PJ (1999) Pedogenesis by upbuilding in an
extreme leaching and weathering environment, and slow loess
accretion, south Westland, New Zealand. Geoderma 92:1–36
Almond PC, Moar NT, Lian OB (2001) Reinterpretation of the glacial
chronology of south Westland, New Zealand. NZ J Geol Geophys
44:1–15
Almond PC, Barrell D, Hyatt O et al (2007) Quaternary geomorphology, stratigraphy, and paleoclimate of the central Southern Alps,
South Island, New Zealand. In: INQUA 2007 post conference field
trip guide, p 71
Anderson B, Mackintosh A (2006) Temperature change is the major
driver of late-glacial and Holocene glacier fluctuations in New
Zealand. Geology 34(2):121–124
Anderson HA, Berrow ML, Farmer VC et al (1982) A reassessment of
podzol formation processes. J Soil Sci 33:125–136
Barrell DJA (2011) Quaternary glaciers of New Zealand. In: Ehlers J,
Gibbard PL, Hughes PD (eds) Developments in Quaternary science,
vol 15. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 1047–1064
Barrell DJA, Almond PC, Vandergoes MJ et al (2013) A composite
pollen-based stratotype for inter-regional evaluation of climatic
events in New Zealand over the past 30,000 years (NZ-INTIMATE
project). Quatern Sci Rev 74:4–20
Buurman P, Jongmans AG (2005) Podzolisation and soil organic matter
dynamics. Geoderma 125:71–83
Campbell AS (1975) Chemical and mineralogical properties of a
sequence of terrace soils near Reefton, New Zealand. PhD thesis
Lincoln College, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Churchman GJ, Lowe DJ (2012) Alteration, formation, and occurrence
of minerals in soils. In: Huang PM, Li Y, Sumner ME (eds) Handbook of soil sciences, 2nd edn., vol 1: Properties and processes.
CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp 20.1–20.72
Claessens L, Verburg PH, Schoorl JM et al (2006) Contribution of
topographically based landslide hazard modelling to the analysis of
the spatial distribution and ecology of kauri (Agathis australis).
Landscape Ecol 21:63–76
Claessens L, Veldkamp A, ten Broeke EM et al (2009) A Quaternary
uplift record for the Auckland region, North Island, New Zealand,
based on marine and fluvial terraces. Global Planet Change 68:383–
394
Daly BK (1982) Identification of podzols and podzolised soils in New
Zealand by relative absorbance of oxalate extracts of A and B
horizons. Geoderma 28:29–38
Daly BK, Rijkse WC (1974) Chemistry: a typical sequence of soils
derived from air-fall tephra. In: Read NE (ed) Soil groups of New
Zealand. Part 1. Yellow-brown Pumice Soils. NZ Society of Soil
Science, Wellington, pp 65–75
Eden DN, Hammond AP (2003) Dust accumulation in the New Zealand
region since the last glacial maximum. Quatern Sci Rev 22:2037–
2052
Farmer VC (1982) Significance of the presence of allophane and
imogolite in podzol Bs horizons: a review. Soil Sci Plant Nutr
28:571–578
Farmer VC, Fraser AR (1982) Chemical and colloidal stability of sols
in the Al 2 O 3 –Fe 2 O 3 –SiO 2 –H 2 O system: their role in podzolization.
J Soil Sci 33:737–742
176
11 Podzol Soils