CRYPTOPODZOLIC SOILS IN SWITZERLAND

Cryptopodzolic Soils are characterized by a thick blackish-brown miner al horizon rich in organic matter, the dark colour of which masks the morphological characteristics of podzolization. Little is known about the specific site factors that lead to the formation of these soils. F our representative soil profiles from a typical toposequence between 1 700 and 500 m above sea level in southern Switzerland, embracing Hapli c Podzols, Humic Cambisols and Cryptopodzolic Soils, are described mor phologically, chemically and physically. The Cryptopodzolic Soils in t his region are characterized by weak to moderate Al and Fe translocati on, and by a uniform incorporation of organic matter deep into the soi l. The most prominent feature is the exceptional stability of the soil organic matter with a maximum in the spodic horizon. All these charac teristics can be explained by the unique combined effect of a mild, we t climate, an Fe-and Al-rich acid bedrock and a litter layer providing dissolved organic matter rich in polyphenolic substances with strong metal-binding properties.