A logical system of paleopedological terms

Standardization of paleopedological nomenclature should rely on pedogenetic characteristics. Logical definitions of neo-, paleo-, recent, relict, foss il, and buried soils and horizons are presented, with criteria for their di fferentiation. Disharmonic intertype soils/horizons is suggested as a colle ctive term for soils and horizons showing characteristics of both neo- and paleo-formations (the so-called genetic soil types). The last known pedogen etically effective change of climate should be fixed as a time demarcation between paleosols/paleohorizons and neo-formations. In central Europe, this corresponds with the end of the Atlantic period. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.