Entisols

Entisols are mineral soils with very little horizon development. This soil group is very diverse due to the fact that they are in early stages of development. Entisols are either very young (such as ones that have developed on fresh lava flows or recently deposited alluvium) or are developing on parent material that is resistant to weathering.

Entisols cover 16% of the world's total land area. They are common in dry regions such as southwest Texas, areas of steep gradient such as the Rocky Mountains and in river valleys.

Entisols are commonly used as rangeland. Their use for agriculture depends on the location and the properties of the Entisol found there. However, an Entisols productivity is limited by soil depth.

Suborders:

• Aquents (wet)
• Arents (mixed horizons)
• Fluvents (alluvial deposits)
• Orthents (typical Entisols)
• Psamments (sandy)

In the US entisols make up about 8% of the soil area. Most have an ochric epipedon and few have human-made horizons such as anthropic or agric epipedons.

Entisols are greatly variable with regard to productivity and climate. Some of the most productive soils in the world are entisols developed along alluvial flood plains, while the Sahara and Saudi Arabian desert soils (psamments) are also entisols, these extremely dry climates prevent soil developement because of lack of rain and vegetation. Aquents meanwhile are hampered from development and productivity by frequent and prolonged water saturation.