ABSTRACT
We shall now examine a family of soils the most mature of which is called ‘Podzol’, referring to two Russian words meaning ‘below’ (pod) and ‘ash’ (zola) (Lundström et al. 2000a). Indeed the Podzol presents, just below the surface, a bleached and depleted horizon that resembles ash. Because of its contrasting horizons and bright colours it is one of the most spectacular soils in Nature. But this strange beauty is not synonymous with fertility! Its genesis has only been understood recently, and explains the formation of other less evolved members of the same family. Relevant reviews have been published (Souchier 1984; Pédro 1986; Lundström et al. 2000b).
