ABSTRACT
Morphology ƒ In the alpine belt (at the upper limit of forests), Podzols exist under the conditions defined earlier (humid climate, highly acid parent material, moor or ericaceous undergrowth). Their horizons are very distinct, although the E is more grey than white, because of the abundance of organic matter. They are very shallow (Fig. 11.11). The C sometimes appears at less than 30 cm, so that the horizons are reduced to narrow, brightly coloured bands. These are dwarf Podzols, the Nanopodzols of Swiss authors. The Americans make them Entic Haplocryods: typical (Hapl) Spodosol but with poorly developed B (Entic) and of cold climate (Cryic). For the WRB they are Leptic Podzols (shallow Podzols). The qualifier Entic also exists in the latter system but indicates absence of the E horizon.
