Soil color
[3] Dark brown or black colors typically indicate that the soil has a high organic matter content.[8] Soil in anaerobic, saturated environments may appear gray or blue in color due to the redox reduction and/or depletion of iron.This often exposes the light gray colors of bare silicate minerals, and soils with a low chroma from iron reduction or depletion are said to be gleyed.[9][10] Celadonite in hydrothermally-altered basalt within the Mojave Desert has been observed to weather into a green colored smectite-rich clay soil.[13][14] White colors are common in soils with salt, carbonate, or calcite accumulations, which often occur in arid environments.
soil organic mattermineralogyhorizonsclod of soilweatheringredox reactionsmineralsorganic matterSodium contentcharcoalferricferrousManganesegleyedglauconitemelanteriteceladonitebasaltMojave DesertsmectiteJarositesalt marshesacid mine tailingsacidic soilscarbonatecalciteMunsell color systemAlbert MunsellChromaCalciorthidBibcodeUnited States Department of AgricultureNatural Resources Conservation ServiceSoil scienceHistoryPedologyEdaphologySoil biologySoil microbiologySoil zoologySoil ecologySoil physicsSoil mechanicsSoil chemistryEnvironmental soil scienceAgricultural soil sciencePedosphereSoil morphologyPedodiversitySoil formationSoil erosionSoil contaminationSoil retrogression and degradationSoil compactionSoil compaction (agriculture)Soil sealingSoil salinityAlkali soilSoil pHSoil acidificationSoil healthSoil lifeSoil biodiversitySoil qualitySoil valueSoil fertilitySoil resilienceSoil textureSoil structurePore space in soilPore water pressureSoil crustSoil horizonSoil biomantleSoil carbonSoil gasSoil respirationSoil moistureSoil water (retention)Soil typeSoil classificationWorld Reference Base for Soil ResourcesAcrisolsAlisolsAndosolsAnthrosolsArenosolsCalcisolsCambisolsChernozemCryosolsDurisolsFerralsolsFluvisolsGleysolsGypsisolsHistosolKastanozemsLeptosolsLixisolsLuvisolsNitisolsPhaeozemsPlanosolsPlinthosolsPodzolsRegosolsRetisolsSolonchaksSolonetzStagnosolTechnosolsUmbrisolsVertisolsUSDA soil taxonomyAlfisolsAndisolsAridisolsEntisolsGelisolsHistosolsInceptisolsMollisolsOxisolsSpodosolsUltisols