Classification of forest humus forms: a French proposal

Abstract

A 2-way classification grid and a nomenclature are proposed for French forest humus forms but which could include mountain, Mediterranean and tropical forms as well. This proposal takes into account our present knowledge of biological mechanisms that take place in plant litter decomposition, transformation of soil organic matter, linkage of the latter to mineral particles and building of the structure in the A horizon. Basically, by adjoining free qualifiers, humus forms may be defined by accounting also for their chemical and physical particularities.