Meadow Soils

soils that form under meadow vegetation.

There are a number of groups of meadow soils, including meadow soils proper, which are found on steppes and semideserts, have a humus horizon of 20-40 cm, and form under the action of groundwater near the surface. Alluvial soils, which have a varying humus horizon, form in river floodplains and deltas. Mountain meadow soils, which have a humus horizon of about 30 cm, form in mountainous regions, usually above the timberline under alpine and subalpine meadow vegetation.