Solodized Solonetz (SS)
The soils of this great group have a distinct Ae horizon and a hard columnar or prismatic solonetzic B horizon. The Ae horizon is at least 2 cm thick, usually has well-developed platy structure, and its reaction is acid to neutral. It has an abrupt boundary to a strongly expressed, intact, solonetzic B horizon. The Bnt or Bn horizon is hard to extremely hard when dry and usually has a columnar macrostructure with white-capped, coherent columns that break to blocky peds with dark coatings. Usually the Bnt horizon has many clay skins. The C horizon is saline and commonly calcareous.
The Solodized Solonetz great group is divided into eight subgroups.
Brown Solodized Solonetz (B.SS)
Common horizon sequence: Ah, Ae, Bn or Bnt, Csk
Soils of this subgroup have a solonetzic B horizon as defined for the Solonetzic order and the properties specified for the Solodized Solonetz great group. They are associated with grass and forb vegetation and a subarid to semiarid climate. Areas of this subgroup often have irregular microrelief caused by differential erosion of the A horizons. The eroded pits usually support only a very sparse plant cover.
Brown Solodized Solonetzs have an Ah, Ahe, or Ap horizon with color values higher than 4.5 dry and chromas usually higher than 1.5 dry. They have Ae and solonetzic B horizons as specified for the great group. They do not have faint to distinct mottles that indicate gleying within the upper 50 cm.
Dark Brown Solodized Solonetz (DB.SS)
Common horizon sequence: Ah, Ae, Bn or Bnt, Csk
Soils of this subgroup have a solonetzic B horizon as defined for the Solonetzic order and the properties specified for the Solodized Solonetz great group. They are associated with mesophytic grasses and forbs in a semiarid climate. Areas of Dark Brown Solodized Solonetzs commonly have irregular microrelief caused by differential erosion of the A horizons.
Dark Brown Solodized Solonetzs have an Ah, Ahe, or Ap horizon with color values lower than 3.5 moist and 3.5-4.5 dry and chromas usually higher than 1.5 dry. They have Ae and solonetzic B horizons as specified for the great group. They do not have faint to distinct mottles that indicate gleying within the upper 50 cm.
Black Solodized Solonetz (BL.SS)
Common horizon sequence: Ah, Ae, Bnt or Bn, Csk
Soils of this subgroup have a solonetzic B horizon as defined for the Solonetzic order and the properties specified for the Solodized Solonetz great group. They are associated mainly with mesophytic grass and forb vegetation and a subhumid climate. However, they also occur in areas of discontinuous shrub and tree vegetation with a ground cover of forbs and grasses. Differential erosion of the A horizon, which is common in areas of Brown and Dark Brown Solodized Solonetzs, seldom occurs in these soils.
Black Solodized Solonetzs have an Ah, Ahe, or Ap horizon with color values lower than 3.5 dry and chromas usually lower than 2 dry. They have Ae and solonetzic B horizons as specified for the great group. They do not have faint to distinct mottles that indicate gleying within the upper 50 cm.
Dark Gray Solodized Solonetz (DG.SS)
Common horizon sequence: Ahe, Ae, Bnt, Csk
Soils of this subgroup have a solonetzic B horizon as defined for the Solonetzic order and the properties specified for the Solodized Solonetz great group. They are associated mainly with sparse forest vegetation, a ground cover of forbs and grasses, a subhumid climate, and saline parent material.
Dark Gray Solodized Solonetzs have an Ahe or Ap horizon with color values of 3.5-4.5 dry and chromas usually lower than 2 moist or dry. They have Ae and solonetzic B horizons as specified for the great group. They lack faint to distinct mottles that indicate gleying within the upper 50 cm.
Gray Solodized Solonetz (G.SS)
Common horizon sequence: Ahe, Ae, Bnt, Csk
Soils of this subgroup have a solonetzic B horizon as defined for the Solonetzic order and the properties specified for the Solodized Solonetz great group. They are usually associated with sparse forest vegetation, a subhumid climate, and Eluviated Black Chernozems or Dark Gray Luvisols developed from parent materials of lower salinity.
Gray Solodized Solonetzs have an Ahe, Ae, or Ap horizon with color values higher than 4.5 dry and chromas usually lower than 2 moist or dry. They have Ae and solonetzic B horizons as specified for the great group. They do not have faint to distinct mottles that indicate gleying within the upper 50 cm.
Gleyed Brown Solodized Solonetz (GLB.SS)
Common horizon sequence: Ah, Aegj, Bngj, Cskgj
Soils of this subgroup have a solonetzic B horizon as defined for the Solonetzic order and the properties specified for the Solodized Solonetz great group. They differ from Brown Solodized Solonetzs by having faint to distinct mottles that indicate gleying within 50 cm of the mineral surface.
Gleyed Dark Brown Solodized Solonetz (GLDB.SS)
Common horizon sequence: Ah,Aegj, Bngj or Bntgj, Cskgj
Soils of this subgroup have a solonetzic B horizon as defined for the Solonetzic order and the properties specified for the Solodized Solonetz great group. They differ from Dark Brown Solodized Solonetzs by having faint to distinct mottles that indicate gleying within 50 cm of the mineral surface.
Gleyed Black Solodized Solonetz (GLBL.SS)
Common horizon sequence: Ah, Aeg, Bntgj, Cskgj
Soils of this subgroup have a solonetzic B horizon as defined for the Solonetzic order and the properties specified for the Solodized Solonetz great group. They differ from Black Solodized Solonetzs by having faint to distinct mottling that indicates gleying within 50 cm of the mineral surface.
Gleyed Dark Gray Solodized Solonetz (GLDG.SS)
Common horizon sequence: Ahe, Aegj, Bntgj, Cskg
Soils of this subgroup have a solonetzic B horizon as defined for the Solonetzic order and the properties specified for the Solodized Solonetz great group. They differ from Dark Gray Solodized Solonetzs by having faint to distinct mottles that indicate gleying within 50 cm of the mineral surface.
Gleyed Gray Solodized Solonetz (GLG.SS)
Common horizon sequence: Ahe, Aegj, Bntgj, Cskg
Soils of this subgroup have a solonetzic B horizon as defined for the Solonetzic order and the properties specified for the Solodized Solonetz great group. They differ from Gray Solodized Solonetzs by having faint to distinct mottles that indicate gleying within 50 cm of the mineral surface.
Note: Diagnostic horizons are underlined.