Abstract
Correlations were made among chemical criteria used for taxonomic soil classificaton. The compared tests were: oxalate Δ (Fe + Al), pyrophosphate-extractable (Fe + Al), oxalate-extractable Al, pH-dependent cation exchange capacity (ΔCEC), ratios of pyrophosphate-extractable (Fe + Al) over clay or over dithionite-extractable (Fe + Al), and finally soil pH measured in 1 M NaF. Significant correlations were found among various measured parameters. However, no single test was found to be reliable as a single criterion when applied to the taxonomic classification of Quebec soils. The two chemical tests, pyrophosphate-extractable (Fe + Al) and its ratio over clay, combined with morphologic criteria appeared useful for classifying Quebec Podzols. A few soils, which presented discrepancies from chemical criteria were found difficult to classify, thus suggesting the possibility of establishing new sub-groups in the Canadain soil taxonomic classification system.