tropical red loam

The majority of tropical soils have shades of colour varying from yellow and brown to red. The reddish colour reflects the presence of iron oxides that form as a result of chemical weathering. At one time all tropical red earths…

…soils of one kind (krasnozems) are developed on the basalt outcrops so common in eastern Australia, and those of different composition (terra rossas and rendzinas) on calcareous bedrock. In addition, laterite and silcrete originated in remote geologic times, when conditions were markedly different from those of today. Laterite is…

…aluminum, commonly referred to as tropical red earths. Because precipitation in tropical rainforest regions exceeds evapotranspiration at almost all times, a nearly permanent surplus of water exists in the soil and moves downward through the soil into streams and rivers in valley floors. Through this process nutrients are leached out…