Abstract:
The Ampoi Basin is situated
in the south-eastern side of the Apuseni
Mountains. The bioclimatic conditions
typical of this region are favourable to clay
migration process. Because of the relief and
parent material features, in this area there
are Luvisols only on small areas, which are
represented by Stagnic Luvisols and Alic-
Stagnic-Albic Luvisols. In this scientific
paper, we have shown the soil formation
factors, which determined Luvisol
development, soil morphology, physical and
chemical characteristics. Stagnic Luvisols
are spread on the Ampoi Terrace, on quasihorizontal
area. The parent materials on
which these soils developed were Holocene
loamy alluvial-proluvial deposits. Land was
used as hayfields. The morphological profile
was represented by Ao, El, EBw and Btw
horizons. Alic-Stagnic-Albic Luvisols were
spread in the north side of low slopes from
the Metaliferi Mountains. The parent
materials on which these soils developed
were loamy deluvial deposits with
substratum made of Tortonian sandstone
and conglomerates. Land was used as
weakly developed grassland. The
morphological profile was represented by
Ao, Ea, EBw and Btw horizons. The
bioclimatic area was represented by broadleaved
trees-Quercus petraea forest. Soil
response was highly acid (pH 4.7) and
oligo-basic base saturation degree (V8.3=11-
23%), found in the Btw horizons
contributed to frame these soils to alic soil
subtype of this Luvisols. The analysed soils
did not fulfil all the conditions for belonging
to the Alisol class.
