Diagnostic properties, horizons, soils and landscapes

For the classification of soil individuals such properties or horizons are used as diagnostic ones, which – as indicators for the weakest or strongest consequent transformation of the parent material and for the complementary translocation of transformation products – are assumed to reflect best the soil genesis. It is discussed how far the FAO‐Unesco system satisfies this pretension. Like soil individuals as metamorphic figures of rock or sediment material soil landscapes can be considered as such of rock or sediment bodies (geomorphic units). Since both are coined by principally the same processes, the soils reflecting best the extent of consequent transformations and complementary translocations of/in the geomorphic units can be used as diagnostic ones in the classification of soil landscapes. Principles of such a taxonomy and its relation to that of soil individuals are discussed, especially in view of the „intrazonal”︁ soils.