FAOPrimeValue

-- Name -- FAO prime value

A prime and double prime may be used to connotate the master horizon symbol of the lower of two (prime) or three (double prime) horizons having identical Arabic-numeral prefixes and letter combinations. The allowed values for this code list comprise only the values specified in <i>Guidelines for soil description, 4th edition</i>, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2006, pp. 67-77. -- Description -- Identical designations may be appropriate for two or more horizons or layers separated by at least one horizon or layer of a more different kind in the same pedon. The sequence A-E-Bt-E-Btx-C is an example - the soil has two E horizons. To make communication easier, a prime is used with the master horizon symbol of the lower of two horizons having identical letter designations: A-E-Bt-E’-Btx-C. The prime is applied to the capital letter designation, and any lower case symbol follows it: B’t. The prime is not used unless all letters of the designations of two different layers are identical. Prime can be used for both minerals and organic soils.