Science · Soils
Loess
Usually silt-rich windblown sediment; parent material rather than a complete soil order or texture diagnosis.
Wind-deposited parent material
Profile
- Origin
- Aeolian deposition
- Texture
- Often silty but locally variable
- Stability
- Some deposits collapse on wetting
- Erosion
- Unprotected slopes can erode rapidly
Water & soil targets
- Moisture (VWC)
- Site-calibrated; measure field capacity and dry-down
- Salinity tolerance
- Not determined by this label; measure EC and relevant ions
- Drought tolerance
- Depends on usable storage, rooting depth and vegetation
Measure retention, infiltration and layer depths in place. Texture or construction labels do not define a universal irrigation threshold.
Problems to watch
- Gullying
- Wetting collapse in susceptible deposits
- Surface sealing
Stress signs
- Rills
- Settlement
- Runoff
Where you'll find it
- Soil survey interpretation
- Slope revegetation
More soils
All Science profilesGeneral agronomic guidance and typical ranges; actual targets vary by site, soil, climate and season.