Re: Humic vs Mollic Inceptisols

Because a similar level of base saturation (50% vrs 60%) is used in the mollic epipedon and in the ""eutr"" and ""dystr"" great groups of Cryepts, Udepts, Ustepts, and Xerepts mollic and umbric subgroup distinctions are not needed at the subgroup level.

In the Aquepts the base saturation is used at the subgroup level and not at great group level.

Mollic epipedons are rare in the Inceptisol order. Most soils that have a base status high enough to be mollic at the surface are young and have high enough base status at depth to be Mollisols. Thus the mollic subgroups of Aquepts typically have thin dark colored base rich ochric epipedons.