E horizons, or Zone of Eluviation, is one of the layers of soil. It is the layer that is below the topsoil, or A Horizon, and subsoil, or B Horizon. It is the leaching layer, and materials that are dissolved or suspended in water in the soil move down or sideways as the rainwater moves through it through a process called eluviation. It is made up mostly of sand and silt because most of its minerals and clay have been lost as water drips through.
O horizon A horizon E horizon B horizon and c horizon
E Horizon
Refers to the downward movement or loss of dissolved or suspended material within soil by leaching (i.e. salts, nutrients and silicate clays. elluviation leaves the topsoil or A horizon and creates the E horizon. Materials accumulate in the zone of illuviation or accumulation in the B horizon underneath the E horizon.
O-horizon (surface litter)=mainly partially decaying organic matter A-horizon (Topsoil)= mainly contains organic matter, living organisms, inorganic minerals. E-horizon (Eluviated zone)= low quantities of minerals,clay and organic matter due to leeching. B-horizon (Subsoil)= accumulation of iron, aluminium and clay leached down from the A and E horizons. C-horizon (Regolith)= partially broken down inorganic minerals Bedrock
elevation
Soil is composed of five distinct horizons. In order from closest to the surface to farthest away from the surface, they are: the O Horizon, A Horizon, E Horizon, B Horizon, and C Horizon. The O Horizon - or "organic" horizon, is composed mainly of loose and partly decayed organic matter such as leaves and teems with microscopic life. The A Horizon is mineral matter mixed with some humus (the decayed remains of animal and plant life). Together, the O and A Horizons make up what is known as topsoil. Below the A Horizon is the E Horizon, which is made up of light colored mineral particles. It contains little organic matter. The B Horizon is an accumulation of clay transported from above as water percolates through the upper horizons. The B Horizon is also known as "subsoil". The O, A, E, and B Horizons are collectively called "Solum", or "True soil". The C Horizon is partially altered parent material. Although this material is undergoing changes that will eventually turn it into soil, it still possess most of the characteristics of the bedrock underneath and has not crossed the boundary that separates regolith from soil.
The first layer of soil is called the O Horizon, it is made of primarily humus. The second layer is the A horizon, this is the topsoil. Then there comes the E layer which is the eluvation layer. Next comes the B horizon which is the subsoil, then there is the C horizon which is the regolith, then the final layer is the R layer which is bedrock.
The O horizon contains the most organic matter. The O horizon overlies the A horizon which is known as the mineral horizon. O - organic A - mineral E - elluviation B - illuviation C - parent material R - bedrock This is the order in which you will see standard soil horizons.
a horizon
Horizon B
When talking about soils, soils are typically divided into various horizons depending on what layers are present. The horizons include in this order: O Horizon <---- (Organic Horizon) - This is the top soil where plants grow. A Horizon B Horizon C Horizon Bedrock <---- This is lithified material. This means that there is no longer any lose soil at this point, and it has been turned to rock by pressure of overlaying sediment or other geological processes. Eluviation occurs in the E Horizon. The E Horizon is also known as the Zone of Leeching. By definition, eluviation is the process of removal of materials from geological or soil horizons. Essentially, this is where most of the weathering occurs in the soil. Illuviation occurs in the B Horizon. The B Horizon is also known as the Zone of Accumulation. By definition, illuviation is the deposition in an underlying soil layer of colloids, soluble salts, and mineral particles leached out of an overlaying soil layer. In layman's terms, this is where the particles end up in the B Horizon after they are weathered from the A Horizon.
1. O - Layers/horizon (organic layer, containing humus). 2. A - Layer/horizon (top soil). 3. E - Layer/horizon (zone of elluviation). 4. B - Layer/horizon (sub-soil). 5. C - Layer/horizon (zone of illuviation/accumulation). 6. D - Layer/horizon (parent materials/bed rocks).