Question

Which of the following suborder belongs to the order of Alfisols?

• A. Boralf
• B. Aqults
• C. Ochrepts
• D. Fluvents

Hint:

Formative suffixes for soil orders:
Alfisols $\rightarrow$ -alf (e.g., Boralf, Udalf)
Ultisols $\rightarrow$ -ult (e.g., Aquult)
Inceptisols $\rightarrow$ -ept (e.g., Ochrept)
Entisols $\rightarrow$ -ent (e.g., Fluvent)

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
In the USDA Soil Taxonomy system, soils are organized into hierarchical categories: Order, Suborder, Great Group, Subgroup, Family, and Series.
Suborder names are composed of a formative element (prefix) that describes a key soil property (such as moisture or temperature) combined with a formative suffix derived from the soil order name.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The formative suffix for the soil order Alfisols is -alf.
Therefore, any suborder belonging to the Alfisol order must end with the suffix "-alf".
- Boralf: Combining the prefix "Bor-" (derived from Greek boreas, meaning northern or cold) and "-alf" gives "Boralf", which represents Alfisols developed in cool or cold regions.
Let us analyze the other options to identify their corresponding soil orders:
1. Aqults: Ends with the suffix "-ult", which is the formative element for Ultisols.
2. Ochrepts: Ends with the suffix "-ept", which is the formative element for Inceptisols.
3. Fluvents: Ends with the suffix "-ent", which is the formative element for Entisols.
Thus, only Boralf belongs to the order Alfisols.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The suborder that belongs to the order Alfisols is Boralf, which corresponds to Option (A).