Ornithogenic material (WRB)

Ornithogenic material is one of the diagnostic materials used, in the WRB system, to discriminate some soils from others.

Description

Ornithogenic material (from Greek ornithos, bird, and genesis, origin) is material with strong influence of bird excrement. It often has a high content of gravel that has been transported by birds.

Diagnostic criteria

Ornithogenic material has :

• remnants of birds or bird activity (bones, feathers, and sorted gravel of similar size)

and :

• a P₂O₅ content of 0.25 percent or more in 1-percent citric acid

See also

• The FAO reference text, (2007 version)