loess loam

definition of loam types

Loam is a type of soil, consisting of sand, silt, and clay. It occurs in various compositions under the upper humus layer in all parts of the world. Depending on their grain size and their formation, there exist different types of loam: alluvial loam, boulder loam, loess loam, and mountain loam.

Loess is sediment shifted by the wind. The dust originates from glacially weathered moraine debris – so it is very, very old. Through various soil-forming processes, the sediment got decalcified, the mineral sub- stance weathered, and new clay minerals were formed. The result is a reddish or yellow- ochre colored, fine-grained loess loam. Compared to other types of loam, loess loam is very poor of clay, which makes it a little less plastic.

This whole process did not happen overnight. Loam is the result of thousands of years of development.