Plateau de Valensole

Location:France
Area:110,723 acres (44,808 hectares)
Species:All  Endangered  Invasive
Climate:View Climate Data
Land Use:View Land Use Data
Köppen climate classification:Csb (Climate: warm temperate; Precipitation: summer dry; Temperature: warm summer)
Natura 2000 Data Sheet:View Data Sheet  Explanatory notes

Soils

Protected Area Boundary
 AB
   
Share60 %20 %10 %10 %50 %20 %10 %10 %10 %
Soil TypeCalcaric CambisolsEutric CambisolsLithic LeptosolsChromic LuvisolsRendzic LeptosolsLithic LeptosolsEutric CambisolsEutric CambisolsCalcaric Cambisols
Topsoil TextureMediumMediumMediumMediumMediumMediumMediumMediumMedium
Reference Depth100 cm100 cm10 cm100 cm30 cm10 cm100 cm100 cm100 cm
DrainageModerately wellModerately wellImperfectlyModerately wellImperfectlyImperfectlyModerately wellModerately wellModerately well
Available Water Capacity150 m150 m15 mm150 m50 mm15 mm150 m150 m150 m
Root ObstacleNone to 80 cmNone to 80 cm None to 80 cm  None to 80 cmNone to 80 cmNone to 80 cm
Impermeable LayerNone to 150 cmNone to 150 cm None to 150 cm  None to 150 cmNone to 150 cmNone to 150 cm
Soil Water RegimeNot wet within 80 cm for over 3 months, nor wet within 40 cm for over 1 monthNot wet within 80 cm for over 3 months, nor wet within 40 cm for over 1 month Not wet within 80 cm for over 3 months, nor wet within 40 cm for over 1 month  Not wet within 80 cm for over 3 months, nor wet within 40 cm for over 1 monthNot wet within 80 cm for over 3 months, nor wet within 40 cm for over 1 monthNot wet within 80 cm for over 3 months, nor wet within 40 cm for over 1 month
Topsoil Properties
Gravel6 %9 %21 %12 %16 %21 %9 %9 %6 %
Sand36 %42 %42 %48 %37 %42 %42 %42 %36 %
Silt43 %36 %34 %28 %44 %34 %36 %36 %43 %
Clay21 %22 %24 %24 %19 %24 %22 %22 %21 %
USDA TextureLoamLoamLoamLoamLoamLoamLoamLoamLoam
Reference Bulk Density1.39 g/cm³1.4 g/cm³1.38 g/cm³1.4 g/cm³1.41 g/cm³1.38 g/cm³1.4 g/cm³1.4 g/cm³1.39 g/cm³
Bulk Density1.41 g/cm³1.37 g/cm³1.3 g/cm³1.53 g/cm³1.24 g/cm³1.3 g/cm³1.37 g/cm³1.37 g/cm³1.41 g/cm³
Organic Carbon0.65 %1 %1.61 %0.83 %2.13 %1.61 %1 %1 %0.65 %
PH86.67.56.37.57.56.66.68
Clay Cation Exchange Capacity52 cmol kg⁻¹55 cmol kg⁻¹42 cmol kg⁻¹39 cmol kg⁻¹80 cmol kg⁻¹42 cmol kg⁻¹55 cmol kg⁻¹55 cmol kg⁻¹52 cmol kg⁻¹
Soil Cation Exchange Capacity16 cmol kg⁻¹16 cmol kg⁻¹16 cmol kg⁻¹12 cmol kg⁻¹27 cmol kg⁻¹16 cmol kg⁻¹16 cmol kg⁻¹16 cmol kg⁻¹16 cmol kg⁻¹
Base Saturation100 %93 %100 %88 %100 %100 %93 %93 %100 %
Total Exchangeable Bases24.3 cmol kg⁻¹14 cmol kg⁻¹15.5 cmol kg⁻¹10 cmol kg⁻¹28.8 cmol kg⁻¹15.5 cmol kg⁻¹14 cmol kg⁻¹14 cmol kg⁻¹24.3 cmol kg⁻¹
Calcium Carbonate7 %0 %3.9 %0 %6 %3.9 %0 %0 %7 %
Calcium Sulphate0 %0 %0 %0 %0 %0 %0 %0 %0 %
Exchangeable Sodium1 %2 %3 %1 %2 %3 %2 %2 %1 %
Electrical Conductivity0.4 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.4 dS m-1
Subsoil Properties
Gravel10 %12 % 8 %  12 %12 %10 %
Sand34 %41 % 41 %  41 %41 %34 %
Silt43 %34 % 25 %  34 %34 %43 %
Clay23 %25 % 34 %  25 %25 %23 %
USDA TextureLoamLoam Clay loam  LoamLoamLoam
Reference Bulk Density1.38 g/cm³1.38 g/cm³ 1.33 g/cm³  1.38 g/cm³1.38 g/cm³1.38 g/cm³
Bulk Density1.45 g/cm³1.39 g/cm³ 1.51 g/cm³  1.39 g/cm³1.39 g/cm³1.45 g/cm³
Organic Carbon0.43 %0.37 % 0.4 %  0.37 %0.37 %0.43 %
PH8.17 6.4  778.1
Clay Cation Exchange Capacity54 cmol kg⁻¹55 cmol kg⁻¹ 41 cmol kg⁻¹  55 cmol kg⁻¹55 cmol kg⁻¹54 cmol kg⁻¹
Soil Cation Exchange Capacity16 cmol kg⁻¹15 cmol kg⁻¹ 15 cmol kg⁻¹  15 cmol kg⁻¹15 cmol kg⁻¹16 cmol kg⁻¹
Base Saturation100 %93 % 90 %  93 %93 %100 %
Total Exchangeable Bases28.7 cmol kg⁻¹15.1 cmol kg⁻¹ 12 cmol kg⁻¹  15.1 cmol kg⁻¹15.1 cmol kg⁻¹28.7 cmol kg⁻¹
Calcium Carbonate8.7 %0.1 % 0 %  0.1 %0.1 %8.7 %
Calcium Sulphate0.4 %0 % 0 %  0 %0 %0.4 %
Exchangeable Sodium1 %2 % 1 %  2 %2 %1 %
Electrical Conductivity0.3 dS m-10.1 dS m-1 0.1 dS m-1  0.1 dS m-10.1 dS m-10.3 dS m-1
Soil data provided by FAO/IIASA/ISRIC/ISSCAS/JRC, 2012. Harmonized World Soil Database (version 1.2). FAO, Rome, Italy and IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria.
Köppen climate classification provided by Kottek, M., J. Grieser, C. Beck, B. Rudolf, and F. Rubel, 2006: World Map of Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification updated. Meteorol. Z., 15, 259-263