Soils of Kiribati (borrowed from savekiribati.com)
The soils of Kiribati are young, shallow, alkaline, coarse textured and composed of mainly calcium carbonate.
Because the soils are young they are similar to the original coral limestone parent material and have high calcium carbonate levels and little organic material.
Potassium levels are often extremely low.
The soils have very high pH values of 8.2 – 8.9.
The soils are very highly permeable and have a low moisture retaining capacity.
Trace elements such as iron, manganese, copper and zinc are unavailable to plants
Taano (n Kiribati)
(Kabarabaraan ana Characteristics ma aia Properties tabeua tanon Kiribati.)
Tanon Kiribati a boni boou (a atiba riki), e aki nangi matenten, e tarika, kanga e makerekere ao e bon riki man mamman te rakai are a bon karikaki n te calcium carbonate ke te limestone (rakai), n arana are e kinaaki iai.
Bukina ngkai a boni boou ao te tano e bon katotoonga naba te rakai ike a riki mai iai are e bon rietaataa maitin te limestone iai ao e warereke te tano (bokaboka).
E warereke te potassium iai are e konaa ni kamaiua te tano ma aroka.
Te tano e korakora taorona ke tarikana (pH) are man 8.2 nako 8.9
E nangi mawaawa te tano ( eaki koo) are e konaa n rin nako i marenaiia baai n aron te ran ike e nangi warereke iai maitin te ranna are e konaa n taua.
Kaamarakean te tano ma aroka n aiaron te iron, te maganese, te copper ao te zinc bon akea i buakona.
SOILS in Kiribati (extracted from Kiribati Environment Report 2000-2002 and rearranged)
Generally, atolls of Kiribati are mainly of sand of coral origin.
The main components found in soil are coral and organic matter
Typically the sands are composed predominantly of foraminifer, with lesser proportions of coral, mollusks and coralline algae
Reef islands depend on growth of foraminifer, and calcareous green algae, especially Halimeda.
Vocab
foraminifer – small bodies of shells that is made up mainly of chalk
calcareous – growing in limestone conditions, thus green algae growing on limestone
Basically soils in Kiribati comprises of the following types
The soils have been graded according to its value for farming purposes.
Organic sediment producers are fish, echinoids and holothurians in lagoon sedimentation. The calcareous joints of the green alga Halimeda dominate lagoon sediments. Foraminifera shells and joints, coralline algae, tests of ostracodes and spicules of gorgonians and other alcyonarians, including detritus products, contribute to lagoon sediments due to abrasive wave action (Clouds, 1952).