Final answer:
The presence of calcium carbonate in the B horizon of a soil profile indicates that the soil is an Aridisol. The topsoil is known as the A horizon, while the subsoil is the B horizon, which can contain accumulations like calcium carbonate, particularly in arid regions.Answer is option (c).
Step-by-step explanation:
The calcium carbonate in the B horizon of a soil profile, especially when associated with characteristics such as the presence of caliche, suggests that we are dealing with an Aridisol. Aridisols are soils found in arid environments with often quite distinct horizons, including horizons rich in calcium carbonate. The key to this classification is the identification of the B horizon as a zone where materials such as calcium carbonate have been leached from upper layers and re-deposited, which is typical of arid and semi-arid regions where these soils develop. The presence of caliche, a material cemented by calcium carbonate, further supports the classification as an Aridisol.
Regarding the soil's horizons, the topsoil is referred to as the A horizon, and the subsoil is known as the B horizon. The A horizon consists of a mixture of organic material with inorganic products of weathering and is typically darker due to organic matter. The B horizon accumulates fine material that has moved downward, and in some cases, may contain nodules or a layer of calcium carbonate, as mentioned earlier.