ALeptosol in theWorld Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) is a very shallowsoil over continuousrock or a deeper soil that is extremely rich in coarse fragments (gravelly and/orstony). Leptosols cover approximately 1.7 billion hectares of the Earth's surface. They are found from the tropics to the cold polar regions and from sea level to the highest peaks. Leptosols are particularly widespread in mountain areas, notably inAsia,South America, northernCanada andAlaska; and in theSaharan andArabian deserts. Elsewhere, Leptosols can be found on hard rocks or whereerosion has kept pace withsoil formation or removed the top of the soil. In theFAO soil classification for the FAO/UNESCO Soil Map of the World (1974) the Leptosols on calcareous rock were called Rendzinas, those on acid rock were Rankers. The very shallow, less than 10 cm deep,Lithic Leptosols in mountain regions are the most extensive Leptosols onEarth.
Leptosols are unattractive soils forrainfed agriculture because of their inability to hold water,[1] but may sometimes have potential fortree crops or extensivegrazing. Leptosols are best kept underforest.
