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A Leptosol in the FAO World Reference Base for Soil Resources is a very shallow soil over hard rock or highly calcareous material or a deeper soil that is extremely gravelly and/or stony. These soils are particularly common in mountain regions. In the FAO soil classification for the 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 on eart.
Leptosols are unattractive soils for agriculture. They could have some potential for tree crops or extensive grazing. Leptosols are best kept under forest.
Leptosols cover approximately 1655 million hectares of the earth surface. They are found from the tropics to the cold polar regions and from sea level to the highest mountains. Leptosols are particularly widespread in mountain areas, notably in Asia and South America, in the Saharan and Arabian deserts, northern Canada and Alaska. Elsewhere, Leptosols can be found on hard rocks or where erosion has kept pace with soil formation or removed the top of the soil.
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