Which specialized soil order, characterized by high organic matter content accumulated under waterlogged anaerobic conditions, is extensively found in the unique below-sea-level paddy cultivation tracts of Kuttanad in Kerala?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Histosols are organic soils primarily composed of decomposed plant material formed in wet, anaerobic environments, perfectly describing the Kari lands of Kuttanad where farming occurs below sea level. Vertisols are clay-rich shrinking and swelling soils, Aridisols form in dry arid climates, and Alfisols are moderately leached forest soils. Wetland agriculture in Kuttanad represents a unique adaptation to hydromorphic soil conditions.