Ideas in this flowchart

• NRCS Soil Taxonomy classifies soils through nested categories and a first-fall-out selection principle.
• The classification structure proceeds from broad categories to specific categories.
• The categories are order, suborder, great group, subgroup, family, and series.
• Orders provide twelve broad classification options.
• Lower categories add increasingly specific soil information.
• The information includes water or climate characteristics.
• The information includes diagnostic features.
• The information includes temperature, mineralogy, texture, and local soil properties.
• The system applies a first-fall-out principle.
• The first order that cannot be rejected is selected.