USDA soil taxonomy has six hierarchical levels that are named order, suborder, great group, subgroup, family, and series.
Personally, I found the real trick is to understand the sub type, which is directly related to the local environment.
My clay us of the udult sub type, which is to say we are humid and the rain leaches all the alkaline materials so our base pH is 5. On the surface where more oxidation and composting is occuring, its 5.5 pH.
Extensive soil surveys have been completed and are on the web. They are so detailed in some cases, that by entering my address, I can view the demarcation line separating the soil type in my front yard from that of the hill upon which my home is built, which is a chirty clay.
These baselines set core understandings of general ideas such as biochar, liming, fertilization needs.
Its a lot of reading but worth it. Here is a link about Ultisols. Ulti means ultimate, last one standing. Its the oldest, most finely ground clay. My soil samples in soapy water never settle.
https://www.uidaho.edu/cals/so...
