Bibliogr. s. 50-51

Cutans occurring in Albeluvisols of the Precarpathians in the Ukraine were studied. The morphology of the cutans and their components were described. The obtained results show that the studied cutans are composed mainly of colloidal clay. Clay cutans in the studied soils are characterized by smooth surface, microlamination, and clear optical orientation of clay domains. It was found that the microlamination of the clay cutans is a result of cyclic material deposition due to translocation of colloids (i.e. eluviation-illuviation). Complex layered cutans containing layers of pure clay, microlaminated clay and silt were also found. It was shown that the colour of clay cutans depends on their composition. Domination of brown, dark brown and rusty-brown cutans indicates that clay minerals and Fe-oxides are main component of such microstructures. Several morphotypes of cutans were determined: sandy-silty, clay, humus-clay, humus-silty-clay, silty-clay, and iron-clay. Most of the identified morphotypes of cutans are a result of mobilization, translocation, and accumulation of colloids within the studied soil profiles. Based on the cutans complex it was concluded that the genesis of the studied soils is related to illimerization (lessivage) and gley-eluvial processes.