The shallow soils of East Fennoscandia on massive rocks under lichen and lichen-moss vegetation were studied. The rocks were represented by (i) nepheline syenites, (ii) amphibolites, (iii) metamorphized gabbro-diabase and (iv) their derivates. Besides “soils” as litters on rocks and Podzols on sandy moraines, there was found a unique variant of soil formation as shallow (<5–10 cm) stony soils that were formed on the fine earth derived from hard rocks without any admixture. These soils are classified as Leptosol (WRB, 2006) and as “lepto-podburs” in the Russian classification system (2004). Their recent pedogenic processes are: (i) transformation of soil organic matter in situ, (ii) formation and migration of R₂O₃-organic complexes, (iii) mineral disintegration. They are combined in one soil horizon as depth and fine earth are not enough to form a proper soil profile. Phyllosilicates are present in the sola due to epigenetic (“prepedogenic”) alteration of rock.

Keywords: pedogenesis, soil organic matter, mineral composition