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Limestone weathering in Eastern Australia. Part 2: Surface micromorphology study
Author(s) -
Moses C.,
Spate A. P.,
Smith D. I.,
Greenaway M. A.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
earth surface processes and landforms
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.294
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1096-9837
pISSN - 0197-9337
DOI - 10.1002/esp.3290200603
Subject(s) - subaerial , weathering , dissolution , erosion , microscale chemistry , geology , natural (archaeology) , mineralogy , scanning electron microscope , colonization , geomorphology , geochemistry , ecology , materials science , chemistry , paleontology , biology , composite material , mathematics education , mathematics
Results from long term microerosion meter (MEM) studies indicate that microenvironments are characterized by different erosion rates. A complementary study, carried out on the same sites, examines the microscale morphology in each environment. Optical and scanning electron microscopy were used to identify a range of features thought to reflect different processes. Under subaerial conditions micromorphology is dominated by biological weathering features owing to the presence of microflora. Sites permanently covered by soil or stream water have only dissolution etch features, though stream sites may exhibit microfractures. Sites with periodic exposure exhibit both dissolution and biological etch features. The natural environment is more accurately reflected by allowing some microflora colonization of MEM sites rather than preventing colonization by artificial means.