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Fine silt and clay mineralogical changes of a soil chronosequence in the Langtang valley (Central Nepal)
Author(s) -
Bäumler Rupert,
Madhikermi Dhruba P.,
Zech Wolfgang
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
zeitschrift für pflanzenernährung und bodenkunde
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 0044-3263
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.19971600311
Subject(s) - chronosequence , silt , pedogenesis , geology , chlorite , illite , sillimanite , geochemistry , clay minerals , vermiculite , entisol , podzol , soil water , mineralogy , soil science , geomorphology , biotite , quartz , paleontology
Chemical and mineralogical properties of a soil chronosequence in the high mountain zone between 3857 m and 4120 m a.s.l. in Central Nepal (Langtang valley) are presented. The soils have been developed in moraine deposits which consist of acid gneisses. They were classified as Entisols, and Spodosols. XRD analyses of the clay and fine silt fraction show increasing changes with distance from the recent Lirung glacier, depending on the time of deposition, resp. soil age. Alteration of illite to interstratified minerals and to hydroxy‐Al interlayered minerals or pedogenic chlorite with increasing soil development could be observed. The interstratified minerals could be identified as random and regular illite‐interlayered vermiculite mixed‐layer minerals. Intensification of the X‐ray signals of the fine silt fraction is given compared to the clay. With increasing soil development differences between the clay and fine silt fraction seem to increase. Indications are given of interstratification of the mica‐pedogenic chlorite and chloriteinterlayered vermiculite type in the more intensively weathered soils.