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AN INDURATED HORIZON IN SOILS OF SOUTH WALES
Author(s) -
CRAMPTON C. B.
Publication year - 1965
Publication title -
journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 0022-4588
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1965.tb01434.x
Subject(s) - horizon , podzol , geology , eluvium , discontinuity (linguistics) , cementation (geology) , soil water , geochemistry , weathering , soil science , archaeology , cement , geography , mathematics , geometry , mathematical analysis
Summary An indurated horizon occurs in soils developed in a parent material of drift in Fforest Fawr and the South Wales Coalfield. The variety of soils showing induration, and the depth of induration in some, preclude any specific pedological processes as an explanation of its formation. Fitzpatrick (1956) has suggested that induration and associated structures are relict features of perma‐frosting, induration arising from compression by ice‐crystal growth. Cementation may arise through pedological processes later. Illuviation of clay has occurred in one soil where, also, sesquioxide determinations suggest there has been a little differential downward movement of iron and aluminium in the manner described by Romans (1962) for podzolized soils containing an indurated horizon. The restricted pore space of the indurated horizon has now been mostly infilled with translocated clay. Percolation of water is normally very slow through an indurated horizon, and in this profile has, presumably, been totally deflected by cementation of the indurated horizon. A morphological discontinuity between the podzol profile and indurated horizon has probably been produced by the resulting lateral flow. Where podzolization or illuviation of clay has not occurred, a plane of discontinuity is replaced by a narrow transition zone.