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A Lithochronosequence of Soils Formed in Dune Sand
Author(s) -
Miles R. J.,
Franzmeier D. P.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1981.03615995004500020027x
Subject(s) - weathering , soil water , subsoil , horizon , clay minerals , mineralogy , geology , amphibole , feldspar , apatite , rock fragment , geochemistry , soil science , mathematics , paleontology , geometry , quartz
In western Indiana, soils on sand dunes range in development from those with only a weak color B horizon to those with a strongly developed argillic horizon. For this study, five soil sites exhibiting various degrees of soil development were described and analyzed. The most strongly developed soils were on older land surfaces, but they also contained more weatherable minerals in the C horizons. Thus, the increased development can be related to both time and parent material factors. Within a geomorphic area where land surfaces were similar in age, the site farther from the source had finer and better sorted sands, contained more weatherable minerals, and had stronger profile development. In soils containing subsoil textural lamellae, the bands were slightly coarser grained and contained more weatherable heavy materials, especially apatite, than the matrix. Apparently, much of the soil clay originated from weathering feldspars. As it moved down the profile, it was flocculated in the zones containing more weatherable heavy minerals, especially amphiboles, by Fe and Al released from these minerals. Phosphate released from apatite also might have helped precipitate Fe, Al, and clay in the lamellae.