Premium
Microband Fabric in Seasonally Frozen Soils
Author(s) -
Mermut A. R.,
St. Arnaud R. J.
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/sssaj1981.03615995004500030029x
Subject(s) - soil water , geology , soil morphology , grassland , saturation (graph theory) , soil horizon , soil science , eluvium , mineralogy , geomorphology , soil type , ecology , mathematics , combinatorics , biology
A distinctive type of banded fabric occurring in sandy, seasonally frozen soils is described. It consists of fine lenticular units < 1 mm thick and 1 to 3 mm long, exhibiting an accumulation of plasmic material in the upper part of the band or lens. The units are separated by planar voids oriented parallel to the soil surface. Such fabric differs from previously described forms of banded fabric recognized in eluvial soil horizons of grassland and forested soils within central Saskatchewan, Canada, inasmuch as the units are smaller, and it occurs at variable depth and in calcareous soil horizons. Although such structure is often almost imperceptible in the field, macro‐scopically it can sometimes be related to faint platy structure. Climatically, it occurs in a region subjected to a high freezethaw frequency and can be attributed to the effects of frost action. It is most pronounced in sandy soils of uniform, fine sand size, containing < 10% clay. Its presence and degree of expression are invariably related to texture and degree of water saturation within the profile.