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Soil and Geologic Mapping Over Mafic and Ultramafic Parent Materials in Maryland
Author(s) -
Rabenhorst M. C.,
Foss J. E.
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/sssaj1981.03615995004500060030x
Subject(s) - mafic , subsoil , soil water , ultramafic rock , lithology , geochemistry , geology , mineralogy , soil science
Comparisons were made of soil and geologic mapping in regions of mafic and ultramafic lithology. Samples from 39 locations were collected and analyzed for weak acid‐extractable Ca and Mg. Identification of parent materials was facilitated by mineralogical examination of the < 20‐µm fraction of the subsoil by x‐ray diffraction techniques. Comparisons and analyses indicate that some serpentine soil units have been mapped over nonserpentine mafic rock. The Ca/Mg ratios of serpentine soils differ significantly at the 0.01 level from those soils formed from nonserpentine mafic rocks. In areas where mafic and serpentinitic parent materials occur in association, weak acid‐extractable Ca/Mg ratios can be used as an aid in distinguishing soils formed from these parent materials. In such areas, soils with Ca/Mg ratios < 0.10 have a 98% probability of having formed from serpentinitic rather than from nonserpentine mafic parent materials.