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Formation of an Oxisol‐Ultisol Transition in São Paulo, Brazil: II. Lateral Dynamics of Chemical Weathering
Author(s) -
Moniz A. C.,
Buol S. W.,
Weed S. B.
Publication year - 1982
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/sssaj1982.03615995004600060023x
Subject(s) - saprolite , weathering , oxisol , ultisol , geology , parent rock , soil water , dissolution , facies , geochemistry , mineralogy , geomorphology , soil science , chemistry , structural basin
Depending on the mineralogical nature of the parent material and underlying rock, Fe, Mn, Si, and bases are concentrated downslope as a result of lateral‐ and/or base‐water flow action. Dissolution at the rock‐saprolite interface is an important supplier of those elements, which are transported by the base‐water flow affecting mainly the soils in the footslope. Chemical weathering does not always proceed in the same direction. The alternate process of desilication‐resilication occurs horizontally downslope along the toposequence. This approximately corresponds to Walther's Law of Succession of Facies. The lateral resilication process is important in tropical regions because it counterbalances the allitization process and explains the occurrence of relatively less weathered clay minerals on lower slope positions in the soilscape.