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Salt Distribution and Hardpans at Dryland Saline Seeps in Southern Alberta
Author(s) -
Sommerfeldt T. G.,
Chang C.,
Lamond B. J.
Publication year - 1990
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/sssaj1990.03615995005400010021x
Subject(s) - transect , geology , soil water , precipitation , hydrology (agriculture) , soil salinity , groundwater recharge , saline water , saline , petroleum seep , environmental science , soil science , oceanography , salinity , ecology , groundwater , geography , biology , geotechnical engineering , endocrinology , meteorology , aquifer , methane
Hardpans at 30‐ to 60‐cm depth were found at three dryland saline‐seep sites in southern Alberta. The soils were sampled for analyses at 0.3‐m depth intervals to 1.2 m along two parallel transects across the sites. Of the acid‐extractable salts, CaCO 3 was the most abundant. Shallow hardpans were found only in the saline, waterlogged, CO 3 ‐rich soil in the discharge areas, generally at the depth where the 1:25 acid‐extractable Ca and CO 3 contents exceeded 0.6 mol kg −1 of soil. Similar contents were also found in the recharge areas, where there was no detectable hardpan. Conditions in the discharge areas apparently were suitable for the precipitation and cementation necessary to form the hardpans. Further research is needed to characterize the hardpans and to study conditions, mechanisms, and causes for their formation and their relationships with saline seeps.