Search results for "pedogenesis"
showing 10 items of 40 documents
Soil development on sediments and evaporites of the Messinian crisis
2020
Abstract Vast areas in the Mediterranean are characterised by evaporite deposits of the Messinian crises (c. 6–5.3 Ma BP). During this period, large deposits were built up in shallow lagoon-like systems and are now found in southern Italy, Albania, Cyprus and Turkey. So far, soil formation on evaporites has been studied predominantly in subarid to arid environments. Although the formation of soils has received new significance, little is known about the evolutional trajectories on evaporites of the Mediterranean. We therefore studied soil formation in the Caltanissetta basin (Sicily) where evaporites are most widespread. The lithologies included the sequence: marine clay deposits, laminated…
Anthropogenic lead distribution in soils under arable land and permanent grassland estimated by Pb isotopic compositions
2008
International audience; The role of land use on fate of metals in soils is poorly understood. In this work, we studied the incorporation of lead in two neighboring soils with comparable pedogenesis but under long-term different agricultural management. Distributions of anthropogenic Pb were assessed from concentrations and isotopic compositions determined on bulk horizon samples, systematical 5–10 cm increment samples, and on 24-h EDTA extracts. Minor amounts of anthropogenic lead were detected until 1-m depth under permanent grassland, linked to high earthworm activity. In arable land, exogenous Pb predominantly accumulated at depths <60 cm. Although the proximity between the two sites ens…
Disambiguating the soils of Mars
2020
Abstract Anticipated human missions to Mars require a methodical understanding of the unconsolidated bulk sediment that mantles its surface, given its role as an accessible resource for water and as a probable substrate for food production. However, classifying martian sediment as soil has been pursued in an ad hoc fashion, despite emerging evidence from in situ missions for current and paleo-pedological processes. Here we find that in situ sediment at Gusev, Meridiani and Gale are consistent with pedogenesis related to comminuted basalts mixing with older phyllosilicates – perhaps of pluvial origin – and sulfates. Furthermore, a notable presence of hydrated amorphous phases indicates signi…
Landscape instability at the end of MIS 3 in western Central Europe : evidence from a multi proxy study on a Loess-Palaeosol-Sequence from the easter…
2019
Abstract The Lower Rhine Embayment hosts important Loess-Palaeosol-Sequences (LPS) within the western European loess belt yielding valuable information on landscape evolution and palaeoclimatic dynamics. The study focusses on the palaeoenvironmental development based on a LPS from the eastern shoulder of the Lower Rhine Embayment (Dusseldorf-Grafenberg). The palaeoenvironmental development within the study area is presented and discussed based on high-resolution grain size analyses, selected environmental magnetic parameters, and geochemical analyses complemented by luminescence age estimates. Differences in grain size distribution (ΔGSD) as well as the U-ratio clearly reflect main stratigr…
Water-extractable organic matter linked to soil physico-chemistry and microbiology at the regional scale
2015
10 pages; International audience; A better understanding of the links between dissolved organic matter and biogeochemical processes in soil could help in evaluating global soil dynamics. To assess the effects of land cover and parental material on soil biogeochemistry, we studied 120 soil samples collected from various ecosystems in Burgundy, France. The potential solubility and aromaticity of dissolved organic matter was characterised by pressurised hot-water extraction of organic carbon (PH-WEOC). Soil physico-chemical characteristics (pH, texture, soil carbon and nitrogen) were measured, as was the δ13C signature both in soils and in PH-WEOC. We also determined bacterial and fungal abund…
Aspects of soil phenolic matter (SPM): An explorative investigation in agricultural, agroforestry, and wood ecosystems
2014
Abstract This paper assesses the distribution of soil phenolic matter (SPM) in soil environments from a pedological perspective, with particular emphasis on soil horizonation and its involvement in pedogenic processes. The study was conducted on 15 soil profiles (Andosols, Calcisols, Cambisols, Lixisols, Phaeozems, Podzols, Umbrisols) covering five distinct ecosystems. Although the ecosystems were virtually homogeneous in and of themselves, they represented strongly contrasting climates, geolithology and morphology, land use and vegetation cover (intensive agriculture, chestnut grove, alpine pasture, woody reforestations, and natural woods). Three main SPM fractions were categorised: (i) “t…
Concentrations and forms of heavy metals in Slovak soils
2005
The risk assessment of heavy-metal contamination in soils requires knowledge of the controls of metal concentrations and speciation. We tested the relationship between soil properties (pH, CEC, Corg, oxide concentrations, texture) and land use (forest, grassland, arable) and the partitioning of Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn among the seven fractions of a sequential extraction procedure in 146 A horizons from Slovakia. Using a cluster analysis, we identified 92 soils as representing background metal concentrations while the remaining 54 soils showed anthropogenic contamination. Among the background soils, forest soils had the lowest heavy-metal concentrations except for Pb (highest)…
An anthropic soil transformation fingerprinted by REY patterns
2009
Abstract This Focus article deals intentionally with modern soil disturbance in situ . This is of interest to archaeologists as after disturbances, both short- and long-term, pedogenesis (re-)starts obliterating previous signs. Soil modifications induced by human activity may be linked to pedogenetic evidence for disturbance with archaeological evidence for the cultural activities. We contrasted two 750-m 3 soil pedons, an Anthrosol and a Kastanozem, from which the Anthrosol is derived, using 77 descriptors of soil properties which have been utilized in archaeological studies (pedo-morphological, routine laboratory, biochemical, metals and rare earth elements plus yttrium, REY) with the aim…
Consequence of litter removal on pedogenesis: A case study in Bachs and Irchel (Switzerland)
2016
In forests, soils contain at least twice as much carbon than plants that mostly grow in the upper layers. Litter at the interface between soils and the atmosphere regulates a variety of biogeochemical cycles, which are important for both plants and soils and have possible implications for other environmental components. We have compared leachates collected during an incubation experiment on: a) beech and oak leaves; b) organic subhorizons OLn, OLv, OF, and mineral A horizon; c) treated with litter removal (and untreated) plots, to assess the changes in the chemical composition of the litter layers and leachates during weathering and their influence on the underlying horizons. . Two differen…
A new simple approach to evaluate pedogenic clay transformation in a Vertic Calcisol
2006
The aim of this study is to characterize the pedogenic clay minerals by using simple approach: Mixing mineralogical and geochemical findings. The fine clay fractions (< 0.1 μm) of a Vertic Cambisol profile were studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Qualitative and quantitative mineralogical compositions of the clay mixture were determined. Moreover, chemical equilibria and thermodynamic stabilities of minerals (calcite, gypsum, kaolinite, smectites and illites) were studied using results of ionic activities obtained from total concentration of various aqueous species in water extracts from soil-saturated pastes. XRD ana…