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Crust Formation in Soils of Mexico and Louisiana. Miguel Angel Martinez-Gamino Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

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Crust Formation in Soils of Mexico and Louisiana. Miguel Angel Martinez-Gamino Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1994 Crust Formation in Soils of Mexico and Louisiana. Miguel Angel Martinez-gamino Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Martinez-gamino, Miguel Angel, "Crust Formation in Soils of Mexico and Louisiana." (1994). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 5888. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/5888 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely afreet reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9" black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor. Ml 48106-1346 USA 313/ 761-4700 800/ 521-0600 CRUST FORMATION IN SOILS OF MEXICO AND LOUISIANA A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Agronomy by Miguel Angel Martinez-Gamino B.S., Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, 1978 M.S., Postgraduate College, Montecillos, 1985 December 1994 UMI Number: 9524468 UMI Microform Edition 9524468 Copyright 1995, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my Major Professor, Dr. Paul Mark Walthall, for his excellent supervision, patience, and friendship during my studies at Louisiana State University. I give my sincere gratitude to Dr. Ray E. Ferrell, Jr., for giving me his time and the opportunity to use the scanning electron microscope laboratory. I thank my other committee members: Dr Wayne H. Hudnall, Dr. Hussein M. Selim, Dr. Donald Robinson, and Dr. Richard L. Bengston for their assistance in reviewing and editing my manuscript. Specials thanks goes to Will Day, Gina Maciasz, Rick, Patrick, Robin Migue, and Louis for their help with laboratory analyses. I am grateful for the financial support provided by the Mexican government, CONACYT, INIFAP, Fulbrigth-IIE, Louisiana State University, and the Agronomy Department at L.S.U. Sincere appreciation goes to my colleagues in the National Institute of Agricultural Research in Pabellon, Aguascalientes, M. Sc. Salvador Martin del Campo and M. Sc. Salvador Osuna for their help in sampling the Mexican soils used in this study. ii I send a very special thanks to Laura, for her love, inspiration, and help, not only in the last four years but also for the 15 years we have been married. Thanks, to my sons; Daniel Ixtetzin, Itzen-Kin Alejandro, and Miguel Itzamna for all the moments we have shared. Go for it kids, you too Samuel. Thanks, to my mother Ma. del Socorro and Porfirio, for their love, care, and understanding. To my friends at Louisiana State University: Joycelyn, Andrew, Nick, Monica and all the Mexican and Latin students. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..........................................................................................................ii LIST OF TABLES ...............................................................................................................viii LIST OF FIGURES...................................................................................................................xi ABSTRACT..........................................................................................................................xvi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE Introduction...................................................................................................1 Review of Literature ................................................................................. 3 Physical dispersion........................................................................ 3 Rainfall characteristics....................................................3 Soil texture ........................................................................ 4 Aggregate stability............................................................. 5 Chemical dispersion ......................................................................5 Clay mineralogy...................................................................6 Exchangeable ions and electrolyte concentration......................................................................6 Segregation of soil particles ....................................................8 Drying period ........................................................................... 10 Cementing agents ...................................................... 10 Amelioration of soils with crusting problems............... 11 Soil crust modeling.......................................................................12 References for Chapter 1........................................................................15 2 PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL, AND MINERALOGICAL PROPERTIES AFFECTING SOIL CRUST FORMATION IN SOILS OF MEXICO AND LOUISIANA Introduction................................................................................................ 19 Materials and Methods .........................................................................20 Soil s e rie s....................................................................................... 20 Physical characteristics.............................................................24 Particle-size distribution ..............................................24 Soil moisture content .................................................24 Chemical characteristics..........................................................24 Soil reaction....................................................................... 24 Organic carbon ................................................................24 G ypsum ...............................................................................25 Page Calcium carbonate ................................................... 25 Amorphous silica and aluminum ........................ 25 Free iron oxides .............................................................25 Saturation extract..........................................................25 Electrical co n d u ctiv ity.................................................25 Water-dispersible clay index .....................................26 Sodium adsorption ratio..............................................26 Mineral characteristics .............................................................26 Pre-treatments for clay mineralogy.................. 26 Clay mineral identification ........................................27 Random-powder diffractograms ........................ 27 Data quality ................................................................................. 29 Discussion of Results ........................................................................... 29 Physical characteristics.............................................................29 Particle size distribution ..............................................29 Water-dispersible clay index .....................................31 Chemical characteristics..........................................................32 Potential cementing agents .....................................32 Dispersion factors..........................................................35 Mineral characteristics .............................................................38 Clay mineral co m p o sitio........................................... n 38 Powder X-ray diffraction ...........................................40 Summary and Conclusions.................................................................. 40 References for Chapter 2 ..................................................................... 43 3 MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES DURING CRUST FORMATION IN SOILS OF MEXICO AND LOUISIANA Introduction................................................................................................46
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