Subsurface Stratigraphy and Genesis of Pre-Wisconsin Paleosols in Whitebreast Creek Watershed, South-Central Iowa
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Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 1995 Subsurface stratigraphy and genesis of pre- Wisconsin paleosols in Whitebreast Creek Watershed, south-central Iowa Amir Hossein Charkhabi Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Agricultural Science Commons, Agriculture Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Geology Commons, and the Mineral Physics Commons Recommended Citation Charkhabi, Amir Hossein, "Subsurface stratigraphy and genesis of pre-Wisconsin paleosols in Whitebreast Creek Watershed, south- central Iowa " (1995). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 10887. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/10887 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. 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Ml 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 Subsurface stratigraphy and genesis of pre-Hisconsin paleosols in Whitebreast Creek Watershed, south-central Iowa by Amir Hossein Charkhabi A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department: Agronomy Major: Soil Science (Soil Morphology and Genesis) Approved: Signature was redacted for privacy. arge of Major Work Signature was redacted for privacy. For the Major Department Signature was redacted for privacy. For /thj^ Graduate College Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 1995 DMI Number: 9531723 UMI Microform 9531723 Copyright 1995, by OMI 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, Ml 48103 ii DEDICATION To iny departed grand father and mother, Hossein and Ghohar Charkhabi ill TABLE OF CONTENTS page GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 Objectives 3 Format of Dissertation 4 PART I. SUBSURFACE STRATIGRAPHY IN WHITEBREAST CREEK WATERSHED, SOUTH-CENTRAL IOWA 5 GENERAL OVERVIEW 6 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW 8 Bedrock Geology 8 Quaternary Stratigraphy 9 Yarmouth-Sangamon and Late-Sangamon Paleosols 14 Pleistocene Terraces 20 Paleosols, an Overview 21 Identification 21 Types and Relationships 23 Use in Quaternary Stratigraphy 30 Long- and Short-term Correlations 38 Case Study Of lowan Erosion Surfaces 39 Summary 41 MATERIALS AND METHODS 43 Site Selection 4 3 Field Investigations 45 Laboratory Determinations 46 RESULTS AND INTERPRETATIONS 50 Introduction 50 Objectives 50 Stratigraphy of Stable Upland 51 Broad Summit Position (Site 0) 52 Land-surface soil 52 Wisconsin loess and Basal Loess paleosol 56 Yarmouth-Sangamon paleosol 57 Morphology 57 Particle size analysis 57 Clay mineralogy 60 Pre-Illinoian till 62 Morphology 62 Particle size analysis 62 Clay mineralogy 65 iv page Stratigraphy of Erosion Surfaces 66 Relatively Broad Ridgetop Position (Site 1) 67 Land-surface soil 67 Wisconsin loess and Basal Loess paleosol 69 Late-Sangamon paleosol 69 Morphology 69 Particle size analysis 70 Clay mineralogy 72 Backslope Position (Site 2) 72 Land-surface soil 74 Wisconsin Loess and Basal Loess paleosol 74 Late-Sangamon paleosol 75 Morphology 7 5 Particle size analysis 76 Clay mineralogy 80 Footslope Position (Site 3) 80 Land-surface soil 80 Wisconsin loess and Basal Loess paleosol 82 Late-Sangamon paleosol 82 Morphology 82 Particle size analysis 83 Clay mineralogy 83 Stratigraphy of Loess-covered Terraces 84 High Terrace (Sites 4 and 5) 86 Land-surface soil 86 Wisconsin loess and Basal Loess paleosol 86 Late- and Pre-Late-Sangamon paleosols 87 Morphology 87 Particle size analysis 89 Clay mineralogy 93 Colluvium-alluvium below paleosols 93 Morphology 95 Particle size analysis 95 Clay mineralogy 102 Environments of deposition 104 Middle Terrace (Sites 6 and 7) 106 Land-surface Soil 106 Wisconsin loess and Basal Loess paleosol 106 Late-Sangaraon paleosol 107 Morphology 108 Particle size analysis 112 Clay mineralogy 118 Fine alluvium below paleosols 123 Clay mineralogy and correlation 124 Environments of deposition 127 V page Low Terrace (Sites 8 and 9) 130 Land-surface soil 131 Wisconsin loess and Basal Loess paleosol 131 Late-Sangamon paleosols 133 Morphology 13 3 Particle size analysis 139 Clay mineralogy 143 Sandy alluvium below paleosols 145 Morphology 145 Particle size analysis 146 Clay mineralogy and correlation 150 Environments of deposition 154 DISCUSSION 155 Upland 160 Upland Erosion Surfaces 167 Loess-covered Terraces 169 High Terrace 169 Middle Terrace 171 Low Terrace 17 5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 177 PART II. PEDOGENESIS AND SELECTED PHYSICAL, MINERALOGICAL, AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SOME PRE-WISCONSIN PALEOSOLS IN WHITEBREAST CREEK WATERSHED, SOUTH-CENTRAL IOWA 185 GENERAL OVERVIEW 186 INTRODUCTION 188 LITERATURE REVIEW 190 Pleistocene Stratigraphy of Southwestern Iowa 190 Hydrogeological Effects 194 Organic Matter Of Pre-Wisconsin Paleosols 195 Parent Materials Relationships with Clay Minerals 196 Some Chemical Alteration Of Important Clay Minerals 199 Polygenetic Nature Of Pre-Wisconsin Paleosols 201 Clay Minerals Of Pre-Wisconsin Paleosols 203 Summary 204 vi page MATERIALS AND METHODS 206 Site Selection 206 Field Investigations 206 Laboratory Determinations 207 RESULTS AND INTERPRETATIONS 213 Clay Mineralogy 214 Qualitative Analysis 214 Micas 215 Kaolinite and chlorite 217 Smectites and vermiculites 221 Interstratified clays 224 Other clay minerals 224 Semi-quantitative Analysis 232 Chemical Composition 2 39 Free Oxides and Total Constituents (Upland) 239 stable upland (Site 0) 240 Upland erosion surfaces (Sites 1, 2, 3) 244 Free Oxides and Total Constituents (Loess-covered Terraces) 249 High terrace (Site 4) 249 Middle terrace (Site 6) 253 Low terrace (Site 8) 255 Total P, Ti, Molar Ratios, and Alkaline Index 255 DISCUSSION 262 Clay Mineralogy 263 Qualitative Analysis 263 Semi-quantitative Analysis 268 Chemical Composition 275 Free Oxides and Total Constituents (Upland) 277 Free Oxides and Total Constituents of Loess-covered Terraces 291 Total P, Ti, Molar Ratios, and Alkaline Index 298 Total phosphorous 299 Total titanium 3 01 Molar ratio of Si02 to sesguioxides 303 Alkaline earth leaching index 3 06 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 3 08 GENERAL SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 314 Stratigraphy and Geomorphic Surfaces 314 Pedogenesis of Pre-Wisconsin Paleosols 319 vii page REFERENCES 324 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 3 32 APPENDIX A. CHARACTERIZATION OF PALEOSOLS AND WEATHERING ZONES 3 33 APPENDIX B. PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTIONS AND pH DATA 3 63 APPENDIX C. SAND FRACTIONATION DATA 375 APPENDIX D. TOTAL CARBON, TOTAL NITROGEN, AND C/N RATIO DATA 387 APPENDIX E. FREE OXIDES AND RATIOS OF Fe^/Fet, Mna/Mrit, Aid/Alt, Sid/Sit 393 APPENDIX F. ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS DATA 4 00 APPENDIX G SAMPLE PREPARATION FOR XRD ANALYSIS 409 APPENDIX H. X-RAY PATTERNS 415 APPENDIX I. Mnd/FCd DEPTH FUNCTIONS 424 APPENDIX J. KEYS TO SAMPLE IDENTIFICATION AND GRAPHIC SYMBOLS OF STRATIGRAPHIC COLUMNS 4 27 viii LIST OF FIGURES page Figure 1. Lucas County streams 2 PART I Figure 1. Schematic relation of Yarmouth-Sangamon, Late- Sangamon, and modern surfaces in Adair County in southern Iowa 17 Figure 2. Schematic relationships of stepped erosion surfaces. Notice the relation between the surfaces and the paleosols 19 Figure 3. Schematic presentation of composite, compound, and subdivided paleosols 28 Figure 4. The relationship between clay contents of soils and deposition units. Unit I is the oldest unit and unit III is the youngest unit 33 Figure 5. The relationship between soils and deposition units. Unit I is the oldest unit and uint III is the youngest unit 34 Figure 6. Stratigraphic transect from a paha summit onto the lowan drift plain in north-east Iowa 40 Figure 7. The sampling transect in Whitebreast Creek Watershed study area. Sites 0 through 9 are marked by stars. The topographic map is 1:24,000 scale and the contour interval