Soils -Of The- Past Titles of Related Interest

SOILS -OF THE- PAST TITLES OF RELATED INTEREST Aeolian geomorphology Introduction to theoretical W. G. Nickling (ed.) geomorphology Cathodoluminescence ofgeological C. Thorn materials Karst geomorphology and hydrology D. J. Marshall D. C. FordandP. W. Williams The changing climate Mathematics in geology M.J. Ford J. Ferguson Chemical fundamentals ofgeology Paleopalynology R. Gill A. Traverse Deep marine environments Pedology K. Pickering et a1. P. Duchaufour (translated by T. R. Paton) A dynamic stratigraphy of the British Petrology of the sedimentary rocks Isles J. T. Greensmith R. Anderton et al. A practical approach to sedimentology Environmental change and tropical R. C. Lindholm (ed.) geomorphology Principles ofphysical sedimentology I. Douglas and T. Spencer (eds) J. R. L. Allen Environmental chemistry Quaternary environments P. O'Neill J. T. Andrews (ed.) Environmental magnetism Quaternary paleoclimatology F. Oldfield and R. Thompson R. S. Bradley Experimentsin physical sedimentology Rocks and landforms J. R. L. Allen J. Gerrard Geomorphology and soils Sedimentary structures K. Richards et al. (eds) J. Collinson and D. Thompson Hillslope processes Sedimentology: process and product A. D. Abrahams (ed.) M.R. Leeder The history ofgeomorphology Trace fossils K. J. Tinkler (ed.) R. Bromley Image interpretation in geology Volcanic successions S. Drury R.A.F.CasandJ.V.Wright SOILS -OF THE- PAST An introduction to paleopedology G.J. RETALLACK University of Oregon, Eugene Boston UNWIN HYMAN London Sydney Wellington © Gregory J. Retallack, 1990 This book is copyright under the Berne Convention. No reproduction without permission. All rights reserved. Unwin Hyman, Inc., 8 Winchester Place, Winchester, Mass. 01890, USA Published by the Academic Division of Unwin Hyman Ltd 15/17 Broadwick Street, London WIV IFP, UK Allen & Unwin (Australia) Ltd, 8 Napier Street, North Sydney, NSW 2060, Australia Allen & Unwin (New Zealand) Ltd, in association with the Port Nicholson Press Ltd, Compusales Building, 75 Ghuznee Street, Wellington 1, New Zealand First published in 1990 ISBN 978-0-04-445757-2 ISBN 978-94-01 1-7902-7 (eBook) DOl 10. I 007/978-94-0 I 1-7902-7 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Retallack, Gregory J. (Gregory John), 1951- Soils of the past: an introduction to paleopedologylby Gregory J. Retallack. p.cm. Includes bibliographical references. 1. Paleopedology. I. Title. QE473.R4731990 552' .5--dc20 89-37143 CIP British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Retallack Gregory J. Soils of the past. 1. Palaeosoils I. Title 551.7 ISBN 978-0-04-445757-2 Typeset in 10 on 12 point Palatino by Fotographics (Bedford) Ltd To Ken and Wendy Retallack, for letting me be Preface Landscapes viewed from afar have a timeless quality that is soothing to the human spirit. Yet a tranquil wilderness scene is but a snapshot in the steady stream of surficial change. Wind, water and human activities reshape the landscape by means of gradual to catastrophic and usually irreversible events. Much of this change destroys past landscapes, but at some times and places, landscapes are buried in the rock record. This work is dedicated to the discovery of past landscapes and their life through the fossil record of soils. A long history of surficial changes extending back almost to the origin of our planet can be deciphered from the study of these buried soils, or paleosols. Some rudiments of this history, and our place in it, are outlined in a final section of this book. But first it is necessary to learn something of the language of soils, of what happens to them when buried in the rock record and which of the forces of nature can be confidently reconstructed from their remains. Much of this preliminary material is borrowed from soil science, but throughout emphasis is laid on features that provide most reliable evidence of landscapes during the distant geological past. This book has evolved primarily as a text for senior level university courses in paleopedology: the study of fossil soils. It is not the usual view of this subject from the perspectives of soil science, Quaternary research or land use planning. It is rather the view of an Earth historian and paleontologist. Compared to the elegant outlines of a fossil skull or the intricate venation on a fossil leaf, fossil soils may at first appear unprepossessing subjects for scientific investigation. These massive, clayey and weathered zones are fossils in their own way. Their identifica tion within a classification of modem soils presupposes particular past conditions, in the same way as the lifestyle that can be inferred from modem relatives of a fossil species of skull or leaf. Particular features of paleosols also may reflect factors in their formation in the same way as ancient diet can be inferred from the shape of fossil teeth or former climate from the marginal outline of a fossil leaf. This book is an exploration of the idea that paleosols are trace fossils of ecosystems. Examples in this book are drawn largely from my own work on fossil soils, some of it not yet published elsewhere. Theoretical concepts have been borrowed more widely from allied areas of science including geomorphology, coal petrography, plant ecology, astronomy and soil science, to name a few. The fossil record of soils is a new focus for integrating existing knowledge about land surfaces and their biota. Paleopedology remains an infant discipline, hungry for theory and data of the most elementary kinds. This book is one attempt to partially quell the growing pains. Gregory J. Retallack, Eugene, Oregon, 1989 ix Acknowledgments This book on paleosols would be slender indeed without extensive borrowing of facts, experiments, ideas and inspiration from allied areas of science. I have been fortunate to be able to draw upon the wise counsel of prominent sedimentologists O. R. L. Allen, A. Basu, D. R. Lowe, R. M. H. Smith and L. J. Suttner), paleontologists (R. Beerbower, A. K. Knoll, J. W. Schopf and P. Shipman), geochemists (G. G. Goles, J. M. Hayes, H. D. Holland and W. Holser) and soil scientists (P. W. Birkeland, S. W. Buol, L. D. McFadden and P. F. McDowell). Among the emerging cadre of paleopedologists concerned with rocks older than Quaternary, it is a pleasure to acknowledge stimulating discussions with D. E. Fastovsky, M. J. Kraus, W. R. Sigleoand V. P. Wright. Last, andcertainlynotleast, many of my ideas have been reshaped by students at the University of Oregon (E. A. Bestland, D. P. Dugas, C. R. Feakes, P. R. Miller, J. A. Pratt, S. C. Radosevich, G. S. Smith and G. D. Thackray). They gave real meaning to the Socratic dictum that the unexamined life is not worth living. Photographs, specimens and other illustrative materials were gener ously and promptly provided by H. J. Anderson, J. B. Adams, H. P. Banks, T. M. Bown, J. Gray, R. Greeley, M. J. Kraus, S. C. Morris, NASA Space Science Center, C. J. Percival and V. P. Wright. Others graciously acquiesced in my adaptation of their published work. For several fine photographs (Figs. 3.5, 3.6, 21.1, and 21.3) I thank Sean Poston. Forreams of accurate word processing, I am indebted to C. D. Bonham and K. Fletcher. The writing would not have proceeded nearly so much to my satisfaction without the happy home life created by Diane, Nicholas and Jeremy. We are grateful to the following individuals and organizations who have kindly given permission for the reproduction of copyright material (figure numbers in parentheses): © 1952 University of Chicago Press (3.13); Table 4.1 part reproduced from Bodman & Mahmud, Soil Science 33, 363-74, © 1932 Williams and Wilkins; Figure 4.9 reproduced from Stephenson, Soil Science 107,470- 79, © 1969 Williams and Wilkins; Figure 9.1 reproduced with permission from L. R. Holdridge et ai., Forest Environments in Tropical Life Zones, © 1971 Pergamon Press PLC; Figure 9.2 reproduced with permission from Annual Review ofEarth and Planetary Sciences 7, © 1979 Annual Reviews Inc.; Figure 10.2 reproduced by permission from Perry & Adams, Nature 276, 489-91, © Macmillan Magazines Ltd; F10"111'<> 1 (l ~ ..0 ......"...'1",..0...'1 t.~_ xi Soils of the Past Wright, GeologicalJourna119, bypermissionofJohn Wiley&Sons© 1984; Figurel0.4reproducedfromJ. M. Andersonetal., Palaeoflora ofSou them Africa: Molteno Formation (Triassic) Vol. 1, 1983 by permission of A. A. Balkema; © 1969 University of Chicago Press (11.2, 11.3); Blackwell Scientific Publications (11.7, 16.2D); Figure 13.3 reproduced from Gile et al., Soil Science 101, 347-60, © 1966 Williams & Wilkins; Figure 15.5 reproduced with permission from Heiken et al., Proc. 4th Lunar Conference 1 and Proc. 7th Lunar Conference 1, © 1973 and 1976 Pergamon Press PLC; Figure 15.6 reproduced with permission from McKay et al., Proc. 5th Lunar Sdence Conference 1, © 1974 Pergamon Press PLC; Figures 16.1C, D, F, Hand 16.2C reproduced by permission from J. W. Schopf (ed.), Earth's Earliest Biosphere: its Origin and Evolution, © 1983 Princeton University Press; © American Association for Advance ment of Science (16.1G); Figure 16.2A reproduced from Ronov, Geo chemistry International 4, 713-37, by permission of John Wiley & Sons © 1964; © 1985 American Association for the Advancement of Science (16.2E). xii Table of Contents Preface ix Acknowledgments xi List of tables xvii PART ONE: SOILS AND PALEOSOLS 1 Paleopedology 3 2 Soils on and under the landscape 9 Some technical terms for soils 10 Soils on the landscape 11 Quatemarypaleosols 13 Paleosols at major unconformities 14 Paleosols in sedimentary

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