sign in sign up
<<
Home , Entisol

Lecture 5b, 6, & 7a: I, II, & III Spring 2007

WVU GEOL 321 (J.S. Kite)

Soil: Assemblage of natural bodies on the Earth’s surface (natural or artificial) capable of supporting plant life outdoors Pedon: Area on Earth’s surface w/ single type of Also: soil mapping unit.

NSF-REU program "A Field-Based Study of Landscape Evolution in Western Colorado." Mesa State College is recruiting undergraduate Geology students for 2007 summer Provide undergraduate students (sophomore or junior standing in Fall 2007 preferred; students who WILL NOT graduate by Spring 2008) with opportunity to gain research experience. 8 weeks (May 21-July 13) training, field work, & data compilation. Students will present results of their research at 2007 GSA meeting in Denver. No course prerequisites, but would like students to have completed at least Physical and Historical Geology. Each student will receive a stipend ($2400 for the 8 wk period), housing, a meal allowance (~$1,000), & round-trip travel to & from Grand Junction, CO. Also a $600 travel allowance to attend the GSA meeting in Denver, CO (Oct 28-31, 2007 ).

1 Soil Development Is a Function of 5 Factors S = ƒ (Cl,O,R,P,T) 1. Climate 2. Organisms 3. Relief 4. 5. Time

Factors of Soil Development 1. Climate Temperature & Moisture Affect Eh & Redox Reactions Fe (Iron) Depletions Gray Reduced Iron (Water-Logged) Fe (Iron) Concentrations Red “Mottles” of Oxidized Iron (= Redoximorphic features)

Factors of Soil Development 2. Organisms - Microorganisms (Bacteria, Fungi) Decompose organic material into humus

Macroorganisms Bioturbation by Trees, Worms, Crayfish, Groundhogs, Gophers, Grizzly Bears

Organisms Supply material Leaves (Conniferous vs. Deciduous Forests) Roots (Grasslands)

2 Factors of Soil Development 3. Relief Slope Steep Slopes: Well Drained, Erosion Low Slopes: Poorly Drained, Deposition Aspect Direction slope faces affects temperature & moisture

Factors of Soil Development 4. Parent Material Material from which soil develops

Types of Parent Material Residual Soil = Residuum Bedrock weathers in situ, on low relief & little erosion

Parent Material, (cont.) Colluvial Transported by Gravity Alluvial Material Transported by Streams Glacial Transported by Glaciers Eolian Transported by

3 Factors of Soil Development

5. Time Needed to Form Soils Depends on Other Factors Warm Climates Form Soil Faster Than Cold Biological & Geochemical Reactions Act 2X Faster for Every 10oC Increase Water = a ‘must’ in Pedochemical Reactions, Translocation Parent Material Affects Time to Form Soil

Soil Properties Through Time

Geometric

Logarithmic

Steady State

Increasing Soil Development Increasing Time

Soil Characteristics

1. Color Typically Formed by three substances 1. Humus Decomposed organic material 2. Iron (Fe) 3. Carbonate Munsell chart

4 Soil Characteristics cont. 2. Texture (USDA)

= size of soil particles in “matrix” = 2.0 to 0.05 mm = 0.05 to 0.002 mm = less than 0.002 mm

Excludes particles >2 mm

Loam = Significant percentage of all three (2 sand: 2 silt: 1 clay)

Soil Characteristics cont.

Textural Triangle Texture determined by two methods 1. Particle Size Analysis Laboratory method 2. By Feel (Field method) Takes lots of practice High clay content will cause soil to form ribbon when rolled.

100

0 90 1 Soil P 0 e r 2 c 80 e Texture n t 0 S 3 70 il Triangle t Clay 0 60 4

0 5 50 Silty 0 y Sandy Clay 6 la 40 Clay C Silty Clay 0 t 7 n Clay e 30 Loam c Sandy Clay r e Loam 0 P 8 20 Loam 0 Silt Loam 9 10 Lo Sandy Loam am y S 0 an Silt 0 Sand d 1 10 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Percent Sand

5 Soil Characteristics cont.

3. PEDS: aggregates of particles

Types of Structure Blocky (well developed) Platy Prismatic Columnar Granular (high organics)

Soil Horizons

Soil Profile Described from the surface down

Solum “True soil”

= A &/or E & B horizons

Soil & Ground Water Distribution Eastern USA • Belt

• Unsaturated (= Vadose = Aeration) Zone Capillary Fringe • Water Table

• Saturated (= Phreatic) Zone

6 Soil & Ground Water Phreatophytes Distribution Western USA • Soil Moisture Belt

• Unsaturated (= Vadose = Aeration) Zone

Capillary Fringe • Water Table

• Saturated (Phreatic) Zone

Soil Horizons Idealized Soil Profile

L Horizon Leaf Litter Surface O Horizon Decomposed Organics A Horizon Top Soil E Horizon Leached Horizon Solum = A, E, and B { B Horizon C Horizon Weathered (?) Parent Material

R Horizon Bedrock

Soil Horizons cont.

L = New leaf litter In forest soils O = Organic Layer Partly decomposed organic matter A = Top Soil Mix of inorganic & organic material Eluvial horizon Most fertile

7 Soil Horizons cont. E = Eluvial Horizon Organics & even more elluviated, light color horizon

B = Subsoil Illuvial horizon High clay content? Maximum soil development

Soil Horizons (cont.)

C = “Weathered” Parent Material or “Unweathered” Transported Material Has NOT undergone soil formation

R = Bedrock Unweathered Bedrock

Diagnostic Horizons EPIPEDONS Mollic: dark, > 1% O.M. in upper 7”, >50% base saturation Ochric: light, < 1% O.M. Umbric: dark, <50% base saturation Histic: peaty surface layer Plaggen: >20” of manure applied over long time

8 Diagnostic Horizons cont. SUBSURFACE HORIZONS Spodic: buildup of humus Argillic: buildup of clay Cambic: incomplete argillic or spodic horizon Oxic: high clay, 1:1 clay, low CEC Petrocalcic: Concentration of carbonates Albic: light colored E horizon Other Common Soil “Horizons” Fragipan: brittle layer with high bulk density Saprolite: soil mineralogy w/ relict bedrock structure

Fragipan:Top view of truncated soil - Canaan Valley Btx horizon

J.S. Kite Photo

Fragipan: Side view showing reduced tongues

J.S. Kite Photo

9 Subdivisions of Horizons:

•A • B “1” not written •B2 •B3 •BC • 2 BC Change in Parent Material •2 C • 3 C Change in Parent Material

lower case notations to horizons:

• Ap p = disturbed (plowed?) A • Bw w = incipient (weak) B •C • Ab b = buried A • Bt t = argillic clay build-up •BC •C

Catena

Sequence of soils of about the same age, derived from similar parent material, and occurring under similar climate conditions, but having different characteristics due to variation in relief and in drainage.

SSSA Internet Glossary of Terms http://www.soils.org/sssagloss/

10 Catena, Alberta www.soils.rr.ualberta.ca/soa/catena3.cfm

Fourth Annual Student Night joint meeting of the Association of Engineering Geologists, the Pittsburgh Geological Society, and the Geotechnical Group of the Pittsburgh Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers. CALL FOR ABSTRACTS!

Students are invited to submit abstracts (no more than 350 words) of a Senior Research Project, Senior Design Project, Master’s or PhD Thesis on the following topics :

Geology, Engineering Geology, , Environmental Engineering, Hydrogeology, Hydrology

Three students will be selected to give a 15-20 minute oral presentation based on their abstract submittal. Students not selected to give an oral presentation will be invited to present a poster summarizing their work. The students selected to give oral presentations will receive $100 awards. All students who present their research will receive a membership into PGS.

Meeting Logistics April 18, 2007 6:00 p.m. Foster’s Restaurant, Foster Plaza Bldg. 10, Green Tree, PA

THE DUE DATE FOR ABSTRACT SUBMITTAL IS MARCH 9, 2007. Notification will be given to the selected speakers on March 16, 2007.

Abstracts may be submitted via email to [email protected]. If you have any questions or require a mailing address for abstract submittal please call Wendell Barner at 412-208-2409.

Soil and Soil Development

Soil Handout

11 Soil Taxonomy 6 Levels of Classification

Order Suborder Great Group Subgroup Family Series

Soil Taxonomy “Tucker County Mine Soil” Loamy-skeletal, mixed, acid, frigid Typic Udorthent ent = Entisol (ent as in recent) [Soil Order] orth = Common (typical entisol) [Suborder] Ud = Humid climate [Great Group] Typic = Common (typical udorthent) [Subgroup] frigid = Cold climate acid = pH less than 4.0 mixed = mixed mineralogy of materials in the soil skeletal = greater than 35% fragments in soil Loamy = textural classification = LOAM

ORDER FORMATIVE ELEMENT Entisol ent no horizons ept incipient horizons - Cambic horizon alf argillic horizon, high B.S. >35% ult argillic horizon, low B.S. <35% Oxisol ox oxic horizon Mollisol oll mollic epidedon Spodosol od spodic horizon ert shrink-swell soils id dry >50% of year ist >30% organic matter and tephras el

12 Suborder Formative Elements

• Alb - White Albino • Aqu - Wet • Arg - Argillic Horizon • Ferr - Iron • etc.

Examples of Suborders (2 Formative Elements):

• Albolls - Albic Horizon • Aquolls - Wet (Aqueous) • Rendolls - Rendzina (Lots O. M. + Hi pH) • Xerolls - Xeric Dry Season • Borolls - Boreal Cool

Mon-Marion County • See P. 157

13 West Virginia State Soil (1997) Monongahela feet Silt Loam

Fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, mesic Typic Fragiudults

Source of image & text for 2 slides: www.statlab.iastate.edu/soils/ photogal/statesoils/wv_soil.htm

Monongahela soils occur on >100,000 acres in 45 counties in West Virginia. These very deep, moderately well- drained soils are on alluvial or glacial- lake terraces (after NRCS w/ JSK modif.)

Generalized Distribution

TYPE LOCATION: 2.7 mi E of Beverly, 100 ft N of church on N boundary of 4-H Camp, Randolph Co., WV; MLRA OFFICE: Morgantown, WV SERIES ESTABLISHED: Greene County, Pennsylvania, 1921. DIAGNOSTIC HORIZONS, etc. Ochric epipedon - 0 to 12 inches (Ap & BA horizons). Argillic horizon - 12 to 22 inches (Bt horizon). Fragipan - 22 to 52 inches (Btx horizon).

Source of image and text for 3 slides: www.statlab.iastate.edu/soils/ osd/dat/M/MONONGAHELA.html

14 Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; moderate fine granular structure; friable; many roots; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick) BA--7 to 12 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common roots; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick) Bt--12 to 22 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; weak to moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common roots; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick) Btx1--22 to 31 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) mottles; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse platy; firm; few distinct clay films; very strongly acid; clear irregular boundary. (7 to 14 inches thick) Btx2--31 to 42 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam; many medium distin\ct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) mottles; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse platy; very firm, brittle; few distinct clay films; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick) Btx3--42 to 52 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) cobbly loam; many distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) mottles; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse platy; very firm, brittle; few distinct clay films; numerous fine pores; 25 percent sandstones cobbles; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick) C--52 to 65 inches; mixed strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) and light gray (N 7/ ) clay loam, pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) crushed massive; firm; 35 percent weathered shale, sandstone fragments and cobbles; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; moderate fine granular structure; friable; many roots; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick)

BA--7 to 12 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common roots; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick)

Bt--12 to 22 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; weak to moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common roots; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick) Btx1--22 to 31 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) mottles; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse platy; firm; few distinct clay films; very strongly acid; clear irregular boundary. (7 to 14 inches thick) Btx2--31 to 42 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam; many medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) mottles; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse platy; very firm, brittle; few distinct clay films; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick) Btx3--42 to 52 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) cobbly loam; many distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) mottles; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse platy; very firm, brittle; few distinct clay films; numerous fine pores; 25 percent sandstones cobbles; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick) C--52 to 65 inches; mixed strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) and light gray (N 7/ ) clay loam, pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) crushed massive; firm; 35 percent weathered shale, sandstone fragments and cobbles; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

Ap--0 to 7 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam; moderate fine granular structure; friable; many roots; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (6 to 10 inches thick) BA--7 to 12 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common roots; slightly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 7 inches thick) Bt--12 to 22 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; weak to moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common roots; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; moderately acid; clear wavy boundary. (8 to 20 inches thick) Btx1--22 to 31 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loam; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) mottles; weak coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse platy; firm; few distinct clay films; very strongly acid; clear irregular boundary. (7 to 14 inches thick)

Btx2--31 to 42 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) loam; many medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) mottles; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse platy; very firm, brittle; few distinct clay films; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (8 to 15 inches thick) Btx3--42 to 52 inches; light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) cobbly loam; many distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) mottles; weak very coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse platy; very firm, brittle; few distinct clay films; numerous fine pores; 25 percent sandstones cobbles; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick) C--52 to 65 inches; mixed strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) and light gray (N 7/ ) clay loam, pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) crushed massive; firm; 35 percent weathered shale, sandstone fragments and cobbles; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.

15 Distribution of Soil Orders

The distribution of Soil Orders depends on all of the 5 factors of soil formation

S = ƒ (Cl,O,R,P,T)

Climate has the most influence on a global or continental scale

Climate Climate

Soil Orders

Soil Orders - USA

16 Soil Orders.

Entisols “Ent” For Recent; Very Little Development New Surficial Deposits

Soil Orders cont.

Inceptisols “Incept” for inception Cambic Horizon

Soil Orders cont.

Alfisols “Alf” for Aluminum ‘Al’ and Iron ‘Fe’ Argillic horizon, high (>35%) base saturation Well-developed soil Common West Virginia soil

17 Alfisol Wisconsin

J.S. Kite Photo

Soil Orders cont. “Ult” for ultimate Highly weathered, but less than Argillic horizon & low (<35%) base saturation

Dominant in SE USA

Ultisol

http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/ soils/photogal/orders/soiord.htm

18 Ultisol Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

70 ft

J.S. Kite Photo

Soil Orders, cont. Oxisols “oxi” for oxides Red soils due to oxidized iron Highly weathered Warm, moist tropics

Oxisol

19 Oxisol

Cornfield

Mollisol Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

J.S. Kite Photo

Mollisol Great Plains

Calcite

20 Soil Orders cont. Spodosols Light-colored E horizon & Dark illuvial B horizon Mostly loamy to sandy soils Common in acidic soils of coniferous forests - organic acids aid translocation Spodosols at high elevation in WV

J.S. Kite Photo Spodosol Allagash River Terrace, Maine

Soil Orders cont. “Vert” for invert Contain smectite Shrink-swell properties causes Turnover Slickensides, “Tee-pee” Structures Texas Gulf Coast

21 Vertisol, Zambia

Soil Orders cont. Dryland Soils Highly alkaline (high pH), commonly saline Typical in SW U.S.

2008 Find Better aridisol Pic

22 Aridisol

Soil Orders cont. “Hist” means fiber Dark, organic soils May be muck or Anaerobic, Negative Eh Highly acidic

Histosol, Carrying Place Bog, Maine

J.S. Kite Photo

23 New (1998) Soil Orders Andisols Soils in Tephras Gelisols Soils Under Permafrost)

Andisol Aquic Vitrixerands Washington

http://www.statlab.iastate. edu/soils/photogal/ statesoils/wa_soil.htm

J.S. Kite Photo : Victoria Valley, Antarctica

24 Gelisol

http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/ soils/photogal/orders/soiord.htm

Proposed Soil Order

Anthrosols Proposed soil order for artificially disturbed material

25