Amorphous clay materials of towada ando soils

Towada Ando soils consisted of five soils—Towada-a (1,000 years old), Towada-b (2,000 years old), Chuseri (4,000 years old), Nanbu (8,600 years old), and Ninokura soils (10,000 years Amorphous clay materials of these soils taken at different localities were studied by the combined use of selective dissolution and differential infrared spectroscopy, X-ray analysis, electron microscopy, etc.

The main clay minerals of Towada-a soils, present-day soils, were montmorillonite-vermic-ulite chloritic intergrades and opaline silica, or these minerals and allophane in the humus horizons, and allophane in the non-humus ones. Towada-b soils overlain by the Towada-a soils showed the clay mineralogical constituents similar to those of Towada-a soils. However, allophane was one of the main clay minerals in all the humus horizons as well as non-humus ones. The main clay minerals of Chuseri soils were allophane and layer silicates consisting chiefly of chloritic intergrades and chlorite in the humus horizons, and allophane in the non-humus ones. Opaline silica was present in minor amounts in the humus horizons of Chuseri soils, but nearly absent in Nanbu and Ninokura soils.

There were remarkable differences in the clay mineralogical composition of Nanbu and Ninokura soils with differences of their environmental conditions. Allophane and imogolite Were dominant in the clay fractions of both humus and non-humus horizons of very shallowly buried Nanbu soil which was subjected to the strong leaching process. Allophane was the main clay mineral of deeply buried Nanbu and Ninokura soils which showed the absence of notable accumulation of bases and silica. On the contrary, halloysite with a small amount of siliceous amorphous material appeared in very deeply buried Nanbu and Ninokura soils where bases and silica were distinctly accumulated. The amounts of halloysite in the clay fractions were larger in the humus horizons than non-humus ones, and in Ninokura soil than Nanbu soil.

Soil age, soil organic matter, and depositional overburden of tephras were observed to be conspicuous among various factors relating to the weathering of amorphous clay materials in Towada Ando soils.     

Mineralogical composition of the clay fraction in alluvial soils of eastern Georgia

The mineralogical composition of the clay fractions separated from alluvial soils in the valleys of the Kura and Iori rivers—the main rivers of eastern Georgia—has been studied. It is shown that alluvial soils are very diverse with respect to their physicochemical properties, particle-size distribution, and mineralogy. In comparison with zonal automorphic soils, the alluvial soils have a lower content of organic matter and a coarser texture. The diversity of mineral associations in them is larger than that in the zonal soils.     

Dissolution of organohetallic complexes and silica from the clay fraction of podzolic soils

Abstract

The Ae, Bhf and Bf horizons of two podzolic soils from the Appalachian and Laurentian Highlands were treated with various reagents to remove the amorphous material prior to X‐ray diffraction analysis. Treatments were Na citrate, NaOH, Tiron, DCB and modified DCB, with a lower solid:liquid ratio. Samples treated with NaOH, Tiron and DCB were subsequently extracted with citrate. The latter extraction was necessary to remove Fe₂O₃ and SiO₂ that was not solubilized in the first treatment. The effectiveness of the reagents to extract SiO₂, Al₂0₃ and Fe₂O₃ decreased in the following order:

DCB 1:1 > Tiron = DCB > citrate > NaOH

The total weight loss of the samples represented about 1.8 times the sum of the oxides and reached up to 70% of the Laurentian Bf sample. Organic matter accounted for a part of the weight loss and its removal was more complete in the less crystalline samples of the Laurentian profile. Tiron was the best reagent to improve the X‐ray diffraction patterns, closely followed by DCB 1:1 treatment.

Removal of amorphous material and organic matter resulted in a decrease of the cation exchange capacity of the clay fraction, from a maximum of 73.5 meq / 100 g in the Laurentian profile to a minimum of 3.2 meq / 100 g in the Appalachian profile.

The results suggested that in the Laurentian profile, very poorly crystallized minerals possibly contributed to a part of the extracted material.     

Disintegration of the clay fraction in the eluvial horizons of some Danish podzolized soils

Abstract

Using sequential extractions, total elemental analysis, and X‐ray diffraction, we have investigated the impact of the podzolization process on component composition of the clay fraction in the eluvial horizons of eight more or less podzolized Danish soils. The results indicate that podzolization is highly aggressive towards all clay components in the eluvial horizons eventually leading to their disintegration. The 2:1 layer silicate clay minerals, illite and chlorite, are first transformed into other 2:1 layer silicate clay minerals. After passing through a microcrystalline phase high in Si but low in Al, Fe, Mg, and K, they finally disintegrate completely. Even gibbsite and kaolinite disintegrate under the aggressive conditions, caused among other things by the presence of dissolved complex forming organic molecules in these horizons. Application of lime and fertilizers seems to be able to reverse the process in case of the 2:1 layer silicate clay minerals.     

Organic carbon in the silt + clay fraction of Tasmanian soils

Organic carbon (C) was measured in the silt + clay fraction of 78 soils from agricultural areas in Tasmania, and the relationship between C in the silt + clay fraction and the percentage by weight of particles in this fraction was compared with similar data for soils from other regions and climates. Most of the cropping soils from Tasmania followed a previously published linear relationship, which is considered an indication of the capacity of soils to store C. The soils which fell the greatest distance below this relationship were sandy soils, consistent with previous evidence that these soils in Tasmania have been degraded. Soils which showed a major positive departure from the relationship were clay loams with >60% silt + clay. Most were also pasture soils. Tasmania's cool‐temperate climate would promote plant growth and C inputs and slow C breakdown, while the high clay content would help protect C. The results for the clay loam soils are consistent with earlier observations that these soils are generally in good health.     

Enrichment of potentially toxic elements in the fine fraction of soils from Iraq and Kuwait

Journal of Soils and Sediments - The fine fraction of soils in arid and semi-arid regions can be readily suspended into the atmosphere by winds and transported long distances, carrying potentially...     

Neoformed aragonite in clay soils on Keuper materials from east-central Spain

Fibrous radial aragonite nodules occur in a toposequence developed in the Triassic (Keuper) in a subhumid mediterranean climate (Soria, Spain). Neoformation in situ of the nodules in these soils is proposed, on micromorphological and physico-chemical grounds, such as their fragility, the inclusion of material from the groundmass, their occurrence along cracks and their high Mg: Ca ratio.     

从土壤悬浮液的Wien效应推断阳离子与电渗析粘粒组分的相互作用

The electrical conductivities (ECs) of suspensions containing 25 and 30 g kg-1 solids prepared from theelectrodialyzed clay fraction (＜ 2 μm in diameter) of latosol, yellow-brown soil, and black soil, dispersed invarious nitrate solutions having concentrations of 1 × 10-4/z mol L-1, where z is the valence, and in distilledwater, were measured at field strengths ranging from 14 kV cm-1 to 210 kV cm-1. On the basis of analysesof the charge density and exchangeable ion composition on the surfaces of soil particles in the suspensions,and of the characters of the EC-field strength curves of the various suspensions, it was inferred that theincrement of EC (△EC) and/or relative electrical conductivity (REC) can indicate the bonding strengthbetween cations and soil particles. The bonding strengths of various cations with the soils diminished in theorder: K+ ＞ Zn2+ ＞ Mg2+ ＝ Ca2+ ＞ Na+ for latosol, Ca2+ ＞ Zn2+ ＞ Mg2+ ＝ K+ ＞ Na+ for yellow-brownsoil, and Zn2+ ＞Ca2+ ＞ Mg2+ ＞ K+ ＞ Na+ for black soil.     

Characterization of clay and fine silt fractions of forest soils by standardized K/Ca sorption isotherms

For better comparison of selectivity characteristics of clay and fine silt fractions sorption isotherms standardized on the cation exchange capacity (CEC) are useful. Due to the effect of the CEC on the sorption isotherms, it is necessary to characterize the exchanging substance with regard to different ion selectivities with standardized potassium/calcium‐(K/Ca) sorption isotherms. This procedure helps to complete the knowledge about the mineralogical composition, which is obtained by X‐ray powder diffractometry. A Haplic Luvisol from boulder marl shows distinct differences in its K selectivity both between different particle size fractions and different horizons. This is partly due to the presence of smectites and vermiculites which are differently distributed within the particle size fractions. The increase of K selectivity with increasing particle diameter in the calcareous C horizon can be attributed to the marginal expansion of mica/illite by Ca²⁺ ions. The K selectivity of individual particle size fractions in different horizons of a Gleyic Cambisol from glacial sand shows major similarities. If pedogenic chlorite is formed, no changes in selectivity characteristics can be observed.     

Initial soil organic carbon concentration influences the short-term retention of crop-residue carbon in the fine fraction of a heavy clay soil

Among factors controlling decomposition and retention of residue C in soil, effect of initial soil organic C (SOC) concentration remains unclear. We evaluated, under controlled conditions, short-term retention of corn residue C and total soil CO₂ production in C-rich topsoil and C-poor subsoil samples of heavy clay. Topsoil (0–20 cm deep, 31.3 g SOC kg^?1 soil) and subsoil (30–70 cm deep, 4.5 g SOC kg^?1 soil) were mixed separately with ¹³C–¹⁵N-labeled corn (Zea mays L.) residue at rates of 0 to 40 g residue C kg^?1 soil and incubated for 51 days. We measured soil CO₂–C production and the retention of residue C in the whole soil and the fine particle-size fraction (<50 μm). Cumulative C mineralization was always greater in topsoil than subsoil. Whole-soil residue C retention was similar in topsoil and subsoil at rates up to 20 g residue C kg^?1. There was more residue C retained in the fine fraction of topsoil than subsoil at low residue input levels (2.5 and 5 g residue C kg^?1), but the trend was reversed with high residue inputs (20 and 40 g residue C kg^?1). Initial SOC concentration affected residue C retention in the fine fraction but not in the whole soil. At low residue input levels, greater microbial activity in topsoil resulted in greater residue fragmentation and more residue C retained in the fine fraction, compared to the subsoil. At high residue input levels, less residue C accumulated in the fine fraction of topsoil than subsoil likely due to greater C saturation in the topsoil. We conclude that SOC-poor soils receiving high C inputs have greater potential to accumulate C in stable forms than SOC-rich soils.     

Contribution of technic materials to the mobile fraction of metals in urban soils in Marrakech (Morocco)

Background, Aim and Scope  In urban areas, soils are often dramatically altered by anthropogenic activity and these modifications distinguish these soils (Anthrosols, Technosols) from those in natural systems. In urban environments, they receive considerable pollution from industry, traffic and refuse. Since contaminated soil particles can be easily inhaled or ingested, there is a potential transfer of toxic pollutants to humans. Risk assessment is essentially based on the determination of the total or mobile contents of pollutants in soils using chemical extractions. This approach could be improved by taking into consideration the bioavailable fractions of these toxic elements as measured by biotests. The coarse soil fraction usually neglected in analyses can nevertheless have an effect on the concentration of metals in the soil solution. This coarse fraction is made up of the natural materials and of technic materials constituting anthropogenic soils (plastic, paper, fabric, wood, bones, metallic elements and building materials). These materials have variable capacities to release or adsorb trace elements. Samples representative of different technic fraction components of Marrakech urban soils permit one to quantify their contribution to the enrichment of the soluble metal concentrations. Works are carried out to achieve partial extractions of metals from the three fractions (less than 2 mm, coarse natural and coarse technic) of selected urban soils in order to determine their contribution to the metal contamination of soils. Materials and Methods  Selected soils were collected from 9 sites according to a gradient of increasing anthropogenic influence from suburban to urban zones. Soils were air-dried, homogenized, and sieved (2 mm). The coarse fraction was sorted to separate the different technic materials and natural materials. Water extractions were run, on the natural, coarse fraction, on the complete technic fraction of the 9 soils and on average samples made of technic materials sorted out of 58 topsoils sampled from different sites in the city of Marrakech. Results  Results show that the percentage of the technic fraction increases while approaching the historic city center. It represented about 14% in the most anthropogenically disturbed soils. Along this gradient, soils changed progressively from Anthrosols to Technosols according to the WRB classification of urban and industrial soils. Analyses of metal contents showed that the fine fraction (<2 mm) mainly contributed to the metallic contamination of the water soluble fraction. The natural coarse fraction had the highest contribution to the copper release and was responsible for the release of all water-extractable copper in some soils. Concerning the technic fraction, it has a significant contribution essentially in the most anthropogenically disturbed soils as characterized by an elevated percentage of anthropogenic elements. The water extractable metal contents of average samples of these anthropogenic elements shows that elevated metal concentrations were released by bones, wood, plastic and fabric/paper. Discussion  This study concerns soils in urban areas, which are strongly impacted by human activities. Part of the soils can be classified as Anthrosols, profoundly impacted through the addition of organic materials from household wastes, irrigation, or cultivation. Other soils strongly impacted by human activities are Technosols dominated or strongly influenced by man-made materials. Technosols appear mostly in urban and industrial areas and are more likely to be contaminated than Anthrosols. The composition and heterogeneity of urban soils lead to modifications of the mobility and availability of pollutants depending on successive land-uses and on the composition of technic materials. The fine fraction offers a high transferring surface capacity, leading to a high mobilization of metals. The technic fraction contributes significantly to the metal release in the Technosols. This property can be explained by a reversible adsorption of metals on the organic matter. Conclusions  Results confirm that anthropogenic activity causes a wide spatial diversity of soil quality in the urban and suburban area. It introduces large amounts of technic materials in soils that could have an impact on the metal availability. It therefore acts on the metal bioavailability in the urban Technosols. Recommendations and Perspectives  These results show that it is necessary, in addition to the characterization of the fine particles, to take into account the contribution of the coarse fraction of the Technosols in the evaluation of risks of transfer of metals to the food chain.     

Winter water regimes of clay soils

Autumnal recharge of water in a clay soil is prolonged, taking >3 months. Once thoroughly re-wetted, mean winter water contents lie within 0.5% v/v year by year at each site, and variability during the winter period is low, with SE = 0.2%. The uniformity of winter soil water content reflects the important part played by macropores as rapid transmission pathways for the disposal of rainwater. Weekly changes in water content are small but are inversely related to antecedent levels and the soil may become marginally drier from one week to the next despite substantial falls of rain if the soil begins the period at moisture contents higher than the seasonal mean. This behaviour has been observed in other clays and in lighter textured soils. The constancy of the mean winter soil water content provides a practical measure of the upper limit of plant-available water, i.e. field capacity. It can be established by field sampling on as few as six occasions, and is free from the problems associated with plot irrigation and tension table methods of determining field capacity.     

Mineralogical composition of the clay fraction in acid brown forest soils under tea plantations subjected to the long-term mineral fertilization in Russian subtropics

Swelling minerals of the montmorillonite group predominate in the clay fraction of acid brown forest soils under tea plantations; illite and quartz are present in smaller amounts; small amounts of chlorite-like structures are also found. A decrease in the content of swelling mineral and a deterioration of their crystallization degree (especially in the upper horizons) take place upon the long-term application of mineral fertilizers at high rates; also, the accumulation of illite takes place. These processes attest to the beginning of degradation and/or removal of montmorillonite minerals (the most finely dispersed and hydrophilic clay minerals) under the impact of a significant decrease in pH because of the high rates of physiologically acid fertilizers in combination with illitization under the impact of potassium application.     

Fixed ammonium determination in some clay soils

Abstract

We have shown that the traditional Kjeldahl method applied to clay soils of the Duero Basin (Spain) is not effective; so, it is necessary to add HC1 + HF to free trapped ammonium. This fixed ammonium has been measured by two methods which give significantly different results. The level of fixed ammonium in cultivated clay soils is relatively high (it ranges from 180 to 490 ppm). Fixed ammonium is significantly correlated to clay content and total inorganic nitrogen of the soil. A proposed method of analysis for total N is given.     

The impact of long-term irrigation on the degree of aggregation and the mineralogical composition of the clay fraction in dark chestnut soils of the Transvolga region

Dark chestnut soils of the Ershov Experimental Station in the Transvolga region are characterized by the even distribution and aggregation of clay minerals in the profile. Hydromica, chlorite, kaolinite, and smectitic minerals predominate in the clay (<1 μm) fraction. The smectitic phase consists of randomly ordered mixed-layered minerals of the following types: mica-smectite with a low (<50%) content of smectite layers, mica-smectite with a high (>50%) content of smectite layers, and chlorite-smectite. In some horizons, the smectitic phase occurs in the superdispersed state. The long-term irrigation of these soils with fresh water of the Volga River has led to certain changes in the composition and properties of the clay particles. The weakening of bonds between them has taken place. As a result, the content of water-peptizable clay has increased by two times, and the content of aggregated clay of the first category (AC1) has increased by 1.5 times at the expense of a decrease in the contents of tightly bound clay (TBC) and aggregated clay of the second category (AC2). Also, the redistribution of organic matter bound with clay particles has taken place: its content in the AC1 fraction has decreased, whereas its content in the AC2 and TBC fractions has increased. In the topsoil horizon, the amount of the smectitic phase has lowered, whereas the contents of hydromica, kaolinite, and fine-dispersed quartz in the clay fraction have increased. In general, some amorphization of the clay material has occurred. The periodic alkalization of the soil solutions upon irrigation has led to the conversion of the smectitic phase into the superdispersed state in the entire soil profile.     

Subsoiling in some heavy clay soils of Egypt

Four soil profiles were selected to represent the heavy clay soils of alluvial and lacustrine origin. The locations studied had been subsoiled at least once during the year before the investigation. Field observations and laboratory analyses were carried out to ascertain the subsoiling effect on the soil profile properties. For further confirmation, soil penetration tests were performed on material from all the sites studied. The data revealed that subsoiling is not to be recommended in the Vertisols or the heavy clay soils adjacent to the northern Delta lakes of Egypt because these soils develop abundant natural cracks of 3–5 cm in width and 50–70 cm in depth. There are no impervious layers in the top 60 cm of the soils in the study area, and there is no evidence of soil compaction throughout the top 70 cm in all the sites studied.     

The behavior of the clay fraction in model ecosystems of soil lysimeters

Changes in the mineralogical composition of the clay fraction (<0.001 mm) sampled from soils of the model lysimetric experiment of Moscow State University have been studied. The mineralogical composition of clay is represented by the paragenetic association of minerals typical of noncalcareous mantle loams in the center of the Russian Plain. The predominant smectitic phase consists of complex mixed-layered minerals (mica-smectite with high and low contents of the smectitic layers, chlorite-smectite with different ratios between the chloritic and smectitic layers) and individual smectites. Tri-and dioctahedral hydromica, kaolinite, chlorite, and clay-sized quartz are present in lower amounts. At the early stages of the experiment, the distribution of the smectitic phase in the soil profile is more contrasting than the distribution of the clay fraction. Under the impact of artificially planted meadows, forests, and agrocenoses, soil profiles with different distribution patterns of the clay fraction are formed. The weakly pronounced eluvial distribution pattern of the clay fraction has been registered. Under spruce and mixed stands, the loss of the clay fraction from the upper horizons is due to the hydrolysis of smectitic minerals in the acidified medium. Under broad-leaved stands, perennial herbs, agroecenoses, and fallow, the depletion of smectites from the upper horizons is due to lessivage. The relative accumulation of hydromica and kaolinite is observed in the uppermost soil layer.     

黑土轻组分C与团聚体水稳性的关系

To evaluate the role of kaolinite and variable charge soils on the hydrolytic reaction of Al, the hydrolysis of Al ions in suspensions of a kaolinite and an Oxisol influenced by organic anions was investigated using changes of pH, Al adsorption, and desorption of pre-adsorbed Al. Kaolinite and the Oxisol promoted the hydrolytic reaction of Al above a certain initial Al concentration （0.1 mmol L^-1 for kaolinite and 0.3 mmol L^-1 for the Oxisol）. The Al hydrolysis accelerated by kaolinite and the Oxisol increased with an increase in initial concentration of Al and was observed in the range of pH from 3.7 to 4.7 for kaolinite and 3.9 to 4.9 for the Oxisol. The acceleration of Al hydrolysis also increased with the increase of solution pH, reached a maximum value at pH 4.5, and then decreased sharply. Al hydrolysis was promoted mainly through selective adsorption for hydroxy-Al. Soil free iron oxides compensated a portion of the soil negative charge or masked some soil surface negative sites leading to a decrease in Al adsorption, which retarded acceleration to some extent. For the Oxisol organic anions increased the proportion of adsorbed Al^3＋ in total adsorbed Al with the increase in soil negative surface charge and eliminated or reduced the acceleration of Al hydrolysis. Different organic anions inhibited the hydrolysis of Al in the order： citrate 〉 oxalate 〉 acetate （under initial pH of 4.5）. The formation of Al-organic complexes in solution also inhibited the hydrolysis of Al.