Resistance of mineral soils to Fe(III) reduction

Gleying and enhancement of hydromorphism in wetland soils due to Fe(III) reduction entail a series of degradation processes. The resistance of wetlands to degradation can be calculated from the content of potentially reducible iron, Fe(III)_pr, which is found from the van Bodegom equation taking into account the contents of oxalate-soluble iron Fe_ox and dithionite-soluble iron Fe_dit in the soil. In addition, this makes it possible to distinguish relict and actual gleysols. The van Bodegom equation is applicable to soils from which the oxalate solution extracts only amorphous and poorly crystallized iron compounds, which are quickly reduced by Fe-reducing bacteria. These soils have a low proportion of Fe(II) (no more that 15% of the total iron), as well as an accumulative profile distribution of Fe_ox. The van Bodegom equation is unsuitable for calculating the Fe(III)_pr content in soils with a high proportion of Fe(II) and a nonaccumulative profile distribution of Fe_ox.     

Iron minerals in urban soils

Technogenically contaminated urban soils contain a substantial amount of magnetite Fe₃O₄, whereas another ferrimagnetic, i.e., maghemite αFe₂O₃, more often prevails in unpolluted soils. The content of magnetite may exceed the content of another iron oxide, hematite, in contaminated soils. In the town of Chusovoi, where emissions from a single enterprise, a metallurgical plant, predominate among pollutants, the upper soil horizons are contaminated with magnetite of one type. In the much larger city of Perm, the polluting sources are diverse, which results in a wide variation of magnetic susceptibility of technogenic magnetite. The difference in magnetite properties may depend on the composition and the content of heavy metals associated with this mineral. A considerable amount of oxalate-soluble magnetite in technogenically contaminated soils produces two important consequences. Schwertmann’s criterion Fe_ox: Fe_dit as a gleying index turns out to be overestimated and, therefore, does not work in technogenically contaminated soils. The second consequence is that Tamm’s reagent is inapplicable to extracting heavy metals bound to amorphous iron compounds from contaminated soils. On the other hand, a high solubility (30–60%) of technogenic magnetite by oxalate favors the use of Tamm’s reagent for the complete extraction of iron (hydr)oxides and heavy metals bound to them.     

Oxalate-soluble compounds of Al, Fe, and Si in soils of cold humid regions as a function of weathering

Original and published data on the contents of X-ray amorphous oxalate-soluble compounds of Al, Fe, and Si in mesomorphic eluvial soils of cold, moderately cold, and moderately warm continental humid and semihumid regions are generalized. The groups of soils developed from mafic igneous, metamorphic, and pyroclastic rocks are considered. It is shown that the content of oxalate-soluble oxides (OSOx) in the horizons of their maximal accumulation varies from less than 1% to 20–30%; the Al_ox/Fe_ox ratio varies from 1 to 6.5. The leading factor dictating the amount and quality of the OSOx in the soils is the presence or absence of volcanic glass in the parent materials. The boundary between the soils with and without volcanic glass corresponds to the OSOx content of 5% and the Al₂O_3ox/Fe₂O_3ox ratio equal to 2. These criteria are more reliable than the Al_ox/Fe_ox ratio used by foreign soil scientists to specify Andosols (Al_ox/Fe_ox > 2). The contents of oxalate-soluble oxides of Al and Fe do not depend on the total contents of these oxides in the parent material and seem to be related to the presence of these elements in minerals with different resistance to weathering. Under the natural conditions described in this paper, the content of OSOx shows a very weak response to zonal (temperature-controlled) climatic changes and/or to changes in the degree of humidity and the continentality of the climate.     

Selectivity of reagents used to extract iron from soil

The selectivity of the Tamm and Mehra-Jackson reagents to iron (hydr)oxides was verified chemically by comparing the efficiencies of the two methods of iron extraction: parallel (commonly adopted) and sequential, i.e., by calculating the difference ΔFe = [Fe_dit ? (Fe_ox(paral) + Fe_dit(seq))]. The expected equality of the extracted iron (i.e., ΔFe ～ 0) is rarely observed. A positive balance reaching ΔFe = (0.5?0.8)% predominates upon iron extraction from forest soils of the Cis-Ural region. This is probably due to the stable Fe(II)-oxalate forming in the course of the Tamm extraction, which is incompletely dissolved by the dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate (DCB). On the contrary, a negative balance with ΔFe reaching ?0.4% predominates in the steppe soils of the Stavropol region. This may be caused by Fe(II) minerals (pyrite and siderite) acting as catalyzers in Tamm’s extract, while being weakly soluble in the DCB. To follow the additivity principle for the Tamm and Mehra-Jackson extracts, we suggest a modification of the Schwertmann criterion K_Sch = (Fe_ox: Fe_dit(paral)), which sometimes exceeds 1, to K _Sch ^m = Fe_ox: (Fe_ox + Fe_dit(seq)), which is always less than 1. The values of the modified Schwertmann criterion better agree with the color of the Cis-Ural forest soils expressed in the CIE-L*a*b* optical system as compared with the initial Schwertmann criterion. In the steppe soils, the use of the modified criterion makes it possible to replace the illogical values of K_Sch = 1.11?1.37 by the quite acceptable K _Sch ^m = 0.68?0.83.     

Potential Iron and Phosphate Mobilization During Flooding of Soil Material

This study shows that mobilization of phosphate from soils under anaerobic conditions can be intimately coupled with reductive dissolution of iron from iron oxides. Among four soil samples from the reclaimed Skjernå estuary in Denmark incubated anaerobically and amended with glucose, 28–39% of the dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate-extractable iron and 10–25% of the oxalate-extractable phosphorus (P_ox) were released to the soil solution after 31 days. Significant correlation (r = 0.992**) between the molar ratio P_ox/(Fe_ox + Al_ox) for the aerobic samples and (P_{P sol}/Fe_sol) (the molar ratio between phosphate and iron in solution during anaerobic incubation), indicates that the phosphate saturation status of the soil is an important determinant of the amount of phosphate released during flooding of moderately acid soils.     

High gradient magnetic separation of some soil clays from Nigeria, Brazil and Colombia.

High gradient magnetic separation was used to fractionate the clay from some tropical soils. Acid-oxalate-extractable iron (Fe_ox) and aluminium (Al_ox) and total carbon were measured in the whole clay, the magnetic fraction and the tailings. The magnetic separation resulted in a wider range of concentrations of these elements than in the whole clays. In each of the clays Fe_ox was greater in the magnetic fraction than in the tailings; Al_ox was more variable. Carbon was also concentrated in the magnetic fraction suggesting that it is associated more with Fe_ox than Al_ox. The relationships between Fe_ox, Al_ox and carbon depend on soil classification and soil age.     

Comparison of different models for phosphate sorption as a function of the iron and aluminium oxides of soils

Phosphate sorption on topsoil and subsoil samples from different soils located in the eastern part of Germany was studied. Two models were fitted to sorption data obtained after 4 and 40 d of gentle shaking. The models differ with respect to the fractions of iron and aluminium (hydr)oxides that are considered and whether the phosphate initially sorbed in the soil is taken into zccount. Oxalate-extractable P, (P_ox), appears to be a major part of the total soil P. The total P sorption measured, F, was predominantly related to the amounts of amorphous iron (Fe_ox) and aluminium (Al_ox). A significant relation between crystalline iron (Fe_d– Fe_ox) and total P sorption was not found. Reversibly adsorbed phosphate (P_i), measured after 40 d reaction time, was a function of clay content and content of amorphous iron and aluminium (hydr)oxides.     

Specific features of iron behavior in soddy-podzolic and alluvial gleyed soils of the Middle Cis-Urals region

The regime of observations revealed that the Eh dynamics in soddy-podzolic and alluvial soils in the Middle Cis-Urals region depends not only on the rate of iron (hydr)oxides reduction but also on the rate of opposite reactions in the gleyed horizons. Both processes depend on the temperature. The Eh value decreases on heating in automorphic soils, when the reduction of Fe(III)-(hydr)oxide particles accelerates. On the contrary, in gley soils, the Eh decreases on cooling, probably, because of the reactions opposing the reduction of Fe(III)-(hydr)oxide particles, including Fe(II) fixation on the surface of mineral particles. Fe(III)-(hydr)oxides are, for the most part, preserved in gleyed soils of the Cis-Urals; the content of (Fe₂O₃)_dit reaches 3.3% with iron minerals being usually represented by goethite. The increase in moistening influences the soil parameters (i.e., the redoxpotential rH and the content of conventional red pigment Hem_conv) in an intricate manner. Both direct and reverse branches on the curve of the Hem_conv-rH dependence point to the equilibrium and nonequilibrium conditions in the soil. The reverse branch probably stands for the initial phase of gleying in strongly humified soils, where, despite extra electrons in the solution, the brown pigment in the form of Fe(III)-(hydr)oxides is preserved.     

Estimation of the phosphorus sorption capacity of acidic soils in Ireland

The test for the degree of phosphorus (P) saturation (DPS) of soils is used in northwest Europe to estimate the potential of P loss from soil to water. It expresses the historic sorption of P by soil as a percentage of the soil's P sorption capacity (PSC), which is taken to be α (Al_ox + Fe_ox), where Al_ox and Fe_ox are the amounts of aluminium and iron extracted by a single extraction of oxalate. All quantities are measured as mmol kg soil^?1, and a value of 0.5 is commonly used for the scaling factor α in this equation. Historic or previously sorbed P is taken to be the quantity of P extracted by oxalate (P_ox) so that DPS = P_ox/PSC. The relation between PSC and Al_ox, Fe_ox and P_ox was determined for 37 soil samples from Northern Ireland with relatively large clay and organic matter contents. Sorption of P, measured over 252 days, was strongly correlated with the amounts of Al_ox and Fe_ox extracted, but there was also a negative correlation with P_ox. When PSC was calculated as the sum of the measured sorption after 252 days and P_ox, the multiple regression of PSC on Al_ox and Fe_ox gave the equation PSC = 36.6 + 0.61 Al_ox+ 0.31 Fe_ox with a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.92. The regression intercept of 36.6 was significantly greater than zero. The 95% confidence limits for the regression coefficients of Al_ox and Fe_ox did not overlap, indicating a significantly larger regression coefficient of P sorption on Al_ox than on Fe_ox. When loss on ignition was employed as an additional variable in the multiple regression of PSC on Al_ox and Fe_ox, it was positively correlated with PSC. Although the regression coefficient for loss on ignition was statistically significant (P < 0.001), the impact of this variable was small as its inclusion in the multiple regression increased R² by only 0.028. Values of P sorption measured over 252 days were on average 2.75 (range 2.0–3.8) times greater than an overnight index of P sorption. Measures of DPS were less well correlated with water‐soluble P than either the Olsen or Morgan tests for P in soil.     

Extractable Al and Si compounds in pale-podzolic soils of the Central Forest Reserve: Contents and distribution along the profile and by size fractions

The profile distributions of oxalate- and pyrophosphate-soluble Al compounds and oxalate-soluble Si compounds in the main horizons of pale-podzolic soils of the Central Forest Reserve and the fractions <1. 1–5, and >5 μm have been considered. In the clay-eluvial part of soil profile, the content of these compounds is differentiated by the eluvial–illuvial type with a clear accumulation in the EL horizon compared to the AEL horizon. This distribution is largely ensured by their differentiation in the clay and fine silt fractions, while an accumulative distribution of mobile Al compounds is observed in fractions >5 μm. The high correlation between the Al and Si contents in the Tamm extracts from the clay and fine silt fractions with the (Al_ox–Al_py)/Si_ox molar ratios, which are in the range of 1–3 in the EL horizon, confirms that mobile compounds are accumulated in these fractions in the form of amorphous aluminosilicates. In the AEL and EL horizons, an additional amount of Al can pass into the oxalate solution from the fine fractions due to the dissolution of Al hydroxide interlayers of soil chlorites. The eluvial–illuvial distribution of mobile Al and Si compounds typical for Al–Fe–humus podzols within the clay-illuvial part of profiles of the soils under study can be considered as an example of superimposed evolution.     

The effect of soil flooding on the transformation of Fe oxides and the adsorption/desorption behavior of phosphate

As repeatedly reported, soil flooding improves the availability of P to rice. This is in contrast with an increased P sorption in paddy soils. The effects of soil flooding on the transformation of Fe oxides and the adsorption/desorption of P of two paddy soils of Zhejiang Province in Southeast‐China were studied in anaerobic incubation experiments (submerging with water in N₂ atmosphere). Soil flooding significantly increased oxalate‐extractable Fe (Fe_ox), mainly at the expense of dithionite‐soluble Fe (Fe_DCB), as well as oxalate‐extractable P (P_ox), but decreased the ratio of P_ox/Fe_ox. Flooding largely increased both, P adsorption and the maximum P adsorption capacity. The majority of newly sorbed P in the soils was P_ox, but also more newly retained P was found to be not extractable by oxalate. Flooding also changed the characteristics of P desorption in the soils. Due to a decrease of the saturation index of the P sorption capacity, P adsorbed by flooded soils was much less desorbable than that from non‐flooded soils. There are obviously significant differences in the nature of both, the Fe_ox and P_ox fractions under non‐flooded and flooded conditions. The degree of the changes in Fe_ox, P_ox, P adsorption and P desorption by flooding depended on the contents of amorphous and total Fe oxides in non‐flooded soils. Our results confirm that the adsorption and desorption behavior of P in paddy soils is largely controlled by the transformation of the Fe oxides. The reasons of the often‐reported improved P availability to rice induced by flooding, in spite of the unfavorable effect on P desorbability, are discussed.     

Evaluation of preflooding effects on iron extractability and phytoavailability in highly calcareous soil in containers

Previous pot cropping and laboratory incubation experiments were consistent with field observations showing that temporary flooding before cropping can increase the availability of soil Fe to plants. To study the effect of temporary flooding on changes in soil Fe phytoavailability we used 24 highly calcareous, Fe chlorosis–inducing soils to carry out a pot experiment where peanut and chickpea were successively grown after flooding for 30 d. At the end of the cropping experiment, the preflooded soil samples exhibited higher concentrations of acid oxalate‐, citrate/ascorbate‐ and diethylenetriaminepentacetic acid (DTPA)–extractable Fe (Fe_ox, Fe_ca, and Fe_DTPA, respectively) than the control (nonflooded) samples. Also, Fe_ox and Fe_ca exhibited no change by effect of reflooding of the cropped soils or three wetting–drying cycles in freeze‐dried slurries of soils previously incubated anaerobically for several weeks. Leaf chlorophyll concentration (LCC) in both peanut and chickpea was greatly increased by preflooding. The best predictor for LCC was Fe_ox, followed by Fe_ca and Fe_DTPA. The LCC–soil Fe relationships found suggest that the Fe species extracted by oxalate and citrate/ascorbate from preflooded soils were more phytoavailable than those extracted from control soils. However, the increased phytoavailability of extractable Fe forms was seemingly limited to the first crop (peanut). Flooding dramatically increased Fe_DTPA; however, high Fe_DTPA levels did not result in high LCC values, particularly in the second crop. Therefore, this test is a poor predictor of the severity of Fe chlorosis in preflooded soils.     

Mineralogical properties of andisols of the Kitakami mountain range,Northeastern Japan

We studied the mineralogical properties of Andisols of the Kitakami mountain range. Soils of the northern and central parts of the mountain range contained higher levels of acid oxalate extractable silicon (Si_o), aluminum (A1_o), and iron (Fe_o) but smaller amounts of sodium pyrophosphate-extractable aluminum (Al_p), iron (Fe_p), and carbon (C_p) than those of the southern part. Consequently, the soils of the northern and central parts of the mountain range contained large amounts of allophane and ferrihydrite whereas in the soils of the southern part A1 (Fe)-humus complexes and 2:1 and 2:1:1 clays predominated. The amount of sand (20-2,000 μm) in the soils tended to decrease sharply from the north to the south of the mountain range. The soils of the northern and central parts of the mountain range contained larger amounts of heavy minerals in their fine sand fraction (20-200 μm). The soils of the southern part, on the other hand, contained larger amounts of fine-grained quartz (2-20 μm). All the soils of the mountain range contained substantial amounts of volcanic glass in their sand fraction. However, on a total soil basis, the amount of volcanic glass in the soils decreased from the north to the south of the mountain range and the trend was parallel to that of the sand content of the soils. From these results, we concluded that (i) the soils of the northern and central parts of the mountain range were derived mainly from tephras and (ii) the soils of the southern part were strongly influenced by long-range eolian dust.     

Volcanic ash additions control soil carbon accumulation in brown forest soils in Japan

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to clarify the influence of volcanic ash addition on soil carbon stocks and the carbon accumulation process in brown forest soils (BFS) in Japan. The degree of volcanic ash addition to the soil was estimated according to the acid ammonium oxalate extractable aluminum (Al_ox) and lithic fragment contents, and their vertical distribution patterns. The BFS was classified in order of increasing volcanic ash influence on the soil into the following types: high Al_ox content with no gravel (H-Al_ox-NGv), high Al_ox with a high gravel content (H-Al_ox-Gv), moderate Al_ox (M-Al_ox), and low Al_ox (L-Al_ox), and then analyzed for carbon content, carbon amount, carbon stock, Al_ox amount and pyrophosphate extractable aluminum (Al_py) amount. The correlation between the carbon and Al_py amounts and the relationship between the Al_py and Al_ox amounts in the BFS samples indicated that the amount of carbon is determined by Al—humus complex formation, which is defined by the active Al generated from additional volcanic ash in BFS soil samples of BFS. Therefore, soils with thicker horizons and greater amounts of Al_ox had higher carbon levels in deeper horizons. For this reason, soil carbon stocks at depths of 0–30 cm and 0–100 cm, and in the effective soil depth of BFS, were larger and followed the order H-Al_ox-NGv = H-Al_ox-Gv > M-Al_ox > L-Al_ox. Furthermore, successive accumulations of volcanic ash on the soil surface promoted soil carbon accumulation as a result of the development of the surface horizon in H-Al_ox-NGv BFS. Our results suggest that volcanic ash additions control the soil carbon accumulation of forest soil in Japan.     

Iron oxides in four Red Mediterranean soils on metarhyolite and metadolerite in Kilkis,Greece

The various iron fractions were quantified by selective dissolution (Fe_d, Fe_o, Fe_t) in four Red Mediterranean soils, developed on metarhyolite and metadolerite. They were similar in all profiles. A strong trend of iron removal from the surface horizon and of its subsequent illuvial translocation to the argillic horizons was observed. In all profiles, Fe_o was not related to the organic matter content indicating the Mediterranean xeric soil environment. The Fe_o/Fe_d ratio and the percentage of crystalline iron oxides (Fe_d-Fe_o) suggested that the pedoenvironment in which the profiles P1, P2 were formed, allowed the high crystallization of iron oxides. As indicated by the Fe_d/Fe_t values, the weathering process was more intense in the metarhyolite-developed soils. In contrast, the metadolerite-developed soils present conditions of poorly crystallized iron oxides and a lower degree of development.     

Phosphate sorption by Egyptian,Ethiopian and German soils and P uptake by rye (Secale cereale L.) seedlings

Phosphate sorption was studied in samples (0 - 20 cm depth) of five soils from Egypt (pH 7.4 - 8.7), four soils from Ethiopia (pH 3.9 - 5.3) and six soils from Germany (pH 3.3 - 7.2). Sorption parameters were calculated according to Pagel and Van Huay (1976) and according to Langmuir (Syers et al., 1973). Phosphate sorption parameters and oxalate extractable Fe and Al (Fe_ox, Al_ox) were related to the phosphate uptake by young rye plants in Neubauer pot experiments. P sorption parameter after Pagel and Van Huay (A) correlated significantly positively with the Fe_ox and Al_ox content in acid (r = 0.73) as well as in calcareous soils (r = 0.89) if the whole equilibrium concentration range (0 - 14 mg P/L) was considered. The relations calculated after Langmuir (B) were similar. P uptake by rye in acid soils was negatively correlated with the affinity constant n (r = ?0.76, (A)). In calcareous soils, a negative correlation between P uptake and affinity constant was calculated in the lower P equilibrium range (0 - 2.8 mg P/L) only for (B). Thus, P uptake decreased with increasing strength of P bonding to soil. From these results it is concluded that phosphate sorbed to Fe/Al oxides is an important P source for plants in acid and calcareous soils.     

Effects of land use and mineral characteristics on the organic carbon content,and the amount and composition of Na‐pyrophosphate‐soluble organic matter,in subsurface soils

Land use and mineral characteristics affect the ability of surface as well as subsurface soils to sequester organic carbon and their contribution to mitigation of the greenhouse effect. There is less information about the effects of land use and soil properties on the amount and composition of organic matter (OM) for subsurface soils as compared with surface soils. Here we aimed to analyse the long‐term (≥ 100 years) impact of arable and forest land use and soil mineral characteristics on subsurface soil organic carbon (SOC) contents, as well as on amount and composition of OM sequentially separated by Na pyrophosphate solution (OM(PY)) from subsurface soil samples. Seven soils with different mineral characteristics (Albic and Haplic Luvisol, Colluvic and Haplic Regosol, Haplic and Vertic Cambisol, Haplic Stagnosol) were selected from within Germany. Soil samples were taken from subsurface horizons of forest and adjacent arable sites continuously used for >100 years. The OM(PY) fractions were analysed for their OC content (OC_PY) and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Multiple regression analyses for the arable subsurface soils indicated significant positive relationships between the SOC contents and combined effects of the (i) exchangeable Ca (Ca_ex) and oxalate‐soluble Fe (Fe_ox) and (ii) the Ca_ex and Al_ox contents. For these soils the increase in OC (OC_PY multiplied by the relative C=O content of OM(PY)) and increasing contents of Ca_ex indicated that OM(PY) mainly interacts with Ca²⁺. For the forest subsurface soils (pH < 5), the OC_PY contents were related to the contents of Na‐pyrophosphate‐soluble Fe and Al. The long‐term arable and forest land use seems to result in different OM(PY)‐mineral interactions in subsurface soils. On the basis of this, we hypothesize that a long‐term land‐use change from arable to forest may lead to a shift from mainly OM(PY)‐Ca²⁺ to mainly OM(PY)‐Fe³⁺ and ‐Al³⁺ interactions if the pH of subsurface soils significantly decreases to <5.     

Proposal for advanced classification of brown forest soils in Japan with reference to the degree of volcanic ash additions

Abstract

The advanced classification of brown forest soils (BFS) is based on the specific properties of these soils, including the acid ammonium oxalate extractable aluminum (Al_ox) and lithic fragment contents, as well as their vertical distributions in the soil profile. In the present study, these properties were used to classify BFS, resulting in four types: (1) H-Al_ox-NGv BFS, (2) H-Al_ox-Gv BFS, (3) M-Al_ox BFS, (4) L-Al_ox BFS. H-Al_ox-NGv BFS is derived from volcanic ash characterized by a high Al_ox content and no lithic fragment, whereas L-Al_ox BFS is derived from weathered bedrock and has a low Al_ox content. H-Al_ox-Gv BFS and M-Al_ox BFS are derived from mixtures of volcanic ash and weathered bedrock. H-Al_ox-Gv BFS is characterized by high Al_ox content and many lithic fragments, whereas M-Al_ox BFS has moderate Al_ox content. H-Al_ox-NGv BFS and black soils (BLS) develop from accumulated volcanic ash, as indicated by declining Al_ox and clay content with decreasing depth in the surface horizons, as a result of successive additions of less-weathered volcanic ash to the soil surface.     

水稻根际中铁的形态转化

本文以熟化红壤性水稻土、淀浆白土、红壤和赤红壤为样品,研究了植稻后根际中铁的形态转化.结果表明,两种水稻土根际中无定形氧化铁、游离氧化铁、络合态铁、土壤中氧化铁的活化度及两种红壤上根际中的络合态铁均低于非根际土;而两种红壤上其余各项在根际内外分布趋势均与水稻土相反.用穆斯堡尔谱仪分析表明,所有根际土与非根际土相比,四极矩分裂增大,内磁场下降,说明根际中氧化铁被活化.同时,水稻土上根际中Fe²⁺增多,赤红壤中根际出现新矿物磁赤铁矿.根际中铁被活化,可能会影响根际中重金属等污染物的吸附和解吸特性、植物的铁素营养及对其它养分的吸收.     

Diagnostics of gleyzation upon a low content of iron oxides (Using the example of tundra soils in the Kolyma Lowland)

The matrix of iron (hydr)oxides exerts a decisive influence on the character of gleyzation. Upon a high content of iron (hydr)oxides, their reduction radically changes the horizon color from warm to cold hues, which is typical of soils on the Russian Plain. Upon the low content of iron (hydr)oxides, iron reduction takes place in phyllosilicates with minimal changes in the soil color. The cold hue of cryohydromorphic soils in the Kolyma Lowland is controlled by the color of the lithogenic matrix with a low content of iron (hydr)oxides. In this case, the soil color characteristics expressed in the Munsell notation or in the CIE-L*a*b* system are ineffective for diagnostic purposes. The colorimetric methods appear to be more efficient after the soil pretreatment with hydrogen peroxide, as the gleyed horizons turn green, while the nongleyed (and not overmoistened) horizons turn red. Physical methods (Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility measurements) are more efficient for characterizing the properties of iron compounds in cryohydromorphic soils as compared with the methods of chemical extraction. Mössbauer spectroscopy proved to be highly efficient, as the iron oxidation index Fe³⁺/(Fe²⁺+Fe³⁺) decreases in the gleyed horizons. Chemical reagents (Tamm’s and Mehra-Jackson’s reagents) dissolve Fe-phyllosilicates and are not selective in soils with a low content of iron (hydr)oxides.