Characteristics of brown forest soils developed under beech forests in the kinki and the tohoku districts with special reference to their pedogenetic processes

Abstract

Properties of sesquioxides, clay mineralogical composition, and charge characteristics of Brown Forest soils developed under beech forests in the Kinki (Ohdaigahara) and the Tohoku District (Hakkoda) were studied with special reference to their pedogenetic processes.

The Brown Forest soils in the Kinki District were characterized by the translocation of free Al, formation of Al and/or Fe-humus complexes throughout the profile, and the predominance of 2:1: 1-2:1 intergrade minerals in the subsurface horizons, whereas those in the Tohoku District were characterized by the formation of allophane and no remarkable translocation of free Al oxides. This difference in the pedogenetic processes under the same vegetation was reflected on the amounts of Al released from primary minerals in relation to the amounts of organic matter accumulated. Major distinctive characteristics included the values of the Alp/Alo, the Fep/Feo, the Alo/Ald ratios, the Sio content, and the STPT-ZPC and pH(H₂O) values.

Among these the values of the Alo/Ald ratio and/or the Sio content were found to be suitable indices for the differentiation of Brown Forest soils from Andisols in Japan In addition to the criteria used to define andic soil properties.     

Characteristics of the soils developed under broad-leaved evergreen forests in okinawa prefecture and the kinki district with special reference to their pedogenetic processes

Abstract

Properties of sesquioxides, clay mineralogical composition, and charge characteristics of the soils developed under broad-leaved evergreen forests in Okinawa Prefecture (subtropical climate) and the Kinki District (warm temperate climate) were studied with special reference to their pedogenetic processes in order to reexamine the corresponding parameters of Brown Forest soils and related soils in Japan.

The soils in Okinawa Prefecture were characterized by a higher degree of weathering as compared to the soils in the Kinki District. Major differences involved the values of the Fed/Fet ratio for the soil samples throughout the profile, and those of the ratios of (Fed-Feo)/Fet, CEC/clay, and (Feo + Alo)/ clay and the content of CaO plus Na₂O for the B horizon. The soils in the Kinki District did not show andic soil properties, nor Al translocation in the profile and, both of which were characteristic of Brown Forest soils developed under cool temperate climatic conditions at high altitudes in the same District.

The difference in the degree of weathering were reflected on the charge characteristics at the very surface of the soils, i.e., the surface of the particles of the soils in Okinawa Prefecture exhibited a lower reactivity as compared with those of the soils in the Kinki District.     

浙西石灰岩发育土壤中氧化铁矿物组成及特性的研究

本计浙西地区４个具不同颜色的石灰岩发育土壤的氧化铁矿物组成和特性进行了研究。结果表明，在亚热带生物气候作用下，这些土壤已经经历了一定的风化，从氧化铁游离度来看；风化强度红壤性土（油红泥）〉棕色石灰土（油红黄、油黄泥）〉黑色石灰土（碳质黑油泥）。氧化铁矿物类型与土色存在一定的关系，油红泥含较高的赤铁矿，土色以红色和棕红色为主；油红黄 油黄泥主要以针铁矿为主，赤铁矿含理较低土色以黄棕色为主；碳质黑油     

Impact of agricultural land use on physicochemical properties of soils derived from sedimentary rocks in Malaysia

ABSTRACT

In Malaysia, soils derived from sedimentary rocks are extensively used for agricultural purposes with oil palm and rubber being the main dwellers. In order to understand the environmental impact of these perennial crops planting, the variability of physicochemical properties of 25 representative soils derived from sedimentary rocks under different ecosystems (agriculture land and natural forest) at six study sites spread across Malaysia was examined. Among the soil physicochemical properties, total soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and fertility level were found to be generally higher in the forest ecosystems followed by rubber plantation and finally oil palm plantations. Likewise, projection of principal component analysis showed an associative relationship between soil physicochemical properties and microhabitats. Finally, this study showed that soils from different agricultural and natural sites, but derived from similar sedimentary rocks, had distinctive weathering conditions and soil properties. Therefore, site-specific field management according to soil type, soil management techniques as well as fertilizer strategies are required to maximize crop production and to sustain ecosystem services. The output of this study will enable farmers to improve their crop yield via the selection of suitable crops cultivation based on soil characteristics.     

Characteristics of phosphorus fractions in the soils derived from sedimentary and serpentinite rocks in lowland tropical rain forests,Borneo

ABSTRACT

Soil organic phosphorus (P) is an important P source for biota especially in P-limited forests. Organic P has various chemical formations which differ in bioavailability and these organic P can be degraded by phosphatase enzymes. Here, we report soil P fractions inferred from solution ³¹P-NMR spectroscopy and soil phosphatase activities of two tropical rain forests on contrasting parent materials; sedimentary and ultramafic igneous (serpentinite) rocks. Compared to the sedimentary soils　and previous studies, P fractions of the serpentinite soils have distinctly high proportions of pyrophosphate and scyllo-inositol hexakisphosphate (scyllo-IP₆). The accumulation of pyrophosphate and scyllo-IP₆ may be related to strong sorptive capacity of iron oxides present in the serpentinite soils, which implies a consequent low P availability in the serpentinite soils. Mean value of soil phosphatase activities was higher in the serpentinite soils than in the sedimentary soils, suggesting that biota in these serpentinite forests depend more on soil organic P as a P source.     

Changes in magnetic properties and their pedogenetic implications for paddy soil chronosequences from different parent materials in south China

It remains unknown whether there is a consistent relationship between magnetism dynamics and pedogenesis for paddy soils. In this study, three paddy soil chronosequences, derived from purple sandy shale (PS), Quaternary red clay (RC) and red sandstone (RS) in the hilly regions of south China, were studied to identify changes in magnetism during soil development and to understand their implications for pedogenesis. The results show that magnetic susceptibility (MS) and soft isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM_s) simultaneously decreased to extremely small values in the anthrostagnic epipedons during the initial stages of cultivation. In contrast, this decrease was limited in the hydragric horizons of the young paddy soils and even increased in some. These changes suggest that MS and IRM_s can be enhanced by the oxidation of Fe²⁺ in acid paddy soils (between pH 5 and 6) or be depressed by anaerobic transformations of ferrimagnetic minerals. The main influence on magnetic properties was time duration and especially reducing degree of artificial submergence, while parent materials played a supportive role. Magnetic enrichments generally occurred in the clay fraction. Ferrimagnetic clay minerals were more easily altered than minerals in the silt and sand fractions. The study also shows that there was no fixed pattern in the relationship between magnetism and paddy pedogenesis and magnetic properties should be used with care when applying them to environments in which redox processes occur.     

Formation of clay minerals in soils developed from basic volcanic rocks under semiarid climatic conditions in Lanzarote,Spain

Clay formation in soils was studied in four landscapes of different ages in Lanzarote (Canary Islands). Landscape IV_B is about 250 years old, IV_A subrecent, III early young pleistocene, and landscape I, late tertiary. The soils have developed from basic to ultrabasic pyroclastic fall deposits or basalt.Clay formation in soils of landscape IV_B is in an initial stage having a clay content of 1–2 kg/m², whereas in landscape IV_A 30–40 kg/m² and in landscape III 100–200 kg clay/m² are accumulated. In polygenetic soils of landscape I more than 3000 kg clay/m² can be found. In the youngest soils IV_B, smectite is the most prominent clay mineral, whereas IV_A-soils are dominated by “amorphous” clay. The clay fraction in older soils contains illite, smectite as well as kaolinite in smaller quantities.The chemical composition of the clay fraction of soils with different ages changes significantly according to the mineral composition.     

Crop use and profile distribution of phosphorus in soils that developed on mafic rocks in southern Portugal

The phytoavailability of soil phosphorus (P) depends on the different forms in which it occurs and how these forms change after the application of P fertiliser to the soil. Forms of P in the A, B and C horizons of eleven pedons that developed on mafic rocks were characterised by a fractionation method before and after fertilisation with single superphosphate, and a micropot experiment was conducted to assess the short-term use of P fertiliser by rye (Secale cereale L.). The main sources of P to the crop were (i) phosphate adsorbed on mineral surfaces and pedogenic Fe, Al or Ca phosphates in the A horizon and (ii) Ca-phosphates in B and C horizons. In the C horizons, poor in Fe/Al phases and clay, the precipitated Ca-P showed low solubility, resulting in a reduction in shoot biomass. The apparent P recovery by rye was similar in the A (36%) and B (29%) but decreased in the C (15%) horizons. The partial factor productivity (g g^?1) decreased from the A (58) to B (11) and C (5) horizons. P phytoavailability decreased with increasing profile depth because the transformation of P fertiliser to poorly soluble Ca-P forms increased with depth.     

Improved methods for selective dissolution of manganese oxides from soils and rocks

Hydroxylamine hydrochloride (NH₂OH‐HCl) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) have been used in the past for selective dissolution of manganese oxide minerals. The methods reported, however, give poor recoveries. We tried to improve the methods in this respect. By stoichiometry, incomplete dissolution of Mn oxides is due to the lack of NH₂OH‐HCl added or to the lack of acid added in the case of H₂O₂ treatment. By increasing the amount of solution for a given amount of solid in the case of NH₂OH‐HCl and by increasing the acid concentration in the case of H₂O₂ treatment, we obtained rapid and complete dissolution of synthetic Mn oxides. The dissolution of natural samples, however, was slower than that of synthetic ones. Based on the results obtained, the improved methods are: (i) 0.1 m NH₂OH‐HCl, non‐acidified, 2 hours' stirring, and 1 g solid in 2 litres solution; (ii) 30% H₂O₂ in 0.5 m nitric acid, 0.5 hours' stirring, and 1 g solid in 1 litre solution. The improved methods achieved almost complete release of manganese from samples without decreasing the selectivity of dissolution.     

长白山山脉火山喷出物发育土壤的特性及系统分类研究

以长白山、龙岗、宽甸火山喷出物发育土壤为研究对象,对供试土壤形态特征进行描述,并对其pH、有机碳、磷酸盐吸持量、铁铝氧化物、火山玻璃等性质进行测定,按照《中国土壤系统分类检索（第三版）》的原则和方法并结合美国《土壤系统分类检索》第11版,讨论了土壤的诊断层、诊断特性,并进行了分类检索。结果表明：火山喷出物发育的土壤未必就是火山灰土。长白山天池火山锥顶部的土壤发育程度极弱,属于新成土;天池火山锥底部的土壤已经形成土壤结构体,且具有火山灰特性,属于火山灰土;宽甸青椅山顶部土壤以及龙岗金龙顶子底部土壤均具有火山灰特性,检索为火山灰土;宽甸大川头底部土壤0.02 ~ 2 mm粒级含量未达到火山灰特性的要求,但具有雏形层,检索为雏形土。     

Fibrous goethite in some soils from Japan and Scotland

Fibrous particles 20—50Å wide and several μm long have been found in the clay fractions from a number of Japanese and Scottish soils. The particles dissolved in buffered dithionite and hot acid oxalate (0.15 M) but were resistant to hot alkali (2% Na₂CO₃, 0.5 M NaOH) and acid (0.1 M HCl) treatments, suggesting a ferruginous and crystalline nature. The ferruginous nature was further indicated by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, which, at the same time, showed the presence of large quantities of Al and some Si. Electron diffraction analysis indicated goethite of low crystallinity as the most likely mineral. Incorporation of numbers of Al ions in the crystal lattice was inferred from the results of elemental analysis after chemical dissolution treatments.     

Composition of clay minerals and their pedogenetic and taxonomic implications for Stagnic Anthrosols derived from different parent materials in Hunan Province,China

Purpose

The aims of this study were to investigate the composition of clay minerals in soils derived from different parent materials and to elucidate how parent materials and pedogenic environment affect the distribution of clay minerals and reveal the implications for pedogenetics and taxonomy in Stagnic Anthrosols.

Materials and methods

Clay mineralogy and physicochemical properties of the Hydragric horizon of Stagnic Anthrosols derived from granite (GR), plate shale (PS), quaternary red clays (QRC), limestone (LS), purple sandy shale (PSS) and fluvial-lacustrine deposit (FLD) located in Hunan Province of China were analysed to explore the relationships between the conditions influencing the formation of the soil and the composition of clay minerals.

Results and discussion

Results indicated that the composition of clay minerals is closely related to both parent material and type of Stagnic Anthrosols: the soils derived from GR, PS and QRC, which are mostly classified as Fe-accumulic-Stagnic Anthrosols, are dominantly 1:1 type kaolinite and vermiculite and illite/vermiculite mixed layer minerals of widespread distribution. However, soils derived from LS, PSS and FLD were mainly classified as Hapli-Stagnic Anthrosols and are mainly composed of 2:1 type illite/smectite mixed layer minerals, where chlorite is commonly found. Illite is widely distributed and its content varies the least among different parent materials. An extremely significant relationship between pH and kaolinite, chlorite and mixed layer minerals was noted, and the two kinds of mixed layer minerals showed highly significant negative correlation.

Conclusions

This study revealed that the types and quantities of clay minerals in the soil are closely related to the types of parent material. This reflected better direction and degree of development in Stagnic Anthrosols, which is related to the physicochemical properties of parent material and can be used as one of the bases for the classification of soil groups and subgroups within the soil family for Stagnic Anthrosols in Chinese Soil Taxonomy.

     

Rates and processes of mineral weathering in soils developed on greywackes and shales in the Southern Uplands of Scotland

Critical loads of acid deposition are exceeded in parts of the Southern Uplands of Scotland where base saturation in the topmost mineral horizons in many soils developed on greywackes and shales is <10%. Long-term weathering rates calculated by the elemental depletion method from nine soil profiles across a 200 km transect indicate losses of base cations in the range 4–31 meq m^?2a^?1. In every profile the most depleted base cation is Mg which is directly related to the weathering of chlorite which is often present at the 20–40% level in basal horizons but is often completely weathered out in E horizons. The second most depleted base cation is usually K, and this is clearly related to the weathering of mica to a vermiculitic mineral which, in the clay fractions, contains polymeric hydroxyaluminium in the interlamellar space if the soil pH is >4.3. The base cation least depleted is Ca and this is in sharp contrast to current weathering rates calculated from input-output budgets where Ca is the main base cation being exported. This discrepancy may be due to a contribution to the output from easily soluble Ca-bearing minerals (e.g. calcite) in narrow veins and fractures in the bedrock.     

Composition and development of some soils on glauconitic Cretaceous (Upper Greensand) rocks in southern England

Three soils developed in glauconitic parent materials and differing in water regime have been examined. Particle size distribution and mineralogical data show them to be free of additions of extraneous material and major lithological discontinuities. The principal soil-forming processes have been physical disaggregation of glauconite grains, translocation of clay, removal of Fe II from the glauconite structure due to charge imbalance following loss of structural K, and oxidation of this Fe II to form hydrous Fe oxides. A randomly interstratified illit-mectite has also formed by weathering of the glauconite. The evidence of void argillan formation at considerable depth in the coarser textured soils is difficult to reconcile with conventional ideas regarding the formation of such features. The glauconite in these soil parent materials has an unusually low Fe II content, which confers considerable stability on the glauconite surface. As a consequence, the glauconite in these soils is relatively resistant to weathering.     

Using pXRF and vis-NIR spectra for predicting properties of soils developed in loess

Visible near-infrared (vis-NIR) and portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometers have been increasingly utilized for predicting soil properties worldwide. However, only a few studies have focused on splitting the predictive models by horizons to evaluate prediction performance and systematically compare prediction performance for A, B, and combined A+B horizons. Therefore, we investigated the performance of pXRF and vis-NIR spectra, as individual or combined, for predicting the clay, silt, sand, total carbon (TC), and pH of soils developed in loess, and compared their prediction performance for A, B, and A+B horizons. Soil samples (176 in A horizon and 172 in B horizon) were taken from Mollisols and Alfisols in 136 pedons in Wisconsin, USA and analyzed for clay, silt, sand, pH, and TC. The pXRF and vis-NIR spectrometers were used to measure the pXRF and vis-NIR soil spectra. Data were separated into calibration (n=244, 70%) and validation (n=104, 30%) datasets. The Savitzky-Golay filter was applied to preprocess the pXRF and vis-NIR spectra, and the first 10 principal components (PCs) were selected through principal component analysis (PCA). Five types of predictor, i.e., PCs from vis-NIR spectra, pXRF of beams at 0-40 and 0-10 keV (XRF40 and XRF10, respectively) spectra, combined XRF40 and XRF10 (XRF40+XRF10) spectra, and combined XRF40, XRF10, and vis-NIR (XRF40+XRF10+vis-NIR) spectra, were compared for predicting soil properties using a machine learning algorithm (Cubist model). A multiple linear regression (MLR) model was applied to predict clay, silt, sand, pH, and TC using pXRF elements. The results suggested that pXRF spectra had better prediction performance for clay, silt, and sand, whereas vis-NIR spectra produced better TC and pH predictions. The best prediction performance for sand (R²=0.97), silt (R²=0.95), and clay (R²=0.84) was achieved using vis-NIR+XRF40+XRF10 spectra in B horizon, whereas the best prediction performance for TC (R²=0.93) and pH (R²=0.79) was achieved using vis-NIR+XRF40+XRF10 spectra in A+B horizon. For all soil properties, the best MLR model had a lower prediction accuracy than the Cubist model. It was concluded that pXRF and vis-NIR spectra can be successfully applied for predicting clay, silt, sand, pH, and TC with high accuracy for soils developed in loess, and that spectral models should be developed for different horizons to achieve high prediction accuracy.     

An overview of some tillage impacts on earthworm population abundance and diversity — implications for functioning in soils

Conflicting reports in the literature on the effects of tillage on earthworms are reviewed in the light of their roles in agro-ecosystem functioning. Tillage can change the abundance (by 2–9 times) as well as the composition (diversity) of earthworm populations. The actual impact is dependent on soil factors, climatic conditions and the tillage operations but hitherto this information was seldom provided in research reports. The declines in earthworm population often reported in conventionally tilled soils are associated with undesirable changes in the soil environmental conditions resulting from excessive tillage. Different species of earthworm respond differently to tillage. While the abundance of the deep burrowing species (anecic) tends to decline under tillage, particularly under deep ploughing, endogeic species can actually increase in number especially when there is increased food supply. Under conservation tillage systems, earthworms can potentially play a more important role than under conventional tillage in the functioning of the farming systems because of their abilities to modify the soil physical environment and nutrient cycling. However, adoption of conservation tillage does not automatically result in an optimal earthworm population in terms of abundance and diversity. There are opportunities to introduce more beneficial species to improve the ecological performance of agro-ecosystems. More research is needed to fully understand the ecology of different earthworm species, their interactions and their potential roles in promoting more sustainable farming systems.     

耕型红壤和红壤性水稻土铜的化学形态及其有效性

对湖南省 1 0个有代表性红壤样品进行化学分组测定 .结果表明 ,土壤有机态、无定形铁态、晶形铁态和残留态铜分别占全铜量的 1 5 2 %、1 1 7%、1 7 2 %和 5 6 0 % .红壤性水稻土有机态和无定形铁态铜 ,明显高于耕型红壤 ,而晶形态、残留态铜则相反 ,供试土壤有效铜含量与土壤有机态铜和无定形铁态铜含量呈极显著性正相关     

Gibbsite and halloysite decomposition in strongly acid podzolic soils developed from granitic saprolite of the Bayerischer Wald

The present study reports the occurrence of gibbsite and halloysite in soils derived from granitic saprolites and from glacial deposits formed from granitic saprolites of the Bayerischer Wald (Germany). Both minerals are common in soils of this area. They were formed in the initial stages of weathering, most probably before the Pleistocene and in a warmer climate. Under present conditions halloysite and gibbsite are unstable in the surface soils, as indicated by a decrease in gibbsite concentration towards the surface and by an undersaturation of the equilibrium soil solution with respect to both minerals. It is assumed that the strongly acid conditions and the high concentration of organic compounds in the surface horizons lead to dissolution of gibbsite and possibly to transformation of halloysite to kaolinite.     

Genesis and classification position of automorphic soils developed from mantle loams in the northern taiga of European Russia

Automorphic loamy soils of the northern taiga and forest-tundra zones in the northeastern part of European Russia are characterized. These soils are diagnosed by the presence of a paragenetic system of the podzolic (often, with gley features) and iron-illuvial horizons combined with a specific cryometamorphic CRM horizon. The podzolic horizon is considerably impoverished in the total and oxalate-extractable iron and slightly impoverished in aluminum and clay in comparison with the iron-illuvial horizon. A distinctive feature of the cryometamorphic horizon is its fine angular blocky, ooidal, or granulated structure in the dry state and curdled cryogenic structure in the wet state. The soil profile is relatively weakly differentiated with respect to the contents of clay and sesquioxides. The genesis of these soils is related to a combination of the gley-Al-Fe-humus mobilization, migration, and illuvial accumulation of substances and the cryogenic structuring. According to the new Classification and Diagnostic System of Russian Soils, these soils fit the criteria of iron-illuvial svetlozems in the order of cryometamorphic soils. In the studied area, these soils are found together with texture-differentiated gley-podzolic soils having the Bt horizon and belonging to the order of texture-differentiated soils.     

Bonding and oxidation state of iron in humic complexes extracted from some Greek soils

Electron spin resonance and Mössbauer spectroscopy were used to obtain information on the nature of the bonding and of the oxidation state of iron in complexes of iron-humic substances, some prepared in the laboratory and others extracted from samples of Greek soils developed under different vegetative covers. In the synthetic FeHA complexes prepared at pH 2.8, iron was found to be both in trivalent and bivalent states. At pH 4.0, iron was in the trivalent state and only traces of Fe²⁺ were found.The ESR spectra of the natural HA's and FA's indicated that iron forms complexes with both of them. The Mössbauer spectra, however, did not provide verification for existence of Fe³⁺ organically bound to the humic acids. All the Mössbauer spectra of the natural humic acids showed minute quantities of iron in the ferrous state. The respective parameters indicated that the Fe²⁺ is directly bound to HA's. The ferrous iron probably resulted from the reduction of Fe³⁺ during the humification process. The Mössbauer spectrum of an FeFA complex prepared in the laboratory with a fulvic acid: metal ratio of (1:1) at pH 4.0 showed that iron occurred in both trivalent and bivalent states.Differences in the vegetative cover and in the taxonomic category of the soils studied did not have any effect on the Mössbauer parameters of the natural HA's, but differences were reflected in the ESR spectra of the FA's.