SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDIES OF A SURFACE WATER GLEY

Specific features of a gley soil developed on varved lacustrine clay have been studied by scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis. Individual clay platelets can be clearly observed in the red-brown parent material but they cannot be resolved in the gleyed surfaces which have a smooth skin-like texture. Ochreous mottles are shown to have a porous blocky structure, the surfaces of the blocks being coated with globular iron oxide. Areas of manganese staining have a characteristic sponge-like morphology.