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A Quantitative Comparison of Soil Development in Four Climatic Regimes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Jennifer W. Harden  and
Emily M. Taylor
Jennifer W. Harden
Affiliation:
United States Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, MS 75, Menlo Park, California 94025 USA
Emily M. Taylor
Affiliation:
United States Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, MS 75, Menlo Park, California 94025 USA
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Abstract

A new quantitative Soil Development Index based on field data has been applied to chronosequences formed under different climatic regimes. The four soil chronosequences, developed primarily on sandy deposits, have some numeric age control and are located in xeric-inland (Merced, Calif.), xeric-coastal (Ventura, Calif.), aridic (Las Cruces, N. Mex.), and udic (Susquehanna Valley, Pa.) soil-moisture regimes. To quantify field properties, points are assigned for developmental increases in soil properties in comparison to the parent material. Currently ten soil-field properties are quantified and normalized for each horizon in a given chronosequence, including two new properties for carbonate-rich soils in addition to the eight properties previously defined. When individual properties or the combined indexes are plotted as a function of numeric age, rates of soil development can be compared in different climates. The results demonstrate that (1) the Soil Development Index can be applied to very different soil types, (2) many field properties develop systematically in different climatic regimes, (3) certain properties appear to have similar rates of development in different climates, and (4) the Profile Index that combines different field properties increases significantly with age and appears to develop at similar rates in different climates. The Soil Development Index can serve as a preliminary guide to soil age where other age control is lacking and can be used to correlate deposits of different geographical and climatic regions.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , November 1983 , pp. 342 - 359
Copyright
University of Washington

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