Mass balance of major elements in relation to weathering in soils developed on igneous rocks in a semiarid region, northwestern Iran

This study was conducted to evaluate the weathering intensity of the major soils developed on igneous rocks in semiarid region of northwestern Iran.Eight parent materials were selected including monzodiorite,alkali granite,granodiorite,syenite,pyroxene diorite,hornblende andesite,pyroxene andesite,and dacite.Representative soil profiles were described and soil samples were collected and analyzed for selected chemical and physical properties and total concentrations of major elements and Zr,V,Ti and Y.Bulk densities as well as Ti,Zr and V concentrations were used to estimate the strain factors and mass balance equations were used to quantify the net result of pedogenic weathering,i.e.elemental loss and gain.The results of clay content and pedogenic iron variability as well as index of compositional variability(ICV),chemical index of alteration(CIA) and,A-CN-K and MFW ternary plots showed that the soils developed on volcanic rocks(hornblende andesite> pyroxene andesite> dacite) were more weathered than those on the plutonic parent rocks(alkali granite,granodiorite,monzodiorite,syenite,pyroxene diorite).The results of mass balance calculations based on the strain factors revealed that the Ca and Na depleted during weathering progress mostly from plagioclase grains.In the semiarid regions Ca is precipitated as pedogenic calcite in the soil horizons.K and Mg depletion is less than Ca and Na especially in the profiles on the hornblende andesite with the highest clay and LOI content.The results of this study clearly suggest that the behavior of K and Mg during the weathering cannot only be explained by the disintegration of the primary minerals,since they are fixed on the secondary clay minerals.Iron did not change in the soils compared to the parent material and was precipitated as the pedogenic iron and conserved in the soil horizons.Overall,the results on the weathering indicators and major elements mass balance enrichment/depletion in the study area confirmed that the soil profiles developed on volcanic rocks are more weathered than those on the plutonic igneous rocks.     

黄土中古土壤双层淀积研究

本文确定了黄土中古土壤有四种双层淀积类型。第一和第二种是由两层ＣａＣＯ３结核构成的，第三种是由ＣａＣＯ３和ＣａＳＯ４构成的，第四种是由ＣａＣＯ３与Ａｌ２Ｏ３、Ｆｅ２Ｏ３构成的。根据ＣａＣＯ３淀积层成因分析得知，西安附近第一层古土壤具二元发生特点。该层古土壤上部的ＣａＣＯ３淀积层代表碱性土壤发育时期。下部的ＣａＣＯ３淀积层代表中酸性土壤发育时期。因为有些古土壤发育时出现过气候变化，所以具ＣａＣＯ３淀积层的古土壤不一定是碱性的。具ＣａＣＯ３与Ｆｅ２Ｏ３·Ａｌ２Ｏ３构成的双层淀积是酸性土壤的标志。     

Effects of environmental factors on classification of loessderived soils and clay minerals variations,northern Iran

Land-use type under different topographic conditions and human activities affects soil development. We investigated the effects of land-use, topography and human activity on soil classification changes in the Toshan watershed in northern Iran. Seven representative pedons derived from loess parent materials were studied on different land-uses and topographic positions. The studied pedons in forest (FO) on backslopes and footslope were classified as Calcic Haploxeralfs and Typic Haploxeralfs, respectively. The soils in abandoned lands (AB) and orchards (OR), where formerly under natural forests, located on the shoulder and backslopes positions were classified as Calcic Haploxeralfs and Vertic Haploxeralfs, respectively. Well-developed argillic horizons as indicators for higher degrees of soil evolution were observed in more-stable areas under the natural forest or less disturbed areas. Clay lessivage through these soil profiles have led to formation of Typic or Calcic Haploxeralfs, while under croplands (CP) were classified as Typic Calcixerepts. Conversion of sloping deforested areas to CP along with inappropriate management have accelerated soil erosion, resulting in unstable conditions in which decalcification and formation of developed soils cannot occur. Paddy cultivation in flat areas has caused to reduced conditions and formation of Typic Haplaquepts. Because of unfavorable conditions for chemical weathering (e.g. lower water retention compared to more-stable areas) no vermiculite was detected in the CP. The results showed that evolution and classification of the studied soils were strongly affected by land-use type, topography and management.     

Historical development in soil micromorphological imaging

The book ＂micropedolog＂ by Kubieana and a large number of publications has induced many people to practice soil micromorphology. Quantification of the soil fabric and its components was a major challenge. The use of the image analyses in soil science was a breakthrough. Attempts to make soil thin sections go back to the beginning of the 2oth century. Microscopic techniques and recently high resolution electron microscope and use of computer assisted imaging techniques enabled the in vitro study of soils in three dimensional levels. It is now possible to store and process massive amounts of data. Micro- morphological concepts and techniques are applied in paleopedological, ecological, and archaeological studies. The aim of this work was to examine soil micromorphological imaging in historical perspective.     

Micromorphology of surface crusts in the Knersvlakte, South Africa

Soils in the Knersvlakte are particularly prone to crusting and have lower inherent infiltrability than other soils across western southern Africa. Micromorphological techniques were used to examine the structure and porosity of soil crusts in the Knersvlakte to ascertain why crusting is so intense in this region. Quantile regression using boundary lines was employed to examine the relationships between infiltrability and soil properties for all samples （n = 67）. This analysis showed that infiltrability is potentially maximal at low water- dispersible ＇clay plus silt＇ content and low silt content （r^2 = 0.72 and 0.64; respectively, n = 67） （Figure 2）. The strength of crusts, pH, EC, clay mineralogy, and water-dispersible clay, silt and ＇clay plus silt＇ content were compared, and a pore analysis using optical microscopy was undertaken on images of six soil thin sections （n = 6） （circular and parallel polarizers）. Pore analysis was further undertaken on five horizontal slices of equal dimensions taken through each soil thin section. The porosity samples with low infiltrability （〈 100 mm·hr^-1, n = 4） had greater crust strength, lower porosity （both total and in the least porous slice） and greater water-dispersible ＇day plus silt＇ and silt content than the porosity samples with high infiltrability （〉 100mm·hr^-1, n = 2）. The porosity samples with low infiltrability showed a trend of lower pH and greater water dispersible clay percentage. Porosity varied within the porosity samples due to the presence of dense clay/silt bands （〈 0.5 mm in width） with relatively few air vesicles. The porosity samples with horizontal slices of low porosity （but large numbers of air vesicles） had low infiltrability, while those without slices of low porosity （and relatively few air vesicles） had high infiltrability. We conclude that the intense crusting and resultant low infiltrability of soils in the Knersvlakte appears to be related to the formation of thin, dense clay/silt bands in the pedoderm.     

胶北臧家庄盆地中生代火山岩及火山活动特征

通过对胶北臧家庄盆地中生代火山岩系的构造位置、产出状态、岩石特征、地球化学特征、相序列组合及同位素年龄等资料的综合分析，结合区域构造特征，认为其属中国东部中生代火山岩带之桃村—莱阳火山 沉积盆地构造组成部分；岩石类型为玄武岩、安山岩、英安岩及流纹岩等，属钙碱性系列，按相序列可划分为安山质岩系、英安质岩系及凝灰质粘土岩三个相组；构成两个火山旋回。     

Rare earth elements in sediments of the China continental shelf

Determination of the concentrations of, 15 rare earth elements (REE) in China continental shelf sediments by X-ray fluorescent spectral analysis of selected representative sediment samples showed that REE concentration in the sediments is 156 ppm, similar to that in China loess and Fujian granite, but different from that in Pacific sediments. The shelf REE have the characteristic distribution pattern of typical continental crust REE and evidently philo-continental property. The above findings suggest that weathered materials transported from the China continent are the main source of the REE in China continental shelf sediments. Experiments show that REE exist mainly in the crystal lattices of clay minerals (<2μ) as isomorphs and that REE have close relation with most elements (Al, Ti, K, Rb, Fe, etc.) related with clay minerals, but have negative correlation with the biophile elements Ca and Sr. Contribution No. 1520 from the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica.     

An experimental study on the wave-induced pore water pressure change and relative influencing factors in the silty seabed

In this study, a flume experiment was designed to investigate the characteristics of wave-induced pore water pressure in the soil of a silty seabed with different clay contents, soil layer buried depths and wave heights respectively. The study showed that water waves propagating over silty seabed can induce significant change of pore water pressure, and the amplitude of pore pressure depends on depth of buried soil layer, clay content and wave height, which are considered as the three influencing factors for pore water pressure change. The pressure will attenuate according to exponential law with increase of soil layer buried depth, and the attenuation being more rapid in those soil layers with higher clay content and greater wave height. The pore pressure in silty seabed increases rapidly in the initial stage of wave action, then decreases gradually to a stable value, depending on the depth of buried soil layer, clay content and wave height. The peak value of pore pressure will increase if clay content or depth of buried soil layer decreases, or wave height increases. The analysis indicated that these soils with 5% clay content and waves with higher wave height produce instability in bed easier, and that the wave energy is mostly dissipated near the surface of soils and 5% clay content in soils can prevent pore pressure from dissipating immediately.     

Micromorphological evidences of climatic change in Yazd region, Iran

The fact of, present is the key of the past, will help us to use paleosols properties as indicators of the ecological characteristics of past .time, particularly the paleoclimate. In this respect the micro- morphological properties showed to be a very good indicator. Therefore, for investigating of climate change in Ardakan-Yazd plain, Central Iran 9 pedons were digged and described. Yazd has an arid climate with less than 100 mm annual precipitation and more than 22℃ mean annual temperature （Aridic-hyper thermic soil moisture and temperature regions, respectively）. Based on the morphological and physicochemical analysis Arglic, Calcic and Gypsic diagnostic horizons have been distinguished in these soils. Thin section studied showed that the illuviated form of clay includes, infillings on channel, coating on pendant, on nodules and on grains, at lower depths and also juxtaposed calcite needles on void argillan at upper part of the profiles. Mineralogical result showed fine clay in arglic horizon, too. Considering depth and forms of these pedofeatures, we concluded that, the observed illuviated clays at lower depth must be the result of the more humid climate of the past, where the carbonates have been removed completely as pendant, nodules or coating to considerable depth, following processes, clay has been dispersed and also trans located to these depths. In contrast to these features, the juxtaposed needle calcite at the shallower depth is probably the result of drier climate of today.     

宝鸡黄土中的风化壳

根据野外调查,在宝鸡黄土中确定了五个时期的风化壳,它们分别为第1～5层古土壤与其下的风化黄土构成。根据X-射线衍射得知,这些风化壳为水云母和绿泥石等构成的粘土型风化壳。CaCO_3淀积深度和Fe_2O_3、Al_2O_3迁移特征表明第1和3～5层古土壤与其下黄土构成的风化壳发育时处于酸性风化阶段,当时年平均降水量在900mm以上;第2层古土壤与其下风化黄土构成的风化壳发育时处于中性风化阶段,当时年平均降水量为800mm左右。     

Geometrical and Geotechnical Characteristics of Landslides in Korea under Various Geological Conditions

The goal of this study is to determine the geometrical and geotechnical characteristics of landslides under various geological conditions using detailed field surveys, laboratory soil tests and precipitation records. Three study areas are selected to consider different rocks, including gneiss in Jangheung, granite in Sangju and sedimentary rocks in Pohang, South Korea. Many landslides have occurred in these three areas during the rainy season.Precipitation records indicate that landslides occurring in the gneiss area of Jangheung and granite area of Sangju may be influenced by the hourly rainfall intensity rather than cumulative rainfall.However, landslides occurring in the sedimentary rock area of Pohang may be influenced by hourly rainfall intensity and cumulative rainfall. To investigate the factors that influence these types of landslides, a detailed landslide survey was performed and a series of laboratory soil tests were conducted.According to the detailed field survey, most landslides occurred on the flanks of mountain slopes, and the slope inclination where they occurred mostly ranged from 26 to 30 degrees, regardless of the geological conditions. The landslide in the gneiss area of Jangheung is larger than the landslides in the granite area of Sangju and sedimentary rock area of Pohang.Particularly, the landslide in the sedimentary rock area is shorter and shallower than the landslides in the gneiss and granite areas. Thus, the shape and size of the landslide are clearly related to the geological conditions. According to the integrated soil property and landslide occurrence analyses results, the average dry unit weight of the soils from the landslide sites is smaller than that of the soils obtained from the nonlandslide site. The average coefficient of permeability of soils obtained from the landslide sites is greater than that of soils obtained from the non-landslide sites with the same geology. These results indicate that the soils from the landslide sites are more poorly graded or looser than the soils from the non-landslide sites.     

Micromorphology and quality attributes of the loess derived soils affected by land use change: A case study in Ghapan watershed, Northern Iran

In order to study the effects of different land vegetative covers on soil quality attributes, a loess hill slope was selected in eastern Golestan Province, Ghapan watershed, Iran. Four profiles in four land uses, including Quercus natural forest; Pinus artificial forest; Cupressus artificial forest and a cultivated land, were studied. Results showed that MWD was significantly different in the studied land uses, and it varied between 1.6 mm in Quercus natural forest and o.31 mm in cultivated land use. The lowest CEC, microbial respiration rate and organic carbon were 28.4 cmol·kg^1, 177 μgCO2·g^-1·day^-1 and 1.32 % found in cultivated land use, respectively. The organic matter was considerably higher content in the forest areas than that of cultivated land use. The studies on soil profile development revealed that the natural forest soils were highly developed. The soils of the Quercus natural forest were classified as Calcic Haploxeralfs with a well developed argillie horizon unlike the cultivated soils which showed the minimum development and classified as Typic Xerorthents. The soils of the artificial forests had both mollic epipedons and were classified as Typic Calcixerolls with moderate profile development. Micromorphological studies revealed that argillic horizons had speckled and partly crystallitic b-fabric in the natural forest indicating the high landscape stability. In contrast, the crystallitic b-fabric of other land uses shows the absence of enough leaching of carbonate and the subsequent migration of clay particles indicating the unstable conditions and high soil erosion. Intense erosion of the surface horizons of cultivated land use has resulted in the outcropping of the subsurface carbonate rich horizons preventing soil development.     

基岩区断层泥的物质组成、定年方法与地震断层弱化机制研究进展

断层泥作为脆性断层活动的产物,是厘定断层的变形特征、形成时代与弱化机制的重要研究对象,在构造地质和地震地质等研究中具有重要意义。因此,全面了解断层泥的研究与进展,有助于基岩区古地震的研究。在系统收集和分析国内外相关资料的基础上,全面介绍了断层泥的矿物组成、石英形貌特征、定年方法与地震断层弱化机制等方面的研究进展,以及断层泥在基岩区地震断层研究中的应用。断层泥主要由黏土矿物(蒙脱石、伊利石、高岭石以及绿泥石等)与围岩矿物的碎粉和碎砾(石英、长石、云母、方解石、白云石等)组成。断层泥中的石英、伊利石与方解石是限定断层活动期次和形成时代的主要测试对象。目前断层泥定年方法主要包括石英微形貌特征分析法、石英ESR和OSL定年法、伊利石K-Ar或40Ar/39Ar定年法和方解石U-Pb定年法。地震断层的弱化机制研究主要涉及断层泥中矿物细粒化与新矿物形成、岩石组构的发育、断层摩擦生热、熔体形成与热增压等方面。      

Key variables explaining soil organic carbon content variations in croplands and non-croplands in Chinese provinces

Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays an important role in global carbon cycles.Large spatial variations in SOC contents result in uncertain estimates of the SOC pool and its changes.In the present study,the key variables explaining the SOC contents of croplands (CPs) and non-croplands (NCPs) in Chinese provinces were investigated.Data on SOC and other soil properties (obtained from the Second National Soil Survey conducted in the late 1970s to the early 1990s),climate parameters,as well as the proportion of the CP to the total land area (Pcp) were used.SOC content variations within a province were larger than those among provinces.Soil clay and total phosphorus content,ratio of annual precipitation to mean temperature,as well as Pcp were able to explain 75% of the SOC content variations in whole soil samples.Soil pH,mean temperature during the growing season from May to October,and mean annual wind velocity were able to explain 63% of the SOC content variations in NCP soils.Compared with NCP soils,CP soils had lower SOC contents,with smaller variations within and among provinces and lower C/N ratios.Stepwise regression showed that the soil clay content was a unique factor significantly correlated with the SOC content of CP soils.However,this factor only explained 24% of the variations.This result suggested that variables related to human activities had greater effects on SOC content variations in CP soils than soil properties and climate parameters.Based on SOC contents directly averaged from soil samples and estimated by regression equations,the total SOC pool in the topsoil (0-20 cm) of China was estimated at 60.02 Pg and 57.6 Pg.Thousands of years of intensive cultivation in China resulted in CP topsoil SOC loss of 4.34-4.98 Pg.     

应用塑性图对陕西特殊土的判别

塑性图是由卡萨格兰德（Ａ·Ｃａｓａｇｒａｎｄｅ）于１９４２年首次提出的，该图将阿太量（Ａ·Ａｅｔｅｒｂｅｒｇ）界限（液限、塑限）应用于土质分类．本文根据塑性图判别理论并应用塑性图，对陕西省特殊土（黄土、三趾马红土、膨胀土等）进行了判别，结果为黄土位于ＣＬＹ区，三趾马红土和膨胀土位于ＣＨＥ区，其效果较好，达到了分类的目的．     

秦岭太白盆地黄土地层发育时的古环境

太白盆地黄土地层厚１６ｍ左右．发育有两层红褐色古土壤。化学分析与微结构鉴定表明该盆地黄土中的古土壤为ＦｅＯ３与Ａｌ２Ｏ３迁移深度大但无聚集的棕壤．并已成为明显的风化无，发育时的年平均降水量在１０００ｍｍ以上．太白盆地黄土中ＣａＣＯ３含量少，发育有淀积型的光性定向粘土．表明黄土地层发育时的降水量也在６００ｍｍ以上。该盆地黄土地层发育在距今约２０多万年前．指示从这一时期开始，中国黄土搬运高度已超过２０００ｍ。微结构的观察还表明，光性定向粘土不仅可用于降水量的研究，也可用于指示温度的相对高低．     

Effect of clay content to the strength of gravel soil in the source region of debris flow

The production of runoff in the source area of a debris flow is the consequence of a reduction in soil strength. Gravel soil is widely distributed in the source region, and the influence of its clay content on soil strength is one of the important questions regarding the formation mechanism of debris flows. In this paper, the clay content in gravel soil is divided into groups of low clay content(1%, 2, 5%), moderate clay content(3.75%, 5.00%, 6.25%, 7.5%) and high clay content(10.0%, 12.5%, 15%). Tests of the unconsolidated undrained shear strength and consolidated drained shear strength were performed. The unconsolidated undrained shearing(UU) experiment simulates the rapid shear failure of loose gravel soil under the conditions of brief heavy rainfall. The consolidated drained shearing(CD) experiment simulates creep failure of consolidated sediment during extended rainfall. The pore water pressure first increased and then decreased as the clay content increased, and the increase in pore pressure was relatively high in the gravel soil sample when the clay content is in the range of 3.25-7.50%, and stress in the gravel soil is relatively low for a moderate clay content. Gravelly soils with a moderate clay content are moreprone to debris-flow initiation. This paper presents a mathematical formula for the maximum shear stress and clay content of gravel soil under two conditions. The key processes whereby the soil fails and triggers a debris flow—volume contraction of soil, expansion of clay soil, and rise of pore pressure―cause reductions in the soil friction force and enhancement of the water content in the clay particles, and subsurface erosion of soil reduces the soil viscosity, which eventually reduces the soil strength so that the soil loses its stability, liquefies and generates a debris flow.     

Weathering and soils formation on different parent materials in Golestan Province,Northern Iran

Geochemical, mineralogical, and micromorphological characteristics of soils and their relevant parent rocks including loess, ignimbrite, sandstone and limestone were investigated to identify the soil-parent material uniformity and the weathering degree of soils in Golestan Province, northern Iran. Highly developed Calcixerolls and moderately developed Haploxerepts were formed on loess and limestone, respectively. In contrast, the soils formed on ignimbrite and sandstone were non-developed Entisols. Illite was the dominant clay mineral found in ignimbrite and sandstone in both the A horizon and parent material. In loess derived soils however, smectite was dominant especially in the Bt horizon compared to its parent material indicating partly to its pedogenic formation. In limestone, illite and vermiculite were dominant both in the A and C horizons. Ti/Zr ratio proved that the studied soils were closely related to their underlying parent materials geochemically. Chemical index of alteration (CIA), micromorphological index of soil development (MISECA), smectite/illite+chlorite ratio and magnetic susceptibility were applied to investigate the degree of soil development. Results showed that the most and the least developed soils were those formed on loess deposits and limestone, respectively. Application of the different geochemical and pedogenetic approaches was proved to be useful in identifying the relevance of soils to their underlying parent materials and also their degree of development.     

ALFISOLS AND CLOSELY RELATED SOILS IN CHINA

Alfisols are important soils in China. They occupy about 1.25 million km3, or about 13% of the land area. In the current Chinese system of soil classification, burozem, yellow-brown earths, Baijiang (Planosol) soils and parts of drab soils. They are mostly forested soils with an estimated 5-13 t / ha · yr of organic matter returned to the soils from temperate mixed conifer and broad-leaved forest. In terms of elemental bio-cycling, Ca is prominent.In a comparison of 30 profiles the average ratio of clay (B/ A) was 1.47 for Cryoboralfs and Eutroboralfs; 1.88 for Hapludaifs and 2.53 for Paleudalfs. From Eutroboralfs to Paleudalfs the average gain (or loss) in clay during soil development is about a factor of seven.The moisture regimes vary considerably between Hapludaifs, Cryoboralfs, and associated Cryaquepts, but the amount of water is always enough to cause significant leaching. In the weathering, and pedogenesis processes TiO2, MgO and Fe2O3 are accumulated, respectively, in both A and BA horizons; b