Mobility Sequence of Chemical Elements During Loess Weathering—Pedogenesis,Weinan,Shaanxi Province,China

Mobility sequence of chemical elements during loess weathering-pedogenesis, Weinan, Shaanxi Province, China

The distribution of chemical elements in the Weinan loess section shows that: (1) carbonate is the critical constituent affecting loess chemistry. The leaching of carbonates may cause “apparent” enrichment of some other constituents. (2) CaCO₃, SiO₂, FeO, MgO, K₂O and Na₂O are mobile while Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃ and TiO₂ are inert components. The mobility sequence may follow the order of CaCO₃>FeO>MgO>Na₂O>K₂O>SiO₂>Al₂O₃>TiO₂>Fe₂O₃. (3) No obvious migration is noticed of iron, except changes in valence and forms, during the pedogenic process. Little iron has been supplied to paleosol from precipitation. (4) Carbonates and, to a lesser extent, iron are most sensitive to, and can be therefore used as good indicators of, environmental changes. This research project was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 49672137).