Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T01:36:40.216Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Spatial distribution of lepidocrocite in a soil hydrosequence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2018

N. E. Smeck*
Affiliation:
School of Natural Resources, Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Rd., ColumbusOH 43210, USA
J . M. Bigham
Affiliation:
School of Natural Resources, Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Rd., ColumbusOH 43210, USA
W. F. Guertal
Affiliation:
School of Natural Resources, Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Rd., ColumbusOH 43210, USA
G. F. Hall
Affiliation:
School of Natural Resources, Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Rd., ColumbusOH 43210, USA
*

Abstract

Three terrace soils comprising a hydrosequence were examined to determine how the spatial distribution of lepidocrocite was related to depth and duration of saturation. Vertical relief was 1.0 m with well drained, moderately well drained, and somewhat poorly drained pedons spaced ∼60 m apart. All soils contained brittle, slowly-permeable subsoil horizons and were acidic with <35% base saturation throughout the upper sola. The well drained soil (Fragic Hapludult) had no morphological indicators of wetness within a depth of 180 cm, and water was perched above a brittle horizon at 82 cm for a total of only 41 days during the 3.4 year observation period. Nevertheless, trace amounts of lepidocrocite were detected in the subsoil. The moderately well drained soil (Typic Fragiudult) was saturated at a depth of 180 cm for 6% of the time, and water was perched on top of a fragipan at 74 cm for 13% of the time. Lepidocrocite was most abundant in this pedon and reached maximum concentrations below the fragipan in the capillary fringe of the regional water table (150–183 cm). The somewhat poorly drained member of the hydrosequence (Aeric Fragiaquult) was saturated at a depth of 180 cm for 96% of the observation period and also contained perched water above a fragipan for >90% of the time. Lepidocrocite occurred throughout this pedon but was most concentrated in fragipan horizons (86–135 cm) between the perched and regional zones of saturation. These horizons were saturated from 22 to 48% of the observation period. The results of this study suggest that lepidocrocite formation was favoured in horizons that were saturated for 5–50% of the time when soil temperatures exceeded 5°C.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2002

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Carlson, L. & Schwertmann, U. (1990) The effect of CO2 and oxidation rate on the formation of goethite versus lepidocrocite from an Fe(II) system at pH 6 and 7. Clay Minerals, 25, 6571.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fitzpatrick, R.W., Taylor, R.M., Schwertmann, U. & Childs, C.W. (1985) Occurrence and properties of lepidocrocite in some soils of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 23, 543567.Google Scholar
Gamble, E.E. & Daniels, R.B. (1967) An inexpensive rain gauge. Agronomy Journal, 59, 206207.Google Scholar
Guertal, W.R. & Hall, G.F. (1990) Relating soil color to soil water table levels. Ohio Journal of Science, 90, 118124.Google Scholar
Miller, F.P., Holowaychuk, N. & Wilding, L.P. (1971) Can field siltloam, a Fragiudalf : I . Macromorphological, physical, and chemical properties. Soil Science Society of America Proceedings, 35, 319324.Google Scholar
Pawluk, S. (1971) Characteristics of Fera Eluviated Gleysols developed from acid shales in northwestern Alberta. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, 51, 113124.Google Scholar
Robson, J.D. & Thompson, A.J. (1977) Soil Water Regimes, a Study of Seasonal Water Logging in English Lowland Soil. Soil Survey Technical Monograph 11, Harpenden, UK.Google Scholar
Ross, G.J. & Wang, C. (1982) Lepidocrocite in a calcareous, well-drained soil. Clays and Clay Minerals, 30, 394396.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ross, G.J., Miles, N.M. & Kodama, H. (1979) Occurrence and determination of lepidocrocite in Canadian soils. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, 59, 155162.Google Scholar
Rutledge, E.M., Wilding, L.P. & Elfield, M. (1967) Automated particle-size separation by sedimentation. Soil Science Society of America Proceedings, 31, 287288.Google Scholar
Schwertmann, U. (1964) Differenzierung der Eisenoxide des Bodens durch photo-chemische Extraktion mit saurer Ammoniumoxalat-Lösung. Zeitschrift für Pflanzenernährung Düngung und Bodenkunde, 105, 194202.Google Scholar
Schwertmann, U. (1985) The effect of pedogenic environments on iron oxide minerals. Pp. 171200 in. Advances in Soil Science, vol. 1(Stewart, B.A., editor). Springer-Verlag, New York.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schwertmann, U. (1988) Occurrence and formation of iron oxides in various pedoenvironments. Pp. 267308 in. Iron in Soils and Clay Minerals (Stucki, J.W., Goodman, B.A. & Schwertmann, U., editors). NATO ASI Series, 217, Reidel Publishing Co., Dordrecht, The Netherlands.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schwertmann, U. & Fitzpatrick, R.W. (1977) Occurrence of lepidocrocite and its association with goethite in Natal soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 41, 10131018.Google Scholar
Schwertmann, U. & Taylor, R.M. (1979) Natural and synthetic poorly crystallized lepidocrocite. Clay Minerals, 14, 285293.Google Scholar
Schwertmann, U. & Taylor, R.M. (1989) Iron oxides. Pp. 145176 in: Minerals in Soil Environments,2nd edition (Dixon, J.B. & Weed, S.B., editors). Soil Science Society of America, Madison, Wisconsin.Google Scholar
Schwertmann, U. & Thalmann, H. (1976) The influence of [Fe(II)], [Si], and pH on the formation of lepidocrocite and ferrihydrite during oxidation of aqueous FeCl2 solutions. Clay Minerals, 11, 189200.Google Scholar
Soil Survey Division Staff (1993) Soil Survey Manual. USDA Handbook 18. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
Soil Survey Staff (1984) Procedures for Collecting Soil Samples and Methods of Analysis for Soil Survey. Soil Survey Investigation Report No. 1, USDA-SCS. US Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
Soil Survey Staff (1998) Keys to Soil Taxonomy,8th edition. USDA, NRCS. US Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
Tarzi, J.G. & Protz, R. (1978) The occurrence of lepidocrocite in two well drained Ontario soils. Clays and Clay Minerals, 26, 448451.Google Scholar
Taylor, R.M. (1984) Influence of chloride on the formation of iron oxides from Fe(II) chloride. II. Effect of [Cl] on the formation of lepidocrocite and its crystallinity. Clays and Clay Minerals, 32, 175180.Google Scholar
Taylor, R.M. & Schwertmann, U. (1978) The influence of aluminum on iron oxides. Part I. The influence of Al on Fe oxide formation from the Fe(II) system. Clays and Clay Minerals, 26, 373383.Google Scholar
US Weather Bureau (1985) Climatological summary, Greenup, Kentucky.Google Scholar
Vepraskas, M.J. (1995) Redoximorphic features for identifying aquic conditions. Technology Bulletin, 301. North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, 33 pp.Google Scholar