Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-15T09:21:08.620Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mixed-layer kaolinite-smectite minerals in a red-black soil sequence from basalt in Sardinia (Italy)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Simona Vingiani ,
Dominique Righi ,
Sabine Petit  and
Fabio Terribile
Simona Vingiani
Affiliation:
DISSPA, Università di Napoli Federico II, Facoltà di Agraria, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici (NA), Italy
Dominique Righi*
Affiliation:
UMR-CNRS 6532 “HydrASA”, Faculté des Sciences, 86022 Poitiers Cedex, France
Sabine Petit
Affiliation:
UMR-CNRS 6532 “HydrASA”, Faculté des Sciences, 86022 Poitiers Cedex, France
Fabio Terribile
Affiliation:
DISSPA, Università di Napoli Federico II, Facoltà di Agraria, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici (NA), Italy
*
*E-mail address of corresponding author: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Clay minerals from soils of a red-black soil complex developed from basaltic parent material in Sardinia are formed along a short toposequence (200 m). At the foot of the sequence, a clay-rich, black Vertisol forms, whereas at the summit, the soil is a dark reddish-brown Inceptisol. X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), cation exchange capacity (CEC) and permanent and variable charges analyses were used, and the data show that clay minerals varied according to soil horizon and topographic position of the soil. Clay minerals in the Inceptisol are dominated by kaolinite and mixed-layer kaolinitesmectite (K-S, K:S >0.5), whereas the Vertisol contains smectites and K-S with K:S proportions <0.5. In the Vertisol, the proportion of kaolinitic layers in the K-S increases from the C horizon (K:S ∼0.35–0.40) to the Ap horizon (K:S ∼0.40–0.45). This soil clay-mineral distribution, in relation to topography, is similar to that reported for other (kaolinitic) red-black (smectitic) soil associations in subtropical and tropical areas. The sequence forms by downward drainage on summits and slopes, and buildup of ions in ‘lows’ produces smectites. Fourier transform infrared spectra indicate that two types of smectite are formed in the C horizon of the Vertisol; one is more ferric (Fe-beidellite, nontronite), the other more aluminous. Mineralogical evolution in the soil profile (from C to Ap horizon) shows a decreasing proportion of ferric smectite layers (compared to the more aluminous smectite layers). This would indicate that ferric smectite layers are preferentially transformed (or dissolved) to give kaolinite layers, with Fe precipitating as oxides and/or oxy-hydroxides or retained partly in kaolinite layers. Because the surface properties of clay minerals are related to mineralogy, the CEC (33–41 cmol kg−1) in the brown Inceptisol is ∼50% pH-dependent charge while in the Vertisol up to ∼75% of the CEC (48–61 cmol kg−1) comes from accessible permanent charges.

Keywords

Basalt (weathering)Fe-beidelliteItalyMixed-layer Kaolinite-smectiteNontroniteRed-black Soil SequenceSardiniaVertisol
Type
Research Article
Information
Clays and Clay Minerals , Volume 52 , Issue 4 , August 2004 , pp. 473 - 483
Copyright
Copyright © The Clay Minerals Society 2004

References

Anderson, S.J. and Sposito, G., (1991) Cesium-adsorption method for measuring accessible structural surface charge Soil Science Society of America Journal 55 1569–1576.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beccaluva, L. Civetta, L. Macciotta, G. and Ricci, C.A., (1985) Geochronology in Sardinia: results and problems Rendiconto Società Italiana di Mineralogia e Petrografia 40 57–72.Google Scholar
Bühmann, C. and Grubb, P.L.C., (1991) A kaolin-smectite interstratification sequence from a red and black complex Clay Minerals 26 343–358.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Diaz, M.C. and Torrent, J., (1989) Mineralogy of iron oxides in two soil chronosequences of central Spain Catena 16 291–299.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Delvaux, B. Herbillon, A.J., Churchman, G.J. Fitzpatrick, R.W. and Eggleton, R.A., (1995) Pathways of mixed-layer kaolin-smectite formation in soils Clays Controlling the Environment Melbourne, Australia CSIRO Publishing 457–461.Google Scholar
Ente Autonomo del Flumendosa (1998) Nuovo studio dell’idrologia superficiale della Sardegna. Regione Autonoma della Sardegna, Assessorato della Programmazione, (Bilancio, X., editor). Assetto del Territorio-Centro Regionale di Programmazione, Cagliari, CD-rom.Google Scholar
Herbillon, A.J. Frankart, R. and Vielvoye, L., (1981) An occurrence of interstratified kaolinite-smectite minerals in a red-black soil toposequence Clay Minerals 16 195–201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ildefonse, P., (1987) Analyse petrographique des alterations prémétéoriques et météoriques de deux roches basaltiques (basaltes de Belbex, Cantal et Hawaiite de M’Bouda, Cameroun) Paris Université Paris 7 Doctoral thesis.Google Scholar
Jeanroy, E., (1972) Analyse totale des silicates naturels par spectrométrie d’absorption atomique. Application au sol et à ses constituants Chimie Analytique 54 159–166.Google Scholar
Kantor, W. and Schwertmann, U., (1974) Mineralogy and genesis of clays in red-black toposequences in Kenya Journal of Soil Science 25 67–78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lanson, B., (1993) DECOMPXR, X-ray Decomposition Program Poitiers, France ERM.Google Scholar
Lanson, B., (1997) Decomposition of experimental X-ray diffraction patterns (profile fitting): a convenient way to studyclayminerals Clays and Clay Minerals 45 132–146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Madejová, J. Komadel, P. and Čičel, B., (1994) Infrared study of octahedral site populations in smectites Clay Minerals 29 319–326.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mehra, O.P. and Jackson, M.L., (1960) Iron oxide removal from soils and clays by a dithionite-citrate system buffered with sodium bicarbonate Clays and Clay Minerals 7 317–327.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Millot, G., (1964) Geologie des Argiles Paris Masson.Google Scholar
MIPAF Ministero delle Politiche Agricole e Forestali, Metodi di Analisi Chimica del Suolo. Collana di metodi analitici per l’agricoltura (2000) Italy Franco Angeli.Google Scholar
Olis, A.C. Malla, P.B. and Douglas, L.A., (1990) The rapid estimation of layer charges of 2:1 expanding clays from a single alkylammonium ion expansion Clay Minerals 25 39–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Porcu, A., (1983) Geologia del Graben di Ottana (Sardegna centrale) Rendiconto Seminari Facoltà di Scienze dell’Università di Cagliari 53 1–32.Google Scholar
Reynolds, R.C., (1985) NEWMOD: A Computer Program for the Calculation of One-dimensional Diffraction Powders of Mixed-layer Clays 8 Brook Rd., Hanover, New Hampshire 03755 USA R.C. Reynolds 315 pp.Google Scholar
Righi, D. Terribile, F. and Petit, S., (1999) Pedogenic formation of kaolinite-smectite mixed layers in a soil toposequence developed from basaltic parent material in Sardinia (Italy) Clays and Clay Minerals 47 505–514.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Soil Survey Staff, Soil Taxonomy. A Basic System of Soil Classification for Making and Interpreting Soil Surveys (1999) 2nd Washington, DC US Government Print Office.Google Scholar
Thornthwaite, C.W. and Mather, J.R. (1957) Instruction and Tables for Computing Potential Evapotranspiration and the Water Balance. Publications in Climatology, 10, Centerton, New Jersey.Google Scholar
Wilson, M.J. (1987) Soil smectites and related interstratified minerals: recent developments. Proceedings of the International Clay Conference, Denver, pp. 167–173.Google Scholar
Wilson, M.J., (1999) The origin and formation of clay minerals in soils: past, present and future perspectives Clay Minerals 34 7–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yerima, B.P.K. Calhoun, F.G. Senkayi, A.L. and Dixon, J.B., (1985) Occurrence of interstratified kaolinite-smectite in El Salvador Vertisols Soil Science Society of America Journal 49 462–466.CrossRefGoogle Scholar