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Important pedogenic processes of soils formed on dolomitic limestones are affected by the degree of in-situ weathering of the underlying bedrock. Decalcification and silicate clay illuviation of Haplustalfs and Calciustolls of the Colorado Plateau in northwestern Arizona results from the establishment of effective porosity in the parent rock. The underlying carbonate strata, the Kaibab Formation, are a complex limestone-dolomite-chert marine sediment of Permian age. Diagenetic processes have modified the initial porosity present at the time the sediment was deposited. Pleistocene meteoric waters, percolating downward, have resulted in the solutioning and partial removal of the calcium carbonate and the establishment of a porous dolomitic framework. Under these conditions, soils forming in residuum are able to decalcify and to form argillic horizons. However, in more resistant limestones, compaction during burial has resulted in a nonporous micrite which retards calcite removal by meteoric waters. Under these conditions, soil profiles maintain a high CaCO₃ content and silicate clay illuviation does not occur. Micaceous clay minerals of residual origin are converted to montmorillonite in the Alfisols. A probable sequence of events for this transformation to occur is: (1) the removal of calcite from the dolomitic limestone bedrock and the formation of a dolomitic framework, (2) the slow dissolution of dolomite and release of Mg⁺⁺ into solution, (3) the incorporation of Mg⁺⁺ into the octahedral layer of the mica and the release of K⁺ from the mica interlayer position, and (4) the illuviation of montmorillonite to form the argillic horizon. Eolian dust is also important to soil genesis on the Colorado Plateau. In particular, quartz in the coarse silt fraction (31-44 um) and quartz and biotite in the very fine and fine silt fractions (2.0-16 um). Two alluvial soils of Pleistocene age shows important morphological differences. Thick carbonate accumulations of ground water origin are present in the older soil. The effects of the Pleistocene-Holocene climatic change on this area are: (1) modification of karst topographic features, (2) aggradation of valley bottoms, and (3) the influence of Holocene slope wash Pleistocene soil properties such as calcite, dolomite and organic matter.

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No description available.

The elevated Kaibab plateau in northern Arizona has an area of 88 0 square miles and lies adjacent to the Grand Canyon of the Colorado river. It is composed of a sequence of lithified Paleozoic rocks that are approximately 4000 feet thick and consist of marine sediments that contain very little permeability. The ground water system of the plateau has two principal components: 1) circulation through unfractured stratified rocks that range up to a few tens of miles wide and 2) fault controlled drains. In unfractured zones, most of the ground water circulation takes place in the upper 900 feet of the section. The water drains laterally through these rocks toward fault zones or seep faces along the canyon walls. Approximately 40 percent of the plateau surface (330 square miles) drains to canyon seeps. Fault zones provide laterally and vertically continuous large capacity conduits through the plateau. These function as drains for the ground water system as well as floodways for storm pulses that enter the faults directly from the surface. Fracturing has controlled the development of extensive karst networks in limestones that lie near the base of the Paleozoic section. These systems drain to 10 groups of karst springs that discharge an average of approximately 100 cubic feet of water per second. The karst springs drain approximately 60 percent of the plateau surface (550 square miles). The springs in Tapeats amphitheater on the west side of the plateau discharge from the extensive West Kaibab fault zone and account for approximately 70 percent of the measurable water leaving the plateau. This group of three springs drains about 40 percent of the plateau surface (380 square miles). Development of ground water supplies does not appear to be economically tenable in the unfractured portions of the plateau because the permeabilities of the rocks are very small and the depth to the small quantities of available water exceed 500 feet. Production from the large fault controlled drainage networks is equally unattractive. Although the occurrence of water is certain, the large supplies are more than 2800 feet below the land surface and exist in finite channels along the fault zones. These would be difficult to penetrate with conventional drilling methods.

abstract: A mule deer herd exists on the northern rim of the Grand Canyon, located on the North Kaibab Plateau. Historical references to this indigenous mule deer herd presented reports of periodic population irruption and collapse. Partially funded by the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Arizona Deer Association, examination of herd nutritional and metabolic status from the Fall 2005 - Spring 2008 was completed at the request of AzGFD and ADA. Habitat analysis included forage micro-histological, protein, and caloric content plus whole blood and plasma assays gauging herd metabolic response. Modelling was completed using best management practices wildlife energy demand calculations and principal component analysis. Forage quality analysis and modelling suggest a sufficient amount of nitrogen (N) available (DPI) to the deer for protein synthesis. Energy analysis (MEI) of forage suggest caloric deficiencies are widely prevalent on the north Kaibab plateau. Principal component analysis integrates forage and metabolic results providing a linear regression model describing the dynamics of forage utilization, energy availability, and forage nitrogen supply with metabolic demand and response of the mule deer herd. Most of the plasma and blood metabolic indicators suggest baseline values for the North Kaibab mule deer. Albumin values are in agreement with albumin values for mule deer in the Southwest. I suggest that the agreed values become a standard for mule deer in the Southwestern U.S. As excess dietary N is converted to a caloric resource, a continual state of under-nutrition exists for the deer upon entering the N. Kaibab winter range. The population is exceeding the nutritional resource plane that the winter habitat provides. Management recommendations include implementation of multiple small-scale habitat rehabilitation efforts over time, including invasive juniper (Juniperous osteosperma) and piñon (Pinus edulis) management, prescribed burning to control big sage (Artemesia tridentata) populations, and reseeding treated areas with a seed mix of native shrubs, grasses and forbs. I recommended that the population size of the North Kaibab deer herd is maintained at the current size with natural selection controlling growth, or the population be artificially reduced through increased hunting opportunities. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Environmental Design and Planning 2014

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Thesis (M.A.)--Miami University, Dept. of History, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF document. Document formatted into pages; contains [1], ii, 89 p. : maps. Includes bibliographical references (p. 70-89).