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No description available.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1984 G73 / Master of Science

No description available.

Several soil chronosequences were studied in southern California to determine the relative impacts of time and climatic change on soil genesis. Studying soil development in climatic regimes that vary from the moist, xeric climate of the coastal basins and Transverse Ranges to the hot, arid climate of the interior deserts of southern California provide data useful for evaluation of the impact of climatic change as well as time on pedogenesis. Seven distinctive stages of soil development are recognized in the study area. The first three occur in Holocene soils, and the last four are associated with late to mid-Pleistocene geomorphic surfaces. A distinct pattern of secondary soil mineral authigenesis is observed in increasingly older soils. The rapid formation of vermiculite and iron oxyhydroxides in xeric climates is attributed to rapid alteration of unstable Fe-bearing aluminosilicates. Continuous weathering of abundant feldspars results in a predominance of neogenetic kaolinite in mid-Pleistocene soils. Slightly acidic to mildly alkaline soil pH, rapid hydrolysis, and availablity of organic complexes result in formation of significant amounts of metastable ferrihydrite in young Holocene and late Pleistocene soils. Ferrihydrite dehydration and crystal aggregation result in hematite formation and increasingly lower Fe(,2)O(,3)o:Fe(,2)O(,3)d ratios. Arid climatic regimes are conductive to minimal chemical weathering. Clay/iron oxhydroxide regression analyses and mass balance calculations show that much of the silicate clay and secondary carbonate have been derived from external sources rather than by chemical weathering. Clay mineral authigenesis is characterized primarily by conversion of montmorillonite to palygorskite. A compartmental model developed in this study accurately predicts calcic horizon development under Holocene soil water balance characteristics. Results of model predictions indicate that the distribution of carbonate observed in latest Pleistocene soils is related to past changes in climate. In addition, mass balance calculations suggest that large decreases in chemical reaction rates in soils due to soil temperature decreases may well be offset by increases in the magnitude of weathering. However, the results of this study indicate that calcium carbonate provides the most sensitive index of past climates when compared to other indices and that temporal change in climate has significantly influenced soil development in southern California.

Orientador: Kátia Luciene Maltoni / Resumo: O Cerrado é um dos biomas brasileiros que apresenta elevada riqueza natural e endemismo de espécies, carece de urgente conservação e/ou recuperação devido acelerada degradação. Muitos estudos sobre recuperação de áreas degradadas vêm sendo conduzidos, no entanto, é necessário aprofundar o entendimento sobre os processos envolvidos na recuperação de uma área, com esclarecimento e conhecimento das técnicas e avaliações que contribuam para melhorar cada vez mais este processo. Dentro deste contexto este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar os atributos físicos de uma área degradada em recuperação (ADR) após ter sido condicionada com resíduos orgânico (RO) e agroindustrial (RA) e revegetada, utilizando um controle (área degradada sem intervenção - AD) e uma testemunha (fragmento de Cerrado conservado - CER) como parâmetros de referência. O experimento foi desenvolvido na Fazenda de Ensino Pesquisa e Extensão (FEPE) da Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP-Faculdade de Engenharia/campus de Ilha Solteira/SP, em área de subsolo exposto onde existiam Latossolos Vermelhos. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 3 x 4 + 2, com três doses de RO, quatro doses de RA, e dois tratamentos adicionais, CER e AD, perfazendo um total de 14 tratamentos com 3 repetições e profundidades em parcela subdividida. Os atributos avaliados foram densidade do solo, porosidade (macro e micro) nas camadas de 0,0 a 0,05 m; 0,05 a 0,10 m e 0,10 a 0,20 m; estabilidad... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Mestre

Alpine soils are young, poorly developed soils that occur above treeline. This study investigates soils located in the alpine-subalpine zone of the Wallowa Mountains, northeast Oregon. Parent material, topography, and vegetation are the most influential pedogenic factors in the high alpine landscape of the Wallowas. Soil samples were collected from the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area of the Wallowas at three mountain locations: Eagle Cap, Sacajawea, and Matterhorn. Catenas were studied in the Windblown and Minimum Snowcover zones to examine different pedogenic factors, according to the Synthetic Alpine Slope model. · Field and laboratory testing characterized the alpine soils as predominantly loamy-sands with weak structural development. The 1:1 water pH values range from 6.5 to 7.3, and the soil hues are lOYR and 2. SY in color. Soil classification characterized Eagle Cap soils as Andisols: Lithic and Typic Haplocryands. The Matterhorn and Sacajawea residuum was not classified. Parent material influence on soil development was more noticeable on granodiorite than basalt, reflecting the propensity of granodiorite to weather rapidly. Marble and shale sites lacked soil development. All the soils exhibited eolian influence, determined from silt mineralogy results. While this component did not dominate the soils as in other alpine areas, its presence was ·proven by quartz and feldspars in soils developed on marble and calcite in soils developed on granodiorite. Sodium fluoride (NaF) pH tests indicate that there is also a high aluminum content in the alpine soils, probably due to influx of Mazama volcanic ash. Krummholz and alpine turf increase the organic content of the soil, although soils beneath krummholz were not as deep. This is partially due to decreased snowcover, subsequent lack of moisture, and different parent material. All soils show a decrease in organic carbon with depth indicating that bioturbation was either low, or the soil recovered from the disturbance rapidly. Organocutans found on the bottom of rocks in the B horizon illustrate organic trans location. The increase in pH with depth shows the influence of surficial organic matter, translocated dusts, and ash. Nunatak and landmass influence on soil development was undetermined.

The purpose of this study is to improve site investigation in geotechnical engineering via the evaluation and development of statistical approaches for characterizing the spatial variability of soil properties and the development of site investigation simulation software for educational use. This study consists of four components: statistical characteristics, data measurement, simulation, and educational training. Statistical measures of spatial variability of soil properties were examined for three different geographical areas where soil formation processes differ to assess the influence on the spatial variability of soils. Statistical measures of spatial variability were also calculated for a case history where blasting was used as a method of soil improvement to evaluate the effects of man-made changes to soil structure. The concept of spatial aliasing was employed to estimate the maximum allowable sampling interval for field data as a function of the spatial correlation properties. Once a maximum statistically allowable sampling interval is determined for a specific soil property, the minimum statistically required number of soundings / borings is calculated to perform an economical site investigation at a specific site. A simple and efficient simulation technique was proposed to generate correlated, multi-dimensional simulations of soil properties. Based on limited data, the proposed simulation technique generated accurate and correlated simulations of soil properties that are consistent with the observed or proposed correlation structures of soil properties. Lastly, a geotechnical site investigation simulation program with a wide variety of in situ and laboratory tests was developed to allow students to plan and perform a comprehensive site investigation program. The simulation generates an input file based partly on the statistical characteristics of the spatial variability of soil properties analyzed in this study and partly on traditional values. Spatial variability in soil properties is modeled via correlated random fields, interpolation, and a decomposition method to yield realistic geotechnical data. Via the simulation, students are able to obtain experience and judgment in an essential component of geotechnical engineering practice. The four components of this research (statistical characteristics, data measurement, simulation, and educational training) focus on the improvement of site investigation performance in geotechnical engineering, thereby improving reliability analysis in geotechnical practice.

All matter has a specific magnetic signal , due to their magnetic properties. These range from a high susceptibility to become magnetised (ferrimagnetic) to a low ability to be magnetised (diamagnetic). Magnetic susceptibility measures the degree to which a substance can be magnetised, and this can be used to identi fy minerals within material and used as an indicator for processes Le., erosion. Therefore magnetic susceptibility has been widely used to investigate soil related research as the values obtained correspond with the types of magnetic mineral s in the soil, mainly the iron oxides such as magnetite and maghaemite (higher MS), and haematite and goethite (lower MS). Thus MS acts as a signature for different types of soils allowing them to be categorised. The amount of magnetic minerals present in the soil is largely dependent on soil processes active in the profile and external factors, such as parent material. Soil processes influence the type or amount of magnetic mineral in the soil, or the strength of the magnetic signal. Lower MS values are associated with horizons that have undergone gleying, eluviation, leaching and reductive weathering. Higher MS values are found in horizons that have undergone illuviation, and hydrolytic and oxidative weathering. Diamagnetic materials, such as calcium carbonate, decrease the magnetic susceptibility by diluting the magnetic signal. The relationship between MS and iron in soil is influenced by both external factors such as parent material ; climate; topography; land use history of the area and time. Similarly these factors significantly contribute to soil genesis and are highly interactive. Parent materials that are igneous are found to form soil with higher magnetic susceptibility, and sedimentary and metamorphic rocks form less magnetic soils. However, it has also been found that materials such as slate are related to soil with high susceptibility, which is argued to result from more rapid weathering and the release of iron in the ionic form. Climate has a direct affect on the soil processes that drive magnetic susceptibility, thus in warm tropical climates magnetic susceptibility is expected to have higher values . Topography has been shown to alter magnetic susceptibility values , and generall y the top and foot of the slope have higher values than the slopes. Land-use history influences magnetic susceptibility as cultivation is likely to disturb the soil causing magnetic susceptibility values to be lower due to mixing of the upper and lower soil layers. Time relates to the age of the soil and older soil either has large magnetic susceptibility values due to more prolonged pedogenesis, or the magnetic particles have weathered out of the profile and magnetic susceptibility is lowered. Past research has found topsoil to have higher frequency dependent magnetic susceptibility than lower soil horizons. Frequency dependent magnetic susceptibility measures fine-grained ferrimagnetic particles with grain sizes between 0.013 and O.027f.lm. Two measurements at low and high frequency (0.46 and 46 kHz respectively) are used to calculate frequency dependent magnetic susceptibility. These are measured using a Bartington MS2B sensor and certain measures need to be taken in order to obtain an accurate measurements of magnetic susceptibility. Frequency dependent magnetic susceptibility values are influenced by factors including burning, organic matter and pedogenesis. However, the nature of contribution of these is still highly debated. Many South African soils are considered to be old soils and the amount of magnetic minerals in these is unknown. It has been found that magnetic minerals such as maghaemite have been depleted due to erosion cycles. Very little research has been undertaken regarding the applicability of magnetic susceptibility for South African soils as most of the research on magnetic susceptibility in soils has been carried out in countries of the northern hemisphere, where soil materials are much younger than in South Africa. The ability of frequency dependent magnetic susceptibility to differentiate between topsoil and subsoil allows it to be used as a method of assessing topsoil erosion. Topsoil erosion has a detrimental effect on the environment and it is vital a rapid field indicator is developed to assess erosion in order to curb the process. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

Thesis--Utrecht. / Cover title. Summary in Dutch. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 177-188).