Clay mineralogy, specific surface area and micromorphology of polygenetic soils from Eastern Kansas

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between clay mineralogy, specific surface area (SSA) and micromorphology in polygenetic Konza soil series. Physical, chemical and mineralogical analyses were performed on disturbed soil samples, and micromorphological investigations of selected horizons were done on undisturbed soil samples. X-ray diffraction indicated that lower part of each parent materials has more mectite and less clay mica content than that of the upper horizons in each parent material. Greater amounts of smectite can be attributed to transformation product of the clay mica in to smectite, eluviation from upper horizons or originated from parent material. Specific surface area of upper horizons in each parent material tended to increase to lower horizons. Clay content gradually increased from surface (21%) to the lower part (∼48%) of the solum. Clay in Bt horizons had strong birefrengent, sharp boundary, and strong orientation pattern. SSA, clay content increase, clay mineralogy and oriented clay features agreed to one another. Therefore, this relationship gives opportunity to make predictions on extend of SSA and related soil processes by looking at one of these features.

Keywords:

• Loess
• specific surface area
• micromorphology
• polygenetic

Acknowledgements

I acknowledge the facilities provided by the Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, US, for conducting the studies. Also acknowledged is the help of Dr Sabit Ersahin for his constructive criticism and improvements to the manuscript.