Spatial pattern and variability of soil and hillslope properties in a granitic landscape. 3. Phalaborwa area

Abstract

A pedogeomorphic study was made of the area immediately east of Phalaborwa underlain by granitic materials. Fifty-five soil profiles from nine transects were examined in detail to determine, among other things, the spatial variability of the soils and the hillslope properties and to assess the influence of climatic factors on the land-surface and soils. The investigation showed the main features of the hillslopes to be their basic similarity, as they are all relatively short and flatfish with a minimal curvature. The soils also exhibited a fair degree of uniformity, being generally fairly shallow and occurring in a catenary sequence with strongly structured soils on the foot-slopes. Since the generally subdued relief and the shallow soils reflect a moderate input of water (rainfall) it was possible to relate the pedogeomorphology of the area to the dry, subtropical climate.

Keywords:

• Analysis of variance
• catenary model
• hillslope profile
• multicyclic origin
• pedogeomorphic process