A subaqueous soil‐landscape conceptual model to guide soil survey in Chesapeake Bay subestuaries

Abstract

AbstractRhodeRiver, a subestuary on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay, contains a diverse array of subaqueous soils that range from submerged paleosols to fine‐textured fluid soils and organic soils. A subaqueous soil survey was completed for the Rhode River subestuary by collecting bathymetric data, delineating landforms, and sampling and describing soils across the submerged landscape. Soil map units were developed by correlating soil properties and taxonomic classification with delineated landforms, resulting in the development of seven proposed soil series corresponding to new soil map units. Geologic maps and other supporting information about the dominant factors of soil formation in this landscape were used with the soil survey of Rhode River to develop a conceptual subaqueous soil‐landscape model of soil genesis to explain the origin and distribution of soils in Rhode River. This is the first time that a subaqueous soil‐landscape model has been developed for the flooded river valley geomorphic setting of Chesapeake Bay, and it will assist subaqueous soil surveys in other western shore Chesapeake Bay subestuaries and similar environmental settings where upland environments have been or are currently submerging.