FORMS OF FERUM IN SOD-PODZOLIC PSEUDOGLEYED SOILS (STAGNIC RETISOLS) OF THE BESKYDY PRE-CARPATHIAN REGION

Abstract

Problem Statement and Purpose. A significant number of sceletans within HE gl and Eh gl horizons and sesquans on the facets of the prismatic structural segments It gl and Pi gl horizons in sod-podzolic surface-gley soils of the Beskydsky Pre-Сarpathian region indicate the processes of transformation, migration, and partial accumulation of iron compounds. The accumulation of one and a half iron oxides was diagnosed in the ortstein of the studied soils (Kx = 2.7). The profile of sod-podzolic surface-gley soils is charac­terized by differentiation by gross Ferrum content and moderately low degree of iron content. The purpose of our study is to establish and evaluate the gross forms of iron, its silicate, non-silicate, crystallized, amorphous forms in sod-podzolic surface-gley soils of the Beskydsky Pre-Сarpathian region and ortsteins formed within genetic horizons, in order to diagnose the elementary soil-forming processes and establish the genesis. Data & Methods. In our researches we used own materials from field and labora­tory studies. In the laboratory, the method of atomic adsorption spectrophotometry was used to determine the gross and mobile content of iron in soils and ortsteins; the content of iron silicate was calculated as the difference between its gross con­tent and the amount of non-silicate iron. Non-silicate iron was determined by the Coffin method, amorphous Fe compounds by the Tamm method. Crystallized Fe was calculated as the difference between the amount of non-silicate and amorphous. Results. The composition of gross Ferrum is dominated by Fes, the maximum share of which (84.4%) is characteristic of It gl. The maximum share of Fes (33.3%) is characteristic of HE gl, which indicates the processes of destruction of primary and secondary minerals in the upper part of the profile, and is confirmed by the degree of weathering of the soil mass (Fes / Fens = 2.0-2.6). The largest values of the Schwert­man coefficient (0.6-0.8) are characteristic of the overiluvial part, which confirms the dominant role of surface gleying in the genesis and the predominance of the gle­sish-eluvial process in the upper part of the profile. The content of Fegr in ortsteins is grater by 7.2 in comparison with fine earth, and the degree of their Ferrum content is moderately high (Fegr = 6.05-8.41). The composition of the gross Ferrum of ortsteins is dominated by Fens, whose time within the profile gradually increases from 56.0 in HE gl to 62.3% in the transition to the rock horizon. The content of Fens in ortsteins in comparison with fine earth is greater by 9,7-12,1. The share of Fes in ortsteins ranges from 44.0% in the HE gl to 37.7% in the Pi gl horizon. The Schwertman coefficient in the ortsteins of the overiluvial part of the profile is 0.6-0.7, which confirms the theory of their formation under the predominant action of the glesish-eluvial process. This figure is 0.04 in the ortsteins of the transition horizon, which indicates a slight influ­ence of modern gleying and their relict origin.