INFLUENCE OF DRAINAGE REGIME ON THE CHEMISTRY AND MORPHOLOGY OF SOME MANITOBA SOILS: SANDY CHERNOZEMIC AND GLEYSOLIC SOILS OF THE LOWER ASSINIBOINE DELTA

Abstract

A number of imperfectly and poorly drained sandy soils from the Almasippi Association of the Lower Assiniboine Delta in Manitoba, traditionally classified as Gleyed Chernozems and Gleysols, were characterized by morhological descriptions, chemical and physical analyses. Soil temperature, groundwater levels, and redox potential of both soil and water were determined at selected sites for various periods to a maximum of 2 years. The upper 30 cm of the soils, traditionally considered as Gleysols, had undergone strong reducing conditions (100 to −200 mV) for at least 2 mo in the spring and early summer; these areas were covered with hydrophytic vegetation and remained saturated at or near surface to July. The subsoil below 45 cm remained in an oxidized state throughout the year. Exchangeable Ca/Mg ratio was near unity in the Gleysols and substantially greater in the Gleyed subgroups. Oxalate to dithionite-extractable iron ratios were greater than 0.45 in the lower part and below the solum of Gleysolic and Gleyed soils. In soils classified as Gleyed subgroups, water tables were below 1.3 m throughout the season and soil profiles were in an oxidized condition. Classification of these soils according to the present Canadian and U.S. system would require a change in concept and approach from the traditional view of Gleysolic soils in Canada. Key words: Redox potential, chemical criteria, morphological criteria, water table, soil temperature