Micromorphology of some Chernozemic Soils with Grumic Properties in Saskatchewan, Canada

Abstract

AbstractTwo clayey soils (Indian Head and Balcarres Associations) and two fine loamy soils (Swinton and Weyburn Associations), all currently classified under the Chernozemic order (Borolls), were used in this study to establish the micromorphology of soils with grumic properties. Micromorphometric analyses consisted of fabric classification and estimation of void types, skeleton grains, and plasmic fabric by a point counting method. Basic plasmic fabric, plasma separations, and pedological features separate the clay soils from the two other Chernozemic profiles. The clayey soils have produced entirely different void patterns with a majority of planar voids, suggesting stress phenomena in these soils. The presence of soil nodules partly incorporated into the f‐matrix which is considered to be strong evidence of a churning process and especially the fraction of masepic plasmic fabric in the total plasma are in good agreement with void and related distribution pattern characteristics indicating a dynamic layer of up to 1 m in thickness within the two clayey profiles. Aside from the climatic parameters, these soils are very similar to Vertisols. The study signifies the necessity to reconsider the classification of such soils.