Paleosols in an outcrop of red beds from the Upper Cretaceous Yaojia Formation, southern Songliao Basin, Jilin Province, NE China

Abstract

Paleosols in an outcrop of fluvial–lacustrine red beds have been recognized in the Upper Cretaceous Yaojia Formation in southern Songliao Basin, Songyuan City, Jilin Province, NE China. They are recognized in the field by pedogenic features, including root traces and burrows, soil horizons and soil structures. Root traces are remnants of small herbaceous plants, elongating and branching downwards in the red paleosols. They are filled by calcite, analcime, and clay minerals in spaces created by the decay of the plant roots. Burrows are found near the root traces with backfilled cells made by soil-dwelling insects. Soil horizons include calcic horizons (Bk horizon) with continuous calcareous layers, argillic horizons (Bt horizon) with clay films and dark brown to black iron-manganese cutans, vertic horizons (Bw horizon) with slickensided claystone, and deformed soil structure and gleyed horizons (Bg horizon) with mottles and reticulate mottles. Soil structures of the paleosols include pseudo-anticlinal structures, subangular blocky structures, and angular blocky structures. The micro-pedogenesis characteristics are also observed, including micrite pedogenic minerals and clay skins. Based on the pedogenic features above, paleosols types including Aridisol, Alfisol, and Vertisol are interpreted in the red beds of the Yaojia Formation. Forming in the Late Cretaceous, the paleosols can provide more details about the seasonal climate conditions and terrestrial sedimentary system in lacustrine basin.