Podzolization and clay migration in spodosols of eastern France

Abstract

Field observations and laboratory analyses of podzols developed on sandy Triassic parent material in the Vosges have demonstrated clay accumulation in the upper parts of spodic horizons, especially in the B h horizons. To see whether clay accumulation corresponds to real clay illuviation, two types of podzol profiles have been studied. The first is an iron podzol, called “podzol forestier”, because it has been entirely developed under climax forest environment. The second, an iron-humus podzol, called “podzol de dégradation”, was first developed under forest and more recently (the last 1000 to 2000 years) under heath vegetation. Methods used in the study of the two profiles were the “isoquartz” alteration balance, clay mineral identification by X-ray analyses and micromorphholigical examination. For the podzol forestier, the data strongly support a hypothesis of illuviation of very fine micaceous clays (vermiculite), especially the ferriargillans in the B h horizon. Consequently, it is believed that illuviation of the greatest part of clays promoted differentiation of podzol horizons. Podzolization is strongly redistributive. In the podzol de dégradation, the identified clay minerals are the same as in the podzol forestier but the pedological features in the B h horizon correspond to those of classic spodic horizons (mixed concentration and grain coatings). Moreover, podzolization is geochemically strongly subtractive in this second type of podzol. Inasmuch as the podzols de dégradation are developed from the podzols forestiers, the authors define an evolutionary time-sequence: the first phase of forest soil genesis is regulated by the double process of clay illuviation and redistributive podzolization. The following degradation phase connected to the particular nature of heath vegetation and to abundant chelating organic compounds induces the disruption of the ferriargillans previously formed in the B h horizon, the formation of an agglomeroplasmic fabric microstructure and above all, the elimination of hydrolyzed products of minerals from the profile. During this last phase, a strongly subtractive podzolization prevails over clay illuviation.