The relationships between different forms of iron and aluminium in soils as indicators of soil-cover development on India’s Cherrapunji Spur (Meghalaya Plateau)

Abstract

The aim of the work described here has been to assess the contents of, and interrelationships between, the different forms of iron and aluminium present in soils, these being treated as indicative of soil-cover development and its contemporary functioning in an area under the very significant impact of atmospheric factors with a periodically endopercolative type of water regime. The area in question was the Cherrapunji Spur area of India, as extending along the southern slope of the Meghalaya Plateau, with its highest annual precipitation totals concentrated during the period of the summer monsoon. Results show how the contents of the different forms of the two elements in soil offer an ideal tool by which to both determine the conditioning present in the palaeo-environments in which given soil covers developed and evaluate the pedogenic processes ongoing currently.