Soil Micromorphology Research Articles

Site Structure Analysis of a Late Middle Archaic Upland Site in Morgan County, Illinois

Data recovery investigations at a buried upland site in Morgan County, Illinois documented a late Middle Archaic component. Five hearths were documented and represent three hearth-related activity areas. Three additional activity areas were defined: freehand core reduction area, bipolar core reduction area, and a general dumping/disposal area. The activity areas appear to be tethered to the hearths. A single occupation is indicated by soil micromorphology, refits, radiocarbon dates, and spatial data. Analysis of the recovered materials indicated that the site represents a residential base. This article summarizes the results of the analysis of site structure.

Impact of human land use on soils and landforms in cultural landscapes on aeolian sandy substrates (Maashorst, SE-Netherlands)

Pollen analysis, soil micromorphology and radiocarbon dating have been the main scientific tools to unlock palaeoecological information from palaeosols during the past decades. In recent years, the application of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating on polycyclic driftsand profiles and plaggic deposits has been shown to be of great added value to understand the geochronology of the evolution of soils and landforms on sandy substrates.This paper presents the reconstruction of the evolution of cultural soils and landforms in the study area Maashorst (southern Netherlands), which is part of an extensive region in Northwestern Europe underlain by predominantly Late Glacial aeolian coversand deposits. Deforestation and soils acidification, related to human land use, started before 1750 BC. Based on radiocarbon dating, sedentary agriculture already started around 1000 BC, but OSL dates indicate that the accumulation of plaggic deposits did not start before the Late Middle Ages. The reconstructed evolution of cultural soils and landforms is based on information of scattered palaeosols, interpolated and extrapolated to a sequence of (palaeo) soil maps. Palaeopedological information is not included in regular soil maps because soil classifications are based on the diagnostic properties of actual soils and normally neglect relicts of preliminary steps in soil development. This is convenient for agricultural applications, but such soil maps are less useful for the presentation of long term soil development or as abiotical base for designs for restoration ecology. The results of this study include interpretive maps produced in a geographical information system of the soil patterns around 1500 AD and 2000 BC, based on the present soil map and the reconstruction of palaeoecological development during the Late Holocene. The time sequence of these historical interpretive soil maps reflects the impact of human land use on soils and landforms.

Micromorphological terms: The state of the art in soil microfabric research

The development of the terminology in the field of soil micromorphology reflected a well-known contradiction between two approaches—the genetic and interpretational versus the substantive and morphological-which ended with a compromise in the form of the international Handbook for Soil Thin Sections Description published in 1985. This handbook was widely used around the world. Later on, several changes were introduced into it, and it was updated in the new monograph by G. Stoops. Recently, a list of the main terms appeared on the Internet in 16 languages.

Investigating the Impact of Concrete Driven Piles on the Archaeological Record Using Soil Micromorphology: Three Case Studies from the Netherlands

In this paper we present the results of field tests into the impact of driven concrete piles on three archaeological sites in the Netherlands. The field tests were done in two different types of archaeological sites. Two locations in the northern part of the Netherlands (Kenwerd and Groot Wetsinge) were artificial mounds or terps, where new buildings were going to be constructed using driven piles. The third location was Voorburg in the western part of the country, where the impact of pilings from the 1950s were studied. We analysed soil which was in direct contact with the piles, and soil at a distance from the pile surface.The tests show remarkable results. Visible effects of piling in sand were downdrag of sediments along with the pile, disturbance of structure by local displacements, or liquefaction. In clay, some disturbance of structure, compression of pores, and damage to carbonized material was observed. Additionally, piles may promote the formation of pyrite in the directly adjacent peat. In a large number of samples taken from soil directly adjacent to a pile, no disturbance was observed. We did not observe any impact further than six to eight cm from the pile surface.These results indicate that the impact of piling in fine sediments is smaller than is generally assumed. However, as the number of observations in the present study is relatively small, the results need to be corroborated by more field tests. In future, planners need to consider the direct effects piles have on the surrounding soil as well as the possibility of excavations.

Mountain-meadow soils of the highlands in the Western Caucasus

The published and author’s data on soil-forming conditions, morphology, substance composition and physicochemical properties, total chemical and mineralogical composition, and micromorphology of mountain-meadow soils of the Western Caucasus Range are analyzed. On the basis of the analytical data obtained, the transformation of minerals and features of chemical element profile patterns developed in the course of soil formation are characterized. The main processes accompanying the transformation of mineral and organic parts of the soil mass and migration of soil-formation products are described. Soil formation is shown to be accompanied by two major elementary soil processes developing with participation of soil biota: humus accumulation and clay formation. Ways to improve the classification of mountain-meadow soils are proposed.

The geoarchaeology of route systems in northern Syria

AbstractLinear valleys, termed hollow ways, form a distinctive feature of the North Syrian Bronze Age landscape, but few have been described in detail or excavated. This paper examines the geoarchaeology of hollow way route systems in northern Syria at three scales of analysis: (1) from satellite imagery, at which scale it is possible to examine patterns of hollow ways over very large areas; (2) in the field, where cleaned sections supply ground control and dating evidence for specific features or hollow ways; and (3) using soil micromorphology to investigate the formation processes evident in the hollow way fills. We also use ethnographic analogy to extend the interpretation of the pattern of hollow ways. Finally, we examine the role of these features in the drainage network as well as their contribution to the development of alluvial fills of the Khabur tributaries. The three sections examined demonstrated that the Brak hollow ways were incised into the landscape, probably in the third millennium B.C. or slightly earlier. The fills show evidence of episodic flow and low‐energy soil wash with weak soil development over the last 4000 years. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Shallow sub-surface stratigraphy of the Ganga basin, Himalayan foreland: Present status and future perspectives

The Ganga basin in northern India is one of the world’s largest fluvial basins and has attracted enormous attention from earth scientists across the globe with a view to understanding large river processes and landforms. Despite the scarcity of hydrological data from the Ganga basin, some important studies have been carried out in the last several decades. However, the unavailability of deep sections in this vast alluvial tract has always limited understanding of the sub-surface stratigraphy of these plains. During the last decade, some important developments have taken place in integrating exposed cliff section data with the drill cores in pre-defined transects and with targeted geophysical investigations. Additionally, new areas of the basin have been studied for understanding landscape evolution including the effects of active tectonics. This special issue of Quaternary International highlights some of these developments from the stratigraphic archives of this large basin. This collection of papers covers a wide gamut of subjects including terrace development in the frontal parts of the Ganga basin, resistivity-based mapping of sub-surface stratigraphy, micromorphology of soils from plains drill-core samples, historical-scale avulsion of large dynamic system such as the Kosi, active tectonics and landform development in southern Ganga plains and finally some policy issues for management of dynamic river systems. This introductory paper provides a background and present status of research in the Ganga basin. It attempts to summarise some of the recent research developments in the Ganga basin research and highlights the unresolved issues, some of which have been addressed through the contributions in this special issue.

Neogene eolian deposits within the West Qinling Mountains: Climatic and tectonic implications

The Qinling Mountains constitute a key climate barrier between southern and northern China. Our recent investigations revealed widely spread eolian deposits of Neogene age mantling the piedmont highlands of the intermountain basins within West Qinling. Micro-mammalian fossils dated a 150.2 m section (NL-VI) near Xihe for the late Miocene to Pliocene (∼10–4 Ma). Soil micromorphology, grain-size and geochemical analysis consistently define typical loess-soil alternations for the upper (0–66 m) and lower (98–150.2 m) parts of the section, with the middle section (66–98 m) having been affected by episodic slope erosions. These results add important insights to the earlier studies about the widespread eolian deposition in northern China during the Miocene, prior to 8 Ma. They also suggest that the basic configuration of the ridges and inter-ridge basins of West Qinling has already formed by ∼10 Ma. The well-preserved eolian deposits are unlikely to support intense substratum deformation and rapid uplift of West Qinling since the late Miocene.

Topographically controlled grassland soils in the Boreal Cordillera ecozone, northwestern Canada

Properties and ecological relationships of grassland soils were examined at three widely separated sites (Stikine River Valley, British Columbia, and Carmacks and Kluane Lake, Yukon) in the Boreal Cordillera ecozone of northwestern Canada. At these latitudes (58 to 62°N), grasslands are largely restricted to south-facing aspects, and usually occur as islands within the boreal forest. The grayish and yellowish brown, base-rich, Ah horizons had a thickness-weighted mean organic carbon concentration of 19.5 g kg-1. Ah horizons exhibited a range of microstructures similar to that documented in grassland soils in the southern Cordillera and Great Plains, ranging from spongy to massive in the young loess-derived Kluane Lake pedon to well-developed crumb microstructure in the finer-textured Stikine pedon. These pedons met the morphological and chemical criteria, and likely the soil climate requirements, for the Dark Brown and Brown great groups of the Chernozemic order of the Canadian System of Soil Classification (3rd ed.). Key words: Grassland, Boreal Cordillera, Chernozem, soil micromorphology, soil genesis, soil classification

Exploring the location and function of a Late Neolithic house at Crossiecrown, Orkney by geophysical, geochemical and soil micromorphological methods

AbstractMagnetic prospection was instrumental in the discovery of a multiphase Neolithic settlement at Crossiecrown on Mainland Orkney. Subsequent excavation revealed a number of structures, including a large circular walled house of Late Neolithic date with a range of well‐defined architectural features in its interior. This paper presents the discovery, excavation and in particular the functional analysis of this house. Soil micromorphology established the sequence from the house's initial floor construction to its abandonment. On the basis of multi‐element and magnetic susceptibility data obtained from analysis of samples taken from the floor of the house, several element distributions were found to be distinctive in the way they correlated with some of the house's ‘fixed furniture’ and moreover with the distributions of certain artefacts, notably the stone tools. The archaeological implications of these findings are discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating based chronology of a polycyclic driftsand sequence at Weerterbergen (SE Netherlands)

Abstract The chronology of polycyclic driftsand sequences in cultural landscapes has mainly been based on the combination of radiocarbon (14C) dating of intercalated organic horizons and pollen analysis. This approach, however, yields indirect age information for the sediment units. Also, as soils are dynamic systems, the pedogenetical interpretation of the 14C ages is often quite difficult. To improve the results of radiocarbon dating, we applied fractionated 14C dating, sustained by soil micromorphology and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The results indicate the complexity of the sources and decomposition processes of SOM, and, consequently, provide information as to why radiocarbon dates are not always reliable for the geochronology of driftsand deposits. We then performed an optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating study of the driftsand beds in the sequence. This approach yields direct sedimentation ages, and allows differentiating the instable (sand drifting) period from the stable (soil formation) period in each individual cycle of the sequence. Post-depositional mixing of the sands, however, may upset the reliability of the OSL chronology.

Microstratigraphy and diagenesis at the upper Pleistocene site of Esquilleu Cave (Cantabria, Spain)

FTIR and soil micromorphology were applied to selected sediments from the archaeological deposit of Esquilleu Cave, a late Middle Palaeolithic site in Cantabria, Spain. The main goal was to assess the integrity of the archaeological record before continuing with further excavation and research at the site. Field observations and previous sedimentological studies point to diagenetic alteration of part of the deposit, but the extent and precise nature of such processes had not been established. The results show that the upper layers are composed of fresh elements and have not undergone diagenetic transformations, although their components have been physically disturbed by cryoturbation. The rest of the deposit is well preserved with mild phosphatization due to partial dissolution of bone and calcitic ash contained in the sediment, and compression from trampling. Further excavation is necessary to have a more complete picture of the taphonomic processes taking place at the site.

Micromorphology and context

Context is an important concept in archaeology, although the term tends to have a variety of meanings to different people. In this brief note we illustrate how context can be considered at a microstratigraphic scale using the technique of soil micromorphology. Examples are given from the sites of Geißenklösterle (Germany), Sibudu (South Africa), and Pech de l'Azé IV (France) to show that micromorphology is an indispensible and robust tool for not only documenting the contextual position of archaeological objects and features within the matrix of the site but also for making accurate interpretations of the archaeological record.

Soil micromorphology use for modeling of a non-equilibrium water and solute movement

Soil micromorphology was applied to specify flow domains in different soils and to select a suitable numerical model for simulation of water flow and herbicide transport. Pore structure detected on soil micromorphological images represented in all cases domains of prevailing water flow and solute transport. Depending on pore configuration and boundary conditions either water immobilization or preferential flow was observed and simulated. The benefits and limitations of the soil micromorphology imaging are discussed and compared with the more often used X-ray computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and dye tracer imaging.

Late Holocene land use at Orstad, Jæren, southwestern Norway, evidence from pollen analysis and soil micromorphology

Pollen analysis was combined with radiocarbon dating, physical, chemical and biological soil analyses and soil micromorphology, to investigate the prehistoric land use at Orstad, in Jæren, southwestern Norway. Orstad is an Early Bronze Age clearance cairn field in a cultural landscape with traces of land use back to the Neolithic. Samples were mainly collected from an 84 m long excavated trench with mainly podzolic soils. Although pollen preservation was poor, it was possible to differentiate five phases in the local vegetation and land use history. Human impact on the site could be traces back to about 4400–4000 BP uncal./3045–2600 cal. BC. Wheat and barley have been cultivated at Orstad during a period from ca. 3600 BP uncal./1945–1750 cal. BC until the Older Iron Age, when heather vegetation began to spread on the site. Soil micromorphology revealed different soil management practices for this time period: The soils seem to have been cleared by fire, prior to cultivation until ca. 3200 BP uncal./1610–1455 cal. BC. Then, new cultivation fields were laid out on higher levels, and seem to have been improved by adding of organic materials, mainly turves taken from podzolic top soils and peats from nearby localities.

Historical development in soil micromorphological imaging

The book "micropedolog" by Kubieana and a large number of publications has induced many people to practice soil micromorphology. Quantification of the soil fabric and its components was a major challenge. The use of the image analyses in soil science was a breakthrough. Attempts to make soil thin sections go back to the beginning of the 20(th) century. Microscopic techniques and recently high resolution electron microscope and use of computer assisted imaging techniques enabled the in vitro study of soils in three dimensional levels. It is now possible to store and process massive amounts of data. Micromorphological concepts and techniques are applied in paleopedological, ecological, and archaeological studies. The aim of this work was to examine soil micromorphological imaging in historical perspective.

Nanoscience and Nano-Technology: Cracking Prodigal Farming

AbstractNano-science coupled with nano-technology has emerged as possible cost-cutting measure to prodigal farming and environmental clean-up operations. It has ushered as a new interdisciplinary field by converging various science disciplines, and is highly relevant to agricultural and food systems. Environmental Protection Agency of USA defined nanotechnology as the understanding and control of matter at dimensions of roughly 1-100 nm, where unique physical properties make novel applications possible. By this definition all soil-clays, many chemicals derived from soil organic matter (SOM), several soil microorganisms fall into this category. Apart from native soil-materials, many new nanotech products are entering into soil system, some of which are used for agricultural production and some others for many other purposes.Nano-science (also nanotechnology) has found applications in controlling release of nitrogen, characterization of soil minerals, studies of weathering of soil minerals and soil development, micro-morphology of soils, nature of soil rhizosphere, nutrient ion transport in soil-plant system, emission of dusts and aerosols from agricultural soil and their nature, zeoponics, and precision water farming. In its stride, nanotechnology converges soil mineralogy with imaging techniques, artificial intelligence, and encompass bio molecules and polymers with microscopic atoms and molecules, and macroscopic properties (thermodynamics) with microscopic properties (kinetics, wave theory, uncertainty principles, etc.), to name a few. Some of the examples include clinoloptolite and other zeolite based substrates, and Fe-, Mn-, and Cu- substituted synthetic hydroxyapatites that have made it possible to grow crops in space stations and at Antarctica. This has eliminated costs of repeated launching of space crafts. A disturbing fact is that the fertilizer use efficiency is 20-50 percent for nitrogen, and 10-25 percent for phosphorus (<1% for rock phosphate in alkaline calcareous soils). With nano-fertilizers emerging as alternatives to conventional fertilizers, build ups of nutrients in soils and thereby eutrophication and drinking water contamination may be eliminated. In fact, nano-technology has opened up new opportunities to improve nutrient use efficiency and minimize costs of environmental protection. It has helped to divulge to recent findings that plant roots and microorganisms can directly lift nutrient ions from solid phase of minerals (that includes so-called susceptible (i.e., easily weatherable, as well as non-susceptible minerals).

Cave Sites in Northeastern Luzon, Philippines: A Preliminary Soil Micromorphological Study

Soil micromorphology was among the approaches used to explore site formation in two cave sites in northern Luzon: Eme and Dalan Serkot Caves. Interplay of biogenic, sedimentary, and anthropogenic processes worked and reworked the archaeological sediments at both sites. Eme Cave was found to be highly bioturbated by faunal activities and shrink-swell processes, and caution is needed in interpreting its archaeological contexts. However, thin section study revealed wood ash and possible burnt soil fragments, along with charcoal, attesting to later prehistoric burning activity at the site at some time. In Dalan Serkot Cave, along with standard cave sediments a volcanic ash deposit was identified, apparently deposited before 6200 B.P. , that must have affected local communities, and that could be used as a stratigraphic marker for future research in the area.

遺跡における不撹乱土壌試料の採取・保存の意義と多面的利用－土壌理化学性・土壌微細形態-

遺跡における不撹乱土壌試料の採取・保存の意義と多面的利用－土壌理化学性・土壌微細形態-

Linking cultural and environmental change in Peruvian prehistory: Geomorphological survey of the Samaca Basin, Lower Ica Valley, Peru

Abstract The lower Ica Valley on the hyperarid south coast of Peru is today largely depopulated and bereft of cultivation. Yet its extensive archaeological remains attest to substantial pre-Hispanic populations. We provide a case-study of Pre-Hispanic culturally induced environmental change through combining field archaeological and geomorphological survey with archaeobotanical, sedimentary and soil micromorphology approaches. Our investigations reveal that, although major El Nino climatic perturbations occurring around the end of the Early Intermediate Period are part of the explanation, more gradual, human-induced reduction in riparian dry-forest vegetation also lie behind major landscape change, which culminated during the Middle Horizon.