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The pedological features of seven soils formed in calcareous parent materials located in Afghanistan (serozem), USSR and Germany (chernozems), and in the Netherlands (marine deposits) are described. The distinction between the fabrics is based largely on Brewer's concept (1964). (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)

The spatial arrangement (fabric) of carbonate in 7 different soils was studied to make a proposal for its fabric analysis. These soils, which have been developed in calcareous loess and marine deposits, are located in Afghanistan, the USSR, Germany and the Netherlands.In the first part of this study (Bal, 1975) the simple plasmic fabrics crystic, calcic and fibrous have been defined. Their distinction is primarly based on theoretical considerations of Brewer's concepts (Brewer, 1964).In this second part the morphology and genesis of carbonate crystal tubes and intercalary carbonate crystals is dealt with.Also K-fabric, the carbonate fabric introduced by Gile et al. (1965) is discussed and redefined. The fabrics crystic, calcic and fibrous are simple fabrics; the K-fabric, on the contrary, is principally a compound fabric. This means that K fabric is composed of one or more of these simple fabrics. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)

The calcixerollic xerochrept described has a low bulk density (1.1 g/cm3) which is attributed to faunal activity. The average mineral composition was 25% quartz, 20% CaCO3, 15% feldspars, 15% micas, 15% chlorites, 2-3% other minerals and 10% amorphous material and there was a clear relationship between minerals and particle size fractions. Trace element contents were 0.6, 11.0, 23.2, 49.1; 19.4, 75.9, 18.7 and 525 mg/kg for V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr and Ba, respectively. Sr and Ba contents were related to carbonate redistribution. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)

In an oligotrophic soil formed in Sphagnum peat, an oligotrophic soil formed in Sphagnum-Eriophorum peat and a mesotrophic soil formed in Carex peat, the first and second soils contain a variable but rather large amount of histons, but the histon content of the third soil is low. Fungons are characteristic of the first soil, occur in small amounts in the second soil and are practically absent from the third soil. Decomposition by the soil fauna (as evidenced by faecal pellets) is slight in the first soil and is effected mainly by Oribatid mites, but in the second soil decomposition by Oribatids is considerable, by earthworms moderate, and by Enchytraeids sporadic. In the third soil, which contains some mineral material, the considerable decomposition by the soil fauna is effected by dipterous larvae and earthworms and to a lesser extent by Oribatids. In all the soils the rubbed fibre content and physico-chemical data agree with the change in the nature of the soil material with depth. In the first soil hemic material changes into fibric material, in the second soil the practically sapric soil material in the top 7 cm changes into hemic and fibric material, and in the third soil sapric material occurs down to 51 cm and then changes into hemic material. The classification of the three soils by the US Soil Taxonomy system, the Dutch system and the FAO-UNESCO system is discussed. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)