Hypergypsic Soil Micromorphology and Landscape Relationships in Northeastern Spain

Abstract

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Revisiting the definitions of gypsic and petrogypsic horizons in Soil Taxonomy and World Reference Base for Soil Resources

“…These suggestions are compatible with the present knowledge about the gypsum translocation processes and their effects on soil appearance and behavior, and should help to address the unfeasibility of distinguishing between gypsum of geologic or of pedogenic origin in some soils (Herrero et al, 1992;Stoops and Poch, 1994;Artieda, 1996;Artieda and Herrero, 2003). This unfeasibility and the differences in genesis and properties between gypsum-rich and calcium carbonate-rich horizons fade in a recent proposal of Bockheim and Gennadiyev (2000), that combine under a "Calcification Process" several taxa of Soil Taxonomy having either gypsum or calcium carbonate accumulation.…”

“…The same document uses hypergypsic for gypsic horizons with  60% gypsum even though the word hypergypsic was previously proposed for horizons by ICOMID (Eswaran and Zi-Tong, 1991) and for soils by Herrero et al (1992), in both cases without genetic assumptions. In WRB (F.A.O., 1998), the definition of petrogypsic is independent of gypsic, but the mention to secondary gypsum is maintained; the required degree of cementation is described with field criteria, even though the cementing agent is not indicated.…”

Plant community patterns in a gypsum area of NE Spain. I. Interactions with topographic factors and soil erosion

“…The long-term accumulation of such materials has allowed the formation of deep soils of low porosity owing to their infilling with secondary gypsum deposits (Herrero et al, 1992). These soils are not areas of permanent water accumulation due to the high permeability and low water retention capacity of gypsum soils (GutieH rrez Elorza et al, 1995), although their capacity for water accumulation seems to be great enough to moderate the period of water stress suffered by perennial plants rooted in them (Hodgson et al, 1994).…”

“…The special physico-chemical properties of gypsum are the main factors responsible for the particular landscape and singular vegetation of hypergypsic areas (Herrero et al, 1992). Gypsum is the most extensive rock substratum in the Middle Ebro Basin (in NE Spain), occupying 12,000 km (Macau & Riba, 1966).…”

“…Gypsum is the most extensive rock substratum in the Middle Ebro Basin (in NE Spain), occupying 12,000 km (Macau & Riba, 1966). It conditions the landscape geomorphology, which is characterized by low rounded hills and flat-bottomed valleys (IbaH n ez & Mensua, 1976;Herrero et al, 1992), as well as the existence of a specialized flora including a number of endemic plant species (Braun-Blanquet & Bolo`s, 1957;Rivas-MartıH nez & Costa, 1969;Parsons, 1976).…”