Identification and Characterization of Pedogeomorphological Processes on a Hillslope

Abstract

This study aims to identify process‐response relationships between pedogeomorphological processes and the spatial distribution of soil properties on a hillslope. Thirty‐two physical and chemical attributes of 502 soil samples collected from 64 soil profiles on a hillslope in Somerset, UK, were analyzed using an ordination technique. Five factors explaining 80% of the total variation were first identified. Each factor was then regressed with terrain attributes to examine the influence of hillslope geomorphometry on soil distributions. Two‐way ANOVA was used to separate the total variance of individual soil properties into vertical and lateral components, and the results were compared with the results of the ordination. The five factors were interpreted as demonstrating the effects of podzolization, nutrient dynamics, Mn leaching, erosion weathering, and soil acidification. The ability to predict soil properties over the landscape using terrain information varies widely among soil properties measured. In general, topsoil properties are better correlated with terrain attributes than subsoil properties. Contemporary pedological and geomorphological processes are most active in the surface horizon, which results in clear lateral differentiation of soil properties. For subsurface soils, only those few soil properties that showed a clear spatial pattern could be successfully modeled using terrain attributes. This research demonstrates that clear differences in the spatial distribution of individual soil properties are mainly determined by differential involvement in in situ pedogenesis and lateral slope processes. Future soil‐landscape modeling attempts should pay more attention to the selection of soil properties and the interpretation of statistical results in relation to process‐response dynamics.

Determination of solute leaching potential within a hummocky agricultural landscape

“…However, the SE 9 landscape, situated at a lower elevation than the NE 8 landscape, presented greater soil profile development and higher SPIs than the NE 8 landscape. Park and Burt (2002) mentioned that topographic features on soil horizon distribution operate differently among landscapes. The change from grassland to agricultural land, and variations in agricultural management, can have a permanent impact on water budget, infiltration capacity, and leaching (Brooks et al 2003).…”

“…Many studies have examined topographic features to describe and predict soil properties and/or water movement within hummocky landscapes (Pennock et al 1987;MacMillan and Pettapiece 2000;Conly and Van Der Kamp 2001;Florinsky et al 2002;Park and Burt 2002). However, the use of these models on a local scale has not been explored.…”

Soil nutrient–landscape relationships in a lowland tropical rainforest in Panama

“…Various studies investigated relationships between soil chemical properties and landscape features using advances in soil-landscape modeling (e.g., Moore et al, 1993;Gessler et al, 1995;Florinsky et al, 2002;Park and Burt, 2002;Baxter and Oliver, 2005;Henderson et al, 2005), but few dealt with the tropics (e.g., Holmes et al, 2005). Soil-landscape modeling helps to predict the spatial patterns of soil properties and to regionalize point observations by quantifying the relationship between environmental variables and soil properties of interest.…”

Estatística multivariada aplicada à diminuição do número de preditores no mapeamento digital do solo

“…Assim, a falta de significado pedológico das CP inicialmente geradas fica parcialmente contornada, pois a cada uma pode-se associar as variáveis originais (atributos do terreno). Abordagem similar, na busca por um sentido pedológico para as CP utilizadas, foi adotada por Park & Burt (2002). Em estudo que relacionou processos de formação e atributos de terreno, os autores associaram cinco CP a fatores pedogeomorfológicos, os quais foram a podzolização, dinâmica de nutrientes, lixiviação de Mn, intemperização e acidificação do solo.…”