Soil development on moraines of Mendenhall Glacier, southeast Alaska. 1. The moraines and soil morphology

Alexander, Earl B.; Burt, R.

doi:10.1016/0016-7061(96)00021-3

Cited by 63 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Dahms, 2002Dahms, , 2004Fitze, 1982). Weathering indices, chemical gradients, or clay mineral assemblages may differentiate soils even within a relatively narrow time range and provide information concerning processes at specific sites (Alexander and Burt, 1996;Birkeland, 1999;Egli et al, 2001Egli et al, , 2003Evans, 1999;Righi et al, 1999). Additionally, cosmogenic and other nuclide techniques allow the determination of weathering, erosion, and denudation rates (see compilations in Anderson et al (2007) and Dixon and von Blanckenburg (2012)).…”

Section: Chemical Weathering Erosion and Denudationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil formation rates on silicate parent material in alpine environments: Different approaches–different results?

2014

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High-mountain soils develop in particularly sensitive environments. Consequently, deciphering and predicting what drives the rates of soil formation in such environments are a major challenge. In terms of soil production or formation from chemical weathering, the predominating perception for highmountain soils and cold environments is often that the chemical weathering 'portion' of soil development is temperature-inhibited, often to the point of non-occurrence. Several concepts exist to determine longterm rates of soil formation and development. We present three different approaches: (1) quantification of soil formation from minimally eroded soils of known age using chronosequences (known surface age and soil thickness -SAST), (2) determination of soil residence times (SRT) and production rates through chemical weathering using (un)stable isotopes (e.g. 230Th/234U activity ratios), and (3) a steady state approach using cosmogenic isotopes (e.g. 10Be). For each method, data from different climate zones, and particularly from high-mountains (alpine environment), are compared. The SAST and steady state approach give quite similar results for alpine environments (European Alps and the Wind River Range (Rocky Mountains, USA)). Using the SRT approach, soil formation rates in mountain areas (but having a temperate climate) do not differ greatly from the SAST and steady state approaches. Independent of the chosen approach, the results seem moderately comparable. Soil formation rates in high-mountain areas (alpine climate) range from very low to extremely high values and show a clear decreasing tendency with time. Very young soils have up to 3-4 orders of magnitude higher rates of development than old soils (105 to 106 yr). This apparently is a result of kinetic limits on weathering in regions having young surfaces and supply limits to weathering on old surfaces. Due to the requirement for chemical weathering to occur, soil production rates cannot be infinitely high. Consequently, a speed limit must exist. In the literature, this limit has been set at about 320 to 450 t/km2/a. Our results from the SAST approach show, however, that in alpine areas soil formation easily reaches rates of up to 800-2000 t/km2/a. These data are consistent with previous studies in mountain regions demonstrating that particularly young soils intensively weather, even under continuous seasonal snowpack and, thus, that the concept of 'temperature-controlled' soil development (soil-forming intervals) in alpine regions must be reconsidered. High-mountain soils develop in particularly sensitive environments. Consequently, deciphering and predicting what drives the rates of soil formation in such environments are a major challenge. In terms of soil production or formation from chemical weathering, the predominating perception for high-mountain soils and cold environments is often that the chemical weathering 'portion' of soil development is temperature-inhibited, often to the point of non-occurrence. Several concepts exist to determine long...

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Section: Chemical Weathering Erosion and Denudationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil formation rates on silicate parent material in alpine environments: Different approaches–different results?

2014

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“…The rate of soil evolution is, in Alpine areas, distinctly determined by the parent material and the climate (especially the amount of precipitation). A very fast soil evolution was found by Alexander and Burt (1996) in southeast Alaska where already after about 240 years an E horizon and thus a podzolization could be seen on moraines. Soil evolution was, however, enhanced there by very high precipitation (.250 cm yr…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Melting Glaciers and Soil Development in the Proglacial Area Morteratsch (Swiss Alps): II. Modeling the Present and Future Soil State

Egli

Wernli

Kneisel

et al. 2006

Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research

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“…High temporal resolution is necessary for describing chronofunctions for rapidly-adjusting properties. Short-term chronosequences have been studied on 0 to 220-yearold alluvial terraces (Adair et al, 2004), 10 to 240+-year-old glacial moraines (Alexander and Burt, 1996), 27 to 1200+-year-old mudflows Crocker,1953a,b,1954), 0 to 178-year-old colliery waste tips (Down, 1975), and 50 to 350-year-old windthrow mounds (Bormann et al, 1995). These studies illustrate the rapid accumulation of organic carbon during the early stages of soil development, as well as the development of properties that are influenced by soil organic matter (e.g., bulk density, color, organic horizon and A horizon thickness).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil morphology of a debris flow chronosequence in a coniferous forest, southern California, USA

et al. 2008

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Soil development on moraines of Mendenhall Glacier, southeast Alaska. 1. The moraines and soil morphology

Cited by 63 publications

References 11 publications

Soil formation rates on silicate parent material in alpine environments: Different approaches–different results?

Soil formation rates on silicate parent material in alpine environments: Different approaches–different results?

Melting Glaciers and Soil Development in the Proglacial Area Morteratsch (Swiss Alps): II. Modeling the Present and Future Soil State

Soil morphology of a debris flow chronosequence in a coniferous forest, southern California, USA

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