Spodic Horizon

Reconstructing Mollisol Formation Processes Through Quantified Pedoturbation

“…Characterized by a thick, dark surface layer rich in soil organic matter (SOM), Mollisols -also referred to as a type of black soils (FAO, 2022)-are known to be among the most fertile soils in the world and serve as a significant carbon pool (Bockheim, 2014;FAO, 2022). However, despite numerous studies devoted to SOM, the ages and pedogenic processes of Mollisols are often overlooked and remain poorly quantified (Bockheim, 2014;von Suchodoletz et al, 2023).…”

“…Characterized by a thick, dark surface layer rich in soil organic matter (SOM), Mollisols -also referred to as a type of black soils (FAO, 2022)-are known to be among the most fertile soils in the world and serve as a significant carbon pool (Bockheim, 2014;FAO, 2022). However, despite numerous studies devoted to SOM, the ages and pedogenic processes of Mollisols are often overlooked and remain poorly quantified (Bockheim, 2014;von Suchodoletz et al, 2023). This is problematic as the origin and development rate of the soils are not only crucial for predicting their evolutionary pathway under future climate change (G. Zhang et al, 2023b), but are also critical to more accurately estimate their potential for soil carbon sequestration (Brantley, 2008).…”