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Genesis of the E horizon in the soils of Massie Lagoon in Clay County, Nebraska
Abstract
E horizons form when percolating waters eluviate the fine clays, organic matter, free iron oxides and aluminum from them in sufficient quantities to leave the E horizon lighter in color compared to the A or B horizons. Some E horizons sit atop a clay pan implying that the clay pan formed as a result of the fine clay translocation from the E horizon. Investigations on the soils of Massie Lagoon were done to test this conceptual model, and also to ascertain whether the ferrolysis process had a role in the E horizon formation. Field and laboratory data held clues that well developed clay pans were in place before the E horizons began forming. The clay pans were subsequently enriched with fine clay from the E horizons, but not formed by clay translocation from the E horizons. The most strongly expressed E horizons were found at the margins of Massie Lagoon. They were 5 to 10 cm thick and 15 to 30 cm below the surface. If the E horizons existed at all in the deeper parts of Massie Lagoon, they were thin (1 to 2 cm) and were at the surface. Soil material had been recently deposited at the margins of Massie Lagoon due to water erosion. This fresh deposition over a pre-existent clay pan provided the material essential for the formation of an E horizon. Studies of soil redox potential, soil solution pH, and iron in solution with soil cores indicated that ferrolysis did not play a large role in the formation of E horizons at Massie Lagoon. The soil redox potentials under saturated conditions were however, an important factor in the E horizon formation. The reduction of the insoluble ferric iron into the soluble ferrous form allows for the removal of iron through leaching from a saturated soil. The greatest amount of iron to go into solution took place near the surface of the soils.
Subject Area
Agricultural chemicals
Recommended Citation
Assmus, Roger Jacob, "Genesis of the E horizon in the soils of Massie Lagoon in Clay County, Nebraska" (1993). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9415949.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9415949