24.02.2013 Views

25th International Meeting on Organic Geochemistry IMOG 2011

25th International Meeting on Organic Geochemistry IMOG 2011

25th International Meeting on Organic Geochemistry IMOG 2011

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

P-503<br />

Geochemical characterizati<strong>on</strong> of a meadow soil<br />

Tünde Nyilas 1 , Magdolna Hetényi 1 , Nóra Czirbus 1 , Anita Gál 2 , Csanád Sajgó 3<br />

1 University of Szeged, Department of Mineralogy, <strong>Geochemistry</strong> and Petrology, Szeged, Hungary, 2 Szent<br />

István University, Department of Soil Science and Agrochemistry, Gödöllő, Hungary, 3 Institute for<br />

Geochemical Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary (corresp<strong>on</strong>ding<br />

author:nyilas@gmail.com)<br />

During the last decade the geochemical<br />

investigati<strong>on</strong> of soils has received increasing attenti<strong>on</strong><br />

owing to the significant role played by both their<br />

mineral and organic compositi<strong>on</strong> in the processes of<br />

pedogenesis, in the migrati<strong>on</strong> of c<strong>on</strong>taminants and in<br />

the global carb<strong>on</strong> cycle. Obtaining detailed<br />

informati<strong>on</strong> about different soil-chemical processes<br />

and determinati<strong>on</strong> of geochemical lines are based <strong>on</strong><br />

the organic and inorganic geochemistry of soils. The<br />

soil organic matter has a great impact <strong>on</strong> the<br />

weathering of rocks and pedogenetic processes. Not<br />

<strong>on</strong>ly the amount and the bulk geochemical features of<br />

the organic matter but also the proporti<strong>on</strong> of carb<strong>on</strong><br />

pools with different thermal stability influence these<br />

processes. Changes in hydrological c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s can<br />

lead to the modificati<strong>on</strong> of soil-types.<br />

The aim of this work was to investigate mineral and<br />

organic geochemical characteristics of a typical<br />

meadow soil according to the Hungarian Soil<br />

Tax<strong>on</strong>omy [1]. Depth profile of elements, geochemical<br />

characterizati<strong>on</strong> of the organic matter (lipid c<strong>on</strong>tents,<br />

E4/E6 ratios of humic and fulvic acids) and soil<br />

chemical data were determined, as well as the<br />

mathematical dec<strong>on</strong>voluti<strong>on</strong>s of Rock-Eval pyrograms<br />

were performed.<br />

The soil profile was opened at Lake Csorba (North-<br />

East Hungary) <strong>on</strong> a former floodplain of River Sajó,<br />

currently under plowing. The pH is neutral-slightly<br />

alkaline (7.75, 7.89), the parent material is loess with<br />

sandy alluvial sediment. The main properties which<br />

are characteristic of the whole profile are the result of<br />

hydromorphic features including dark blackish-brown<br />

colour, Fe- and Mn-c<strong>on</strong>creti<strong>on</strong>s, gleyic colour pattern<br />

and an abrupt change in organic matter c<strong>on</strong>tent at<br />

~80 cm. The organic matter c<strong>on</strong>tent of the humus<br />

c<strong>on</strong>taining horiz<strong>on</strong>s is 2.8-2.2 %, with high base<br />

saturati<strong>on</strong> (93-92 %) and high cati<strong>on</strong> exchange<br />

capacity (36-28 cmol/kg).<br />

The humus c<strong>on</strong>tent is lower than it could be<br />

expected <strong>on</strong> the basis of the colour of the humus<br />

c<strong>on</strong>taining horiz<strong>on</strong>s. This colour is due to the<br />

presence of Fe(II)-humus complexes formed under<br />

anaerob c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s. At ~80 cm organic matter c<strong>on</strong>tent<br />

decreased to a minimum value (0.3 %) accompanied<br />

by the essentially increased amount of carb<strong>on</strong>ate<br />

c<strong>on</strong>creti<strong>on</strong>s. Between ~80-120 cm three (carb<strong>on</strong>ate,<br />

gleyic and gravel) horiz<strong>on</strong>s can be distinguished.<br />

Similar organic matter (2.8, 2.2 %) and the same lipid<br />

(0.24 mg/g) c<strong>on</strong>tents were measured for the humus<br />

c<strong>on</strong>taining horiz<strong>on</strong>s. The depth trend of the E4/E6 ratio<br />

measured <strong>on</strong> fulvic and humic acids, together with<br />

that of the proporti<strong>on</strong> of humic substances and<br />

resistant bio-macromolecules, reflected an intense<br />

leaching. It is supported by the increasing values<br />

(from -0.23 to 0.60) of I-index [2], which shows the<br />

relative importance of biomass versus the humic<br />

substances.<br />

Combined interpretati<strong>on</strong> of the organic geochemical<br />

and inorganic soil chemical data revealed leaching.<br />

Besides the A horiz<strong>on</strong> of c<strong>on</strong>stant organic matter<br />

c<strong>on</strong>tent, the development of a thin transiti<strong>on</strong>al<br />

accumulati<strong>on</strong> z<strong>on</strong>e with downward decreasing organic<br />

matter c<strong>on</strong>tent began. It suggested that features of<br />

chernozem soils started to evolve.<br />

As a c<strong>on</strong>sequence of the slight changes in the<br />

organic and inorganic features, resulting from the<br />

decreased water level, the studied meadow soil is<br />

classified as a Calcic Chernozem (Taptogleyic)<br />

according to the World Reference Base for Soil<br />

Resources [3] with a mollic diagnostic horiz<strong>on</strong>.<br />

The project was supported by the Hungarian<br />

Scientific Research Found (OTKA) through grant K<br />

81181.<br />

References<br />

[1] Stefanovits, P., 1963. The soils of Hungary.<br />

Akadémiai Kiadó. Budapest (in Hungarian)<br />

[2] Sebag, D., Disnar, J.R., Guillet, B., Di Giovanni,<br />

C., Verrecchia, E.P., Durand, A., 2006. M<strong>on</strong>itoring organic<br />

matter dynamics in soil profiles by Rock–Eval pyrolysis: bulk<br />

characterizati<strong>on</strong> and quantificati<strong>on</strong> of degradati<strong>on</strong>. European<br />

Journal of Soil Science 57, 344–355.<br />

[3] FAO/ISRIC/ISSS, 2006. World Reference Base for<br />

Soil Resources. World Soil Resources Reports. No. 103.<br />

FAO. Rome.<br />

624

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!