The Impact of White Pine (Pinus strobus) on a Mollisol After Seven Decades of Soil Development

Authors

Irina Kovda, Institute of Geography, Moscow
Eric C. Brevik, Iowa State UniversityFollow
Thomas E. Fenton, Moscow State UniversityFollow
Maria Gerasimova, Valdosta State University

Document Type

Research

Keywords

Mollisol, micromorphology, pedogenic processes

Abstract

Selected chemical, physical, and macro and micromorphological properties in two pedons of a Clarion soil (Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Hapludolls) formed in till parent material, one planted to white pines (Pinus strobus) for the past 75 years and the other to grass, were compared. The most obvious difference between the two was the increased biological activity under pines; the variety and quantity of excrements suggested the activity of soil microfauna and variability of species resulted in finer and better aggregation of biological origin (crumbs and granules), numerous excrements in voids, and higher total porosity under pines. The matrix was lighter colored in the upper horizons under pines. The soil under pines seemed to be drier and to have more expressed water oscillations in the middle part of profile. There was some evidence of higher groundmass activity in the soil under pines and the groundmass b-fabric was slightly better expressed. The soil under the pines exhibited evidence of stronger weathering (weathered biotite at a shallower depth, more iron-rich fine fraction, common amorphous iron impregnation and frequent amorphous iron coatings related to grains or pores together with abundant iron nodules) than the soil under grass. Analytical and micromorphology methods showed only slight changes in the Clarion soil under pines. That means 75 years, at least under the prevailing climate, is too short a period for the formation of pronounced morphological and physico-chemical differences.

Publication Date

July-December 2004

Journal Title

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

111

Issue

3-4

First Page

58

Last Page

66

Copyright

© Copyright 2005 by the Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

EN

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Kovda, Irina; Brevik, Eric C.; Fenton, Thomas E.; and Gerasimova, Maria (2004) "The Impact of White Pine (Pinus strobus) on a Mollisol After Seven Decades of Soil Development," Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS, 111(3-4), 58-66.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/jias/vol111/iss3/4