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SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTY CHARACTERISTICS AND CHRONOSEQUENCE ANALYSIS ABOUT A GLACIAL FORE-FIELD IN SKAFTAFELLSJOKULL, ICELAND

Stanich, Nicholas A

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2013, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Environment and Natural Resources.
Global climate change is contributing to increased rates of glacial recession across the globe. As glaciers recede, sub-glacially derived till is exposed and is subject to soil weathering processes, providing a template to analyze soil developmental processes along a chronosequence of glacial recession. This study analyzes a 120-year glacial chronosequence about Skaftafellsjokull, in southeast Iceland. Soil physical properties such as bulk density (¿b), gravel distribution, particle density (¿s), total porosity (ft), specific surface area (Am) on a mass basis, available water content (AWC), soil texture, and particulate organic matter (POM) were analyzed at two depths (0-10cm and 10-20cm) for 8, 65, and 120-year-old soils. Soil ¿b significantly decreased with increasing soil age from ~ 1.40 Mg/m3 to 1.00 Mg/m3. Total gravel distribution did not significantly vary, but proportion of larger size fractions (>20-75mm) significantly increased with increase in soil age. Soil ¿s significantly decreased from ~2.77 Mg/m3 to 2.67 Mg/m3 in the 0-10 cm depth, and had a trend of increase from ~2.74 Mg/m3 to 2.77 Mg/m3 in the 10-20 cm depth. Soil ft increased significantly with increase in age from 0.50 to 0.65 m3/m3. Soil Am decreased significantly at both depths from 3.5 m2/g to 2.0 m2/g. Soil AWC maintained the highest values of 0.045 (g/g) at the 8-year soil and lowest within the 65-year old soil of 0.020 (g/g). Soil POM significantly increased from 1% to 4% of the total sand fraction in the 0-10cm depth, but only showed a slight and statistically insignificant increase in the 10-20 cm depth. The proportion of clay and silt as a percent of total sample demonstrated eluviation-based behavior across the chronosequence, and proportion of sand significantly increased with age. Analysis was also conducted outside of the framework of the chronosequence to determine whether or not data display trends without age considered. Observed trends generally corresponded to to well established soil physical principles, and it was revealed that trends are subject to different slopes and R2 values based on what soil ages were included in the analysis.
Rattan Lal (Advisor)
Gudrun Gisladottir (Committee Member)
Brian Slater (Committee Member)
Desheng Liu (Committee Member)
130 p.

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Citations

  • Stanich, N. A. (2013). SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTY CHARACTERISTICS AND CHRONOSEQUENCE ANALYSIS ABOUT A GLACIAL FORE-FIELD IN SKAFTAFELLSJOKULL, ICELAND [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366613027

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Stanich, Nicholas. SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTY CHARACTERISTICS AND CHRONOSEQUENCE ANALYSIS ABOUT A GLACIAL FORE-FIELD IN SKAFTAFELLSJOKULL, ICELAND. 2013. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366613027.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Stanich, Nicholas. "SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTY CHARACTERISTICS AND CHRONOSEQUENCE ANALYSIS ABOUT A GLACIAL FORE-FIELD IN SKAFTAFELLSJOKULL, ICELAND." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1366613027

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)