Paleosol Sequences in the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia

Abstract
This paper presents paleosol chronosequences from the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia, covering the last 35,000 yr. The changes in the morphology of the soils which developed in successive layers of volcanic ash reflect climatic changes and are correlated to the palynological studies of Van Der Hammen. Middle Pleniglacial soils are regarded as gleyed (Polylepis) forest soils formed under low evapotranspiration, and soils of the Middle/Upper Pleniglacial transition as humiferous (grassland) Paramo soils. An intervening arid erosion phase was followed by a humid and warmer period (Holocene) during which humiferous soils developed partly under forest, partly under grassland, but throughout under conditions of higher evapotranspiration.