Clay Illuviation and Lamella Formation in a Psammentic Haploxeralf in Southern California

Abstract
The lamellae of a Psammentic Haploxeralf in San Diego County, California, contain more fine clay and less coarse clay than the interlamellar horizons. In most of the lamellae, argillans constitute the plasma. All this indicates the importance of illuviation in their formation. Since the deepest lamellae are below the wetting front in today's climate, it is concluded that the deepest ones were the first to form. Also, in the middle part of the pedon the lamellae have been broken by the formation of a sand window, an eluvial feature. Since there is carbonate in the upper but not the lower part, it is concluded that the pedon began to form in a climate much like that of today's at Santa Cruz, California. Santa Cruz is some 800 km to the north, receives about 80 cm of precipitation, and has a mean annual temperature of 14°C.
Funding Information
  • Program for Cultural Cooperation

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