A DISCRIMINANT FUNCTION USING ZIRCONIUM AND NICKEL FOR PARENT ROCKS OF STRONGLY WEATHERED HAWAIIAN SOILS

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Abstract
A discriminant function of the form Zr -1.44 Ni has been developed to distinguish between parent rocks of strongly weathered Hawaiian soils. The function was primarily developed for use with Lahaina silty clay soils but was extended successfully for use with unweathered rocks and with a wide range of Hawaiian soils. It was found that total Zr in the solum increased with increased weathering; total Ni in the solum increased up to the upper limit of the oxisols and then decreased progressively in ultisols and a spodosol. With increasing pedogenic development, Zr tended to be eluviated from the upper horizons, and accumulation of Zr was found in the spodic horizpn of the spodosol. With increasing pedogenic development, Ni tende''d to be eluviated from the profile, with the greatest eluviation in the upper horizons. A relative accumulation of Ni occurred in the sppdic horizon of the spodosol. Although Zr and Ni have different distribution patterns throughout the soils, the discriminant function successfully differentiated andesite-derived from basalt-derived materials for every horizon in every soil analyzed.

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