Characterization and Genesis of a Moody‐Nora‐Crofton Soil Sequence in Northeastern Nebraska

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Soils of the Moody, Nora, and Crofton series are derived from loess in northeastern Nebraska. Morphologically, these soils exhibit a decreasing degree of horizon differentiation and depth to lime concretions in the order Moody‐Nora‐Crofton. Particle size and chemical data substantiate these differences in soil development. The Moody and Nora series have been classed as Chernozems and the Crofton series as a Regosol.The distribution of these soils on the landscape, however, does not correspond entirely with an idealized soil‐relief sequence in which the degree of soil development varies with erosion and land surface age. Further, irregularities in depth to lime concretions occur in these soils, particularly in the Moody soils. Petrographic studies show marked variations in amounts of hornblende, epidote, biotite, and muscovite in these soils, reflecting parent material nonuniformity. Montmorillonite and illite minerals dominate the clay fraction of these soils with some kaolinite and mixed‐layer minerals, and a vermiculite‐like mineral in the Moody and Nora soils. A hypothesis presented to explain these data is that the Moody and Nora soils developed in a loess mantle of irregular thickness overlying a highly calcareous and concretionary older loess. Crofton soil is formed in places where outcrops of the older loess occur.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: