DISTRIBUTION AND PROPERTIES OF ORGANIC FRACTIONS IN SELECTED ALBERTA SOILS

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Abstract
Nine soils, representing the dominant groups in the major soil zones of Alberta, were characterized with respect to the distribution and selected properties of organic fractions. Detailed results are presented only for A horizon samples. Well humified materials in surface horizons exhibited remarkable similarities despite the range of conditions under which they accumulated.In general, differences between organic components of soils within a soil zone were much less distinct than differences between soil zones. In the sequence Gray Wooded to Black to Brown soil zones, Ah horizons showed decreasing organic matter content, decreasing hexose and pentose content, but little change in organic P content or hexose as percent of total organic matter.De-ashed humic acid fractions showed little variation between soils with respect to elemental composition, functional groups, amino acid and carbohydrate components, electrophoretic behavior or infrared, spectra. Optical properties and behavior toward electrolytes of humic acid solutions showed some differences between soil zones.

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