Interpretation of Micromorphological Features of Soils and Regoliths

Interpretation of Micromorphological Features of Soils and Regoliths, Second Edition, provides researchers and students with a tool for interpreting features observed in soil thin sections and through submicroscopic studies. After an introduction and general overview, micromorphological aspects of regoliths (e.g., saprolites, transported materials) are highlighted, followed by a systematic and coherent discussion of the micromorphological expression of various pedogenic processes. The book is written by an international team of experts in the field, using a uniform set of concepts and terminology, making it a valuable interdisciplinary reference work.

The following topics are treated: freeze-thaw features, redoximorphic features, calcareous and gypsiferous formations, textural features, spodic and oxic horizons, volcanic materials, organic matter, surface horizons, laterites, surface crusts, salt minerals, biogenic and pedogenic siliceous materials, other authigenic silicates, phosphates, sulphidic and sulphuric materials, and features related to faunal activity. The last chapters address anthropogenic features,archaeological materials and palaeosoils.

• Updates the first exhaustive publication on interpretation of micromorphological features, with some new chapters and with a larger number of additional references
• Covers related topics, making micromorphology more attractive and accessible for geomorphologists, archaeologists and quaternary geologists Includes thematic treatment of a range of soil micromorphology fields and broadens its applications
• Features input from a multi-disciplinary team, ensuring thorough coverage of topics related to soil science, archaeology and geomorphology

Postgraduate students and researchers in the fields of soil development, soil classification, quaternary geology, sedimentology and archaeology

1. Micromorphology as a tool in soil and regolith studies
Georges Stoops
2. Colluvial and mass wasting deposits
Herman Mücher (†), Henk van Steijn and Frans Kwaad
3. Saprolites
Siti Zauyah, Carlos E.G.R. Schaefer, Felipe N.B. Simas
4. Pedoplasmation: formation of soil material
Georges Stoops and Carlos E.G.R. Schaefer
5. Groundmass composition and fabric
Georges Stoops and Florias Mees
6. Pedogenic siliceous features
Ma. del Carmen Gutiérrez Castorena
7. Biogenic siliceous features
Danuta Kaczorek, Luc Vrydaghs, Yannick Devos, Ákos Pető and William Effland
8. Authigenic silicate minerals – sepiolite-palygorskite, zeolites and sodium silicates
Florias Mees
9. Calcium carbonate features
Nicolas Durand, H.Curtis Monger, Matthew G. Canti and Eric Verrecchia
10. Gypsic features
Rosa M. Poch, Octavio Artieda and Marina Lebedeva
11. Salt minerals in saline soils and salt crusts
Florias Mees and Tatiana V. Tursina
12. Phosphatic features
Panagiotis Karkanas and Paul Goldberg
13. Sulphidic and sulphuric materials
Florias Mees and Georges Stoops
14. Textural pedofeatures and related horizons
Peter Kühn, José Aguilar, Rienk Miedema and Maria Bronnikova
15. Redoximorphic features
Michael J. Vepraskas, David L. Lindbo and Mark H. Stolt
16. Features related to faunal activity
Maja J. Kooistra and Mirjam M. Pulleman
17. Soil organic matter
Kristin Ismail-Meyer, David L. Lindbo and Mark H. Stolt
18. Organo-mineral surface horizons
Maria Gerasimova and Marina Lebedeva
19. Physical and biological surface crusts and seals
Amanda J. Williams, Marcello Pagliai and Georges Stoops
20. Frost action
Brigitte Van Vliet-Lanoë and Catherine A. Fox
21. Vertic features
Irina Kovda and Ahmet R. Mermut
22. Spodic materials
Eric Van Ranst, Michael A. Wilson and Dominique Righi (†)
23. Oxic and related materials
Vera Marcelino, Carlos E.G.R. Schaefer and Georges Stoops
24. Lateritic and bauxitic materials
Georges Stoops and Vera Marcelino
25. Regoliths and soils on volcanic ash
Georges Stoops, Sergey Sedov and Sergei Shoba
26. Anthropogenic features
W. Paul Adderley, Clare A. Wilson, Ian A. Simpson and Donald A. Davidson
27. Archaeological materials
Richard I. Macphail and Paul Goldberg
28. Palaeosoils and relict soils, a conceptual approach
Nicolas Fedoroff (†), Marie-Agnès Courty and Zhengtang Guo
29. Palaeosoils and relict soils, a systematic review
Mauro Cremaschi, Luca Trombino and Andrea Zerboni
30. Micromorphological features and their relation to processes and classification
Georges Stoops, Vera Marcelino and Florias Mees