Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T12:19:19.736Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Variation in Soil-Catena Characteristics of Moraines with Time and Climate, South Island, New Zealand

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Peter W. Birkeland
Peter W. Birkeland*
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0250
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Soil catenas on three moraines in each of two areas with different climate were studied to determine (a) downcatena soil differentiation with climate and time and (b) their usefulness in estimating the relative ages of the underlying deposits. In the dry area (mean annual precipitation (MAP), ca. 0.5 m) all soils have A/Bw/C profiles formed in loess/till. Their similarity in morphology and in most chemical characteristics with catena position and age suggests that the low MAP does not result in much redistribution of water, elements, or sediment downcatena. This similarity also suggests ages close to each other and correlation with the Otiran Glaciation (oxygen-isotope stages 2 and 4). In the wet area (MAP ca. 3 m) the soils also formed in loess/till and with time (a) soil morphology progresses from A/Bw/C to A/E/B/C, (h) reduced properties intensify, especially in the downcatena profiles, (c) citrate-bicarbonate-dithionite-extractable Fe displays accumulation in the youngest catena followed by loss in the older catenas, and (d) downcatena trends in total chemical data display marked losses of the more mobile elements. These data demonstrate that although catena development is rapid in a wet climate, the downcatena contrast can be muted with time due to a change from processes dominated by oxidation to those dominated by reduction. Soil catena properties in the wet area are sufficiently different to not refute age estimations suggested by Suggate (1990): youngest moraine, oxygen-isotope stage 2; intermediate moraine, isotope stage 4; and oldest moraine, isotope stage 10. An unresolved problem in both areas is the possibility of soil erosion to foul soil-age relations.

Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 42 , Issue 1 , July 1994 , pp. 49 - 59
Copyright
University of Washington

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Birkeland, P. W. (1990). Soil-geomorphic research—A selective review. Geomorphology 3, 207–224.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Birkeland, P. W. Berry, M. E., and Swanson, D. K. (1991a). Use of soil catena field data for estimating relative ages of moraines. Geology 19, 281–283.2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Birkeland, P. W. Machette, M. N., and Haller, K. M. (1991b), “Soils as a Tool for Applied Quaternary Geology,” Miscellaneous Publication 91-3. Utah Geological and Mineral Survey.Google Scholar
Bockheim, J. G. (1980). Solution and use of chronofunctions in studying soil development. Geoderma 24, 71–85.Google Scholar
Bruce, J. G. (1973). Loessial deposits in southern South Island, with definition of Stewart’s Claim formation. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 16, 533–548.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, A. S. (1975). “Chemical and Mineralogical Properties of a Sequence of Terrace Soils near Reefton, New Zealand.” Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Lincoln College, New Zealand.Google Scholar
Campbell, I. B. (1986). New occurrences and distribution of Kawakawa Tephra in South Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 29, 425–435.Google Scholar
Clayden, B., and Hewitt, A. E. (1989). “Horizon Notation for New Zealand Soils,” Scientific Report 1. Division of Land and Soil Sciences (New Zealand).Google Scholar
Dawson, B. S. W. Ferguson, J. E. Campbell, A. S., and Cutler, E. J. B. (1991). Depletion of first-row transition metals in a chronosequence of soils in the Reefton area of New Zealand. Geoderma 48, 271–296.Google Scholar
Eden, D. N. Froggatt, P. C., and McIntosh, P. D. (1992). The distribution and composition of volcanic glass in late Quaternary loess deposits of southern South Island, New Zealand, and some possible correlations. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 35, 69–79.Google Scholar
Gair, H. S. (1967). “Geological Map of New Zealand—Sheet 20, Mt. Cook, 1:250,000.” Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Zealand.Google Scholar
Hammond, A. P. Goh, K. M. Tonkin, P. J., and Manning, M. R. (1991). Chemical pretreatments for improving radiocarbon dates of peats and organic silts in a gley podzol environment: Grahams Terrace, North Westland. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 34, 191–194.Google Scholar
Harden, J. W. (1982). A quantitative index of soil development from field descriptions: Examples from a chronosequence in central California. Geoderma 28, 1–28.Google Scholar
Harden, J. W., and Taylor, E. M. (1983). A quantitative comparison of soil development in four climatic regimes. Quaternary Research 20, 342–359.Google Scholar
Harrison, R. Swift, R. S., and Tonkin, P. J. (1991). A study of two soil development sequences located in a montane area of Canterbury, New Zealand. II. Soil development indices based on major element analyses. Geoderma 48, 163–177.Google Scholar
Knuepfer, P. L. K. (1988). Estimating ages of late Quaternary stream terraces from analysis of weathering rinds and soils. Geological Society of America Bulletin 100, 1224–1236.Google Scholar
Lee, R. (Ed.) (1980). Soil groups of New Zealand, Part 5-Podzols and gley podzols. New Zealand Society of Soil Science. Google Scholar
Maizels, J. K. (1989). Differentiation of late Pleistocene terrace outwash deposits using geomorphic criteria: Tekapo valley, South Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 32, 225–241.Google Scholar
McCalpin, J. P. (1992a). Glacial and postglacial geology near Lake Tennyson, Clarence River, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 35, 201–210.Google Scholar
McCalpin, J. P. (1992b). Glacial geology of the upper Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 35, 211–222.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McGlone, M. S. (1985). Plant biogeography and the late Cenozoic history of New Zeland. New Zealand Journal of Botany 23, 723–749.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mew, G. (1980). “Soils of the Greymouth-Hokitika region, South Island, New Zealand,” Report 58. New Zealand Soil Survey.Google Scholar
Mew, G., and Lee, R. (1981). Investigations of the properties and genesis of West Coast wet land soils, South Island, New Zealand. 1.Google Scholar
Type localities, profile morphology, and chemistry. New Zealand Journal of Soil Science 24, 1–24.Google Scholar
Mew, G. Whitton, J. S. Robertson, S. M., and Lee, R. (1983). Investigation of the properties and genesis of West Coast wet land soils, South Island, New Zealand. 3. Soil mineralogy. New Zealand Journal of Soil Science 26, 85–97.Google Scholar
Mew, G. Hunt, J. L. Froggatt, P. C. Eden, D. N., and Jackson, R. J. (1986). An occurrence of Kawakawa Tephra from the Grey River valley, South Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 29, 315–322.Google Scholar
Mew, G. Thomas, R. F., and Eden, D. N. (1988a). Review of loess studies on the West Coast, South Island, New Zealand. In “Loess— Its Distribution, Geology and Soils” (Eden, D. N. and Furkert, R. J., Eds.), pp. 133–139. A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam.Google Scholar
Mew, G. Thomas, R. F., and Eden, D. N. (1988b). Stratigraphy of loessic cover beds at The Lamplough, West Coast, South Island, New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 18, 325–332.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mokma, D. L. Jackson, M. L. Syers, J. K., and Stevens, P. R. (1973). Mineralogy of a chronosequence of soils from greywacke and micaschist alluvium, Westland, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Science 16, 315–322.Google Scholar
Nelson, C. S. Hendy, C. H. Jarrett, G. R., and Cuthbertson, A. M. (1985). Near-synchroneity of New Zealand alpine glaciations and Northern Hemisphere continental glaciations during the past 750 kyr. Nature 318, 361–363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Porter, S. C. (1975). Equilibrium-line altitudes of late Quaternary glaciers in the Southern Alps, New Zealand. Quaternary Research 5, 27–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reheis, M. C. (1990). Influence of climate and eolian dust on the majorelement chemistry and clay mineralogy of soils in the northern Big Horn Basin, U.S.A. Catena 17, 219–248.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robertson, S. M., and Mew, G. (1982). The presence of volcanic glass in soils on the west coast, South Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 25, 503–507.Google Scholar
Rodbell, D. T. (1983). “The Use of Lichenometry, Rock Weathering and Soil Development to Estimate Ages of Moraines and Fluvial Terraces in the Upper South Branch, Ashburton Valley, South Island, New Zealand.” Unpublished Masters thesis, University of Colorado, Boulder.Google Scholar
Rodbell, D. T. (1990). Soil-age relationships on late Quaternary moraines, Arrowsmith Range, Southern Alps, New Zealand. Arctic and Alpine Research 22, 355–365.Google Scholar
Ross, C. W. Mew, G., and Searle, P. L. (1977). Soil sequences on two terrace systems in the North Westland area, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Science 20, 231–244.Google Scholar
Schaetzl, R. J. Johnson, D. L. Burns, S. F., and Small, T. W. (1989). Tree uprooting: Review of terminology, process, and environmental implications. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 19, 1–11.Google Scholar
Schaetzl, R. J. Bums, S. F. Small, T. W., and Johnson, D. L. (1990). Tree uprooting: Review of types and patterns of soil disturbance. Physical Geography 11, 277–291.Google Scholar
Singer, M. J., and Janitzky, P. (1986). “Field and Laboratory Procedures Used in a Soil Chronosequence Study,” Bulletin 1648. U.S. Geological Survey.Google Scholar
Smith, S. M., and Lee, W. G. (1984). Vegetation and soil development on a Holocene river terrace sequence, Arawata Valley, South Westland, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Science 27, 187–196.Google Scholar
Suggate, R. P. (1965). Late Pleistocene geology of the northern part of the South Island, New Zealand. Bulletin 77. New Zealand Geological Survey.Google Scholar
Suggate, R. P. (1990). Late Pliocene and Quaternary glaciations of New Zealand. Quaternary Science Reviews 9, 175–197.Google Scholar
Thomas, R. F., and Lee, R. (1983). Investigation of the properties and genesis of West Coast wet land soils, South Island, New Zealand. 2. Particle size distribution. New Zealand Journal of Science 26, 73–83.Google Scholar
Tonkin, P. J., and Basher, L. R. (1990). Soil-stratigraphic techniques in the study of soil and landform evolution across the Southern Alps, New Zealand. Geomorphology 3, 547–575.Google Scholar
Warren, G. (1967). “Geological Map of New Zealand—Sheet 17, Hokitika, 1:250,000.” Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Zealand.Google Scholar
Webb, T. H. (1976). “Pedological Studies of Soils of the Tekapo Set in East Lake Pukaki Region, South Canterbury, New Zealand.” Unpublished Masters thesis, Lincoln College, New Zealand.Google Scholar
Webb, T. H. Campbell, A. S., and Fox, F. B. (1986). Effect of rainfall on pedogenesis in a climosequence of soils near Lake Pukaki, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 29, 323–334.Google Scholar
Whitehouse, I. E. McSaveney, M. J. Knuepfer, P. L. K., and Chinn, T. J. H. (1986). Growth of weathering rinds on Torlesse sandstone, Southern Alps, New Zealand. In “Rates of Chemical Weathering of Rocks and Minerals” (Colman, S. C. and Dethier, D. P., Eds.), pp. 419–435. Academic Press, Orlando, FL.Google Scholar
Young, A. W. (1988). “A Catena of Soils on Bealey Spur, Canterbury, New Zealand.” Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Lincoln College, New Zealand.Google Scholar