Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Paleoenvironment of geomorphic surfaces of an alluvial fan in the eastern Isfahan, Iran, in the light of micromorphology and clay mineralogy

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Alluvial fans are one of the most important landforms in geomorphological and paloenvironmental studies. The objective of this study was the application of clay mineral assemblages and micromorphological properties of the studied paleosols in the geomorphic surfaces of an alluvial fan in the eastern Isfahan as proxies for paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic changes. Micromorphology, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy approaches were used to study the representative pedons. The results indicated that the illuviation process in the calcareous soils of the arid regions of the eastern Isfahan was probably in response to Quaternary moist conditions. There was no significant difference between clay coating properties of the studied relict and buried paleosols. Clay mineralogical study suggested that kaolinite and illite were inherited from the parent materials, while smectite and palygorskite were formed in the soil environment. Paleoargillic horizon was characterized by smectite and calcic (especially the calcrete) horizons were dominated by palygorskite. Palygorskite was accumulated by both neoformation and illuviation processes. High clay content, high intensity of smectite peak, and activity of the illuviation process in paleoargillic horizon demonstrated the seasonality of climate (rainfall) even in the moist periods of Quaternary in Central Iran. Clay mineralogical assemblages suggested a trend of increasing environmental aridity in the study area. This study, therefore, highlighted the role of clay mineralogical investigations in arid lands’ geomorphological and paleoenvironmental researches.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bayat, O., 2007, Landscape evolution in eastern Isfahan based on stratigraphy and pedogenic evidence, M. Sc. Thesis, Isfahan University of Technology (in Persian).

  • Bayat O, Khademi H, Karimzadeh HR (2010) Stable isotopes and paleoecological changes in geomorphic surfaces of eastern Isfahan, Journal of Science. University of Tehran 36(1):95–102 (In Persian with an English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouza PJ, Simón M, Aguilar J, del Valle H, Rostagno M (2007) Fibrous-clay mineral formation and soil evolution in Aridisols of northeastern Patagonia, Argentina. Geoderma 139(1–2):38–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bull WB (1991) Geomorphic responses to climatic change. Oxford University Press

  • Eghbal MK, Southard RJ (1993) Micromorphological evidence of polygenesis of three aridisols, western Mojave Desert, California. Soil Sci Soc Am J 57(4):1041–1050

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Egli M, Mirabella A, Sartori G, Zanelli R, Biscof S (2006) Effect of north and south exposure on weathering rates and clay mineral formation in alpine soils. Catena 67:155–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fedoroff N (1997) Clay illuviation in red Mediterranean soils. Catena 28:171–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, A., 2011, Dryland alluvial fans, pp. 333–364, In: D. S. G. Thomas (Ed.), Arid Zone Geomorphology: Process, Form and Change in Drylands, Third Edition, Wiley, Chichester.

  • Jiménez-Espinosa R, Jiménez-Millán J (2003) Calcrete development in Mediterranean colluvial carbonate system from SE Spain. J Arid Environ 53:479–489

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kadir S, Eren M (2008) The occurence and genesis of clay minerals assosiated with Quaternary caliches in the Mersin area, southern Turkey. Clay Clay Miner 56(2):244–258

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karimzadeh, H.R., 2002, Characteristics and genesis of soils developed on different landforms and the origin of the wind eroded sediments in eastern part of Isfahan, Ph.D Thesis, Isfahan University of Technology, Iran (In Persian).

  • Khademi H, Mermut AR (1998) Source of palygorskite in gypsiferous Aridisoils and associated sediments from Iran. Clay Miner 33:561–578

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khormali F, Abtahi A (2003) Origin and distribution of clay minerals in calcareous arid and semi-arid soils of Fars Province, southern Iran. Clay Miner 38:511–527

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khormali F, Abtahi A, Owliaie HR (2005) Late Mesozoic-Cenozoic clay mineral successions of southern Iran and their palaeoclimatic implications. Clay Miner 40:191–203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kittrik JA, Hope EW (1963) A procedure for particle size separations of soils for X-ray diffraction. Soil Sci 96(5):319–325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kühn P, Aguilar JA, Miedema R (2010) Textural pedofeatures and related horizons. In: Stoops G, Marcelino V, Mees F (eds) Interpretation of micromorphological features of soils and regoliths. Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, pp 217–250

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Mehra OP, Jackson ML (1960) Iron oxide removal from soils and clay by a dithionite-citrate system buffered with sodium bicarbonate. Clay Clay Miner 7:317–327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore DM, Reynolds RC Jr (1997) X-ray diffraction and the identification and analysis of clay minerals, 2nd edn. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Monger HC, Daugherty LA (1991) Neoformation of palygorskite in a southern New Mexico Aridisol. Soil Sci Soc Am J 55:1646–1650

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monger HC, Wilding LP (2006) Inorganic carbon: composition and formation. In: Lal R (ed) Encyclopedia of soil science, second edition. Taylor and Francis/CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 886–889

    Google Scholar 

  • Moradpour M, Adabi MH (2008) Petrography and geochemistry of dolomites in the Lower Cretaceous deposits of eastern Esfahan. Journal of Science, University of Tehran 33:15–25 (In Persian with an English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Neaman A, Singer A (2011) The effects of palygorskite on chemical and physico-chemical properties of soils. In: Galan E, Singer A (eds) Developments in palygorskite-sepiolite research, Developments in Clay Science, vol Vol. 3. Elsevier, the Netherlands, pp 325–349

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Nettleton WD, Peterson FF (1983) Aridisols. In: Wilding LP, Smeck NE, Hall GF (eds) Pedogenesis and Soil Taxonomy, II. The Soil Orders. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 165–210

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Paquet H, Millot G (1972) Geochemical evolution of clay minerals in the weathered products in soils of Mediterranean climate, pp. 199–206. In: Serratosa JM (ed) Proceeding of the International Clay Conference, Madrid, Spain

  • Parker KC (1995) Effects of complex geomorphic history on soil and vegetation patterns on arid alluvial fans. J Arid Environ 30:19–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaetzl TJ, Anderson P (2005) Soils genesis and geomorphology, Cambridge University Press. USA, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Singer A (1980) The paleoclimatic interpretation of clay minerals in soils and weathering profiles. Earth Sci Rev 15:303–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singer A (1984) Pedogenic palygorskite in the arid environment. In: Singer A, Galan E (eds) Palygorskite-sepiolite: occurrences, genesis and uses. Developments in sedimentology, volume 37. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 169–176

  • Singer A (1989) Palygorskite and sepiolite group minerals. In: Dixon JB, Weed SB (eds) Minerals in soil environment. Soil Science Society of America Publications, Madison, pp 829–872

    Google Scholar 

  • Soil Survey Staff. 2014a. Keys to soil taxonomy. 14th Edition, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

  • Soil Survey Staff. 2014b. Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory Methods Manual. Soil Survey Investigations Report No. 42, Version 5.0., U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

  • Stoops G (2003) Guidelines for the analysis and description of soil and regolith thin sections. SSSA, Madison

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoops G, Marcelino V, Mees F (2010) Interpretation of micromorphological features of soils and regoliths. Elsevier Science, Amesterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Verrecchia EP, Le Coustumer MN (1996) Occurrence and genesis of palygorskite and associated clay minerals in a Pleistocene calcrete complex. Sde Boqer, Negev Desert, Israel, Clay Minerals 31:183–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson MJ (1999) The origin and formation of clay minerals in soils: past, present and future perspectives. Clay Miner 34:7–25

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zahedi M (1976) Explanatory text of the Esfahan quadrangle map 1:2500000. Geological Society of Iran, Tehran

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We appreciate three anonymous reviewers for constructive comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156-83111, Iran

    Omid Bayat & Hossein Khademi

  2. Range and Watershed Management Division, Department of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 84156-83111, Iran

    Hamidreza Karimzadeh

  3. Department of Soil Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, 91779-48978, Iran

    Alireza Karimi

  4. Department of Soil Science, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran

    Mostafa Karimian Eghbal

Authors
  1. Omid Bayat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hamidreza Karimzadeh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alireza Karimi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mostafa Karimian Eghbal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hossein Khademi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hamidreza Karimzadeh.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bayat, O., Karimzadeh, H., Karimi, A. et al. Paleoenvironment of geomorphic surfaces of an alluvial fan in the eastern Isfahan, Iran, in the light of micromorphology and clay mineralogy. Arab J Geosci 10, 91 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-2848-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-2848-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation