Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Weathering sequences of clay minerals in soils along a serpentinitic toposequence

  • Published:
Clays and Clay Minerals

Abstract

There has been limited research on clay mineral transformation in serpentinitic soils under humid tropical conditions. In this study, four soil pedons were selected along a toposequence from the summit (Entisol), shoulder (Vertisol), backslope (Alfisol) to footslope (Ultisol) positions to explore the contributions and the significance of landscape and weathering status of serpentinitic rock with regard to clay mineral transformations in eastern Taiwan. Experimental results indicated that the large amount of dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate-extractable Fe (Fed) and clay in the subsurface horizon were mainly caused by the strong leaching potential from intensive rainfall and weathering of the fine-grained parent rocks. The clay mineralogy reflected the clear weathering trend of the soils along the toposequence: (1) the soils on the summit and shoulder contained smectite and serpentine, which are predominant in the young soils derived from serpentinitic rocks; and (2) vermiculite gradually increased in the relatively old soils on backslope and footslope. The mineralogical transformations observed along the toposequence indicated that chlorite and serpentine, initially present in the Entisol on the summit, weather into smectite and interstratified chlorite-vermiculite in the intermediate soil on the shoulder under strong leaching and oxidizing conditions. Furthermore, vermiculite formed as the major weathering product of chlorite and smectite in the soil developed on the backslope. In addition to vermiculite, kaolinite and quartz formed in the soils on the footslope with the greatest concentration of Fed along the toposequence.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alexander, E.B. (1988) Morphology, fertility and classification of productive soils on serpentinised peridotite in California, U.S.A. Geoderma, 41, 337–351.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alexander, E.B., Adamson, C, Graham, R.C. and Zinke, P.J. (1989) Soils and conifer forest productivity on serpentinized peridotite of the trinity ophiolite, California. Soil Science, 148, 412–423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aspandiar, M.F. and Eggleton, R.A. (2002a) Weathering of chlorite: I. Reactions and products in microsystems controlled by the primary mineral. Clays and Clay Minerals, 50, 685–698.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aspandiar, M.F. and Eggleton, R.A. (2002b) Weathering of chlorite: II. Reactions and products in microsystems controlled by solution avenues. Clays and Clay Minerals, 50, 699–709.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becquer, T., Rotte-Capet, S., Ghanbaja, J., Mustin, C. and Herbillon, A.J. (2006) Sources of trace metals in Ferralsols in New Caledonia. European Journal of Soil Science, 57, 200–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonifacio, E., Zanini, E., Boero, V. and Franchini-Angela, M. (1997) Pedogenesis in a soil catena on serpentinite in northwestern Italy. Geoderma, 75, 33–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borchardt, G. (1989) Smectites. Pp. 675–727 in: Minerals in Soil Environments, 2nd edition (J.B. Dixon and S.B. Weed, editors). SSSA Book Series No. 1. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, Wisconsin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bullock, P., Fedoroff, N., Jongerius, A., Stoops, G. and Tursina, T. (1985) Handbook for Thin Section Description. Waine Research Publishers, Albrighton, England. 152 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bulmer, C.E. and Lavkulich, L.M. (1994) Pedogenic and geochemical processes of ultramafic soils along a climatic gradient in southwestern British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, 74, 165–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burt, R., Fillmore, M., Wilson, M.A., Gross, E.R., Langridge, R.W. and Lammers, D.A. (2001) Soil properties of selected pedons on ultramafic rocks in Klamath Mountains, Oregon. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 32, 2145–2175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caillaud, J., Proust, D., Righi, D. and Martin, F. (2004) Fe-rich clays in a weathering profile developed from serpentinite. Clays and Clay Minerals, 52, 779–791.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caillaud, J., Proust, D. and Righi, D. (2006) Weathering sequences of rock-forming minerals in a serpentinite: influence of microsystems on clay mineralogy. Clays and Clay Minerals, 54, 87–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheshire, M. and Güven, N. (2005) Conversion of chrysotile to a magnesian smectite. Clays and Clay Minerals, 53, 155–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dirven, J.M.C., van Schuylenborch, J. and van Breemen, N. (1976) Weathering of serpentinite in Matanzas Province, Cuba: Mass transfer calculations and irreversible reaction pathways. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 40, 901–907.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, J.B. (1989) Kaolin and serpentine group minerals. Pp. 467–526 in: Minerals in Soil Environments, 2nd edition (J.B. Dixon and S.B. Weed, editors). SSSA Book Series No. 1. Soil Science Society of America, Madision, Wisconsin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garnier, J., Quantin, C., Martins, E.s. and Becquer, T. (2006) Solid speciation and availability of chromium in ultramafic soils from Niquelândia, Brazil. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 88, 206–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gee, G.W. and Bauder, J.W. (1986) Particle-size analysis. Pp. 383–411 in: Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 1. 2nd edition (A.L. Page, R.H. Miller and D.R. Keeney, editors). Agronomy Monograph 9. American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, Madison, Wisconsin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Golighty, J.P. (1981) Nickeliferous laterite deposits. Economic Geology, 75, 710–735.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham, R.C., Diallo, M.M. and Lund, L.J. (1990) Soils and mineral weathering on phyllite colluviun and serpentinite in northwestern California. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 54, 1682–1690.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gunal, H. and Ransom, M.D. (2006) Genesis and micromorphology of loess-derived soils from central Kansas. Catena, 65, 222–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamblin, W.K. (1992) Earth’s Dynamic Systems, 6th edition. Macmillan Publishers, New York, 647 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heystek, H. (1956) Vermiculite as a member in mixed-layer minerals. Clays and Clay Minerals, 4, 429–434.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ho, C.S. (1988) An Introduction to the Gof Taiwan: Explanatory Text of the Geologic Map of Taiwan, 2nd edition. Centenary Geological Survey, Taipei, Taiwan, 192 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hseu, Z.Y. (2006) Concentration and distribution of chromium and nickel fractions along a serpentinitic toposequence. Soil Science, 171, 341–353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Istok, J.D. and Harward, M.E. (1982) Influence of soil moisture on smectite formation in soils derived from serpentinite. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 46, 1106–1108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johns, W.D., Grim, R.E. and Bradley, W.F. (1954) Quantitative estimations of clay minerals by diffraction methods. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 24, 242–251.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahle, M., Kleber, M. and Jahn, R. (2002) Review of XRD-based quantitative analyses of clay minerals in soils: the suitability of mineral intensity factors. Geoderma, 109, 191–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langley-Turnbaugh, S.J. and Bockheim, J.G. (1997) Time-dependent changes in pedogenic processes on marine terraces in coastal Oregon. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 61, 1428–1440.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, B.D., Sears, S.K., Graham, R.C., Amrhein, C. and Vali, H. (2003) Secondary mineral genesis from chlorite and serpentine in an ultramafic soil toposequence. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 67, 1309–1317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, B.D., Graham, R.C., Laurent, T.E. and Amrhein, C. (2004) Pedogenesis in a wetland meadow and surrounding serpentinitic landslide terrain, northern California, USA. Geoderma, 118, 303–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Massoura, S.T., Echevarria, G., Becquer, T., Ghanbaja, J., Leclerc-Cessac, E. and Morel, J. (2006) Control of nickel availability by nickel bearing minerals in natural and anthropogenic soils. Geoderma, 136, 28–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLean, E.O. (1982) Soil pH and lime requirement. Pp. 199–224 in: Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 2, Chemical and Microbiological Properties, 2nd edition (A.L. Page, R.H. Miller and D.R. Keeney, editors). Agronomy Monograph 9. American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, Madison, Wisconsin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mehra, O.P. and Jackson, M.J. (1960) Iron oxides removed from soils and clays by a dithionite-citrate system buffered with sodium bicarbonate. Clays and Clay Minerals, 7, 317–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, D.W. and Sommers, L.E. (1982) Total carbon, OC and organic matter. Pp. 539–557 in: Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 2, Chemical and Microbiological Properties, 2nd edition (A.L. Page, R.H. Miller and D.R. Keeney, editors). Agronomy Monograph 9. American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, Madison, Wisconsin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nesse, W.D. (2000) Sheet silicates. Pp. 235–260 in: Introduction to Mineralogy. Oxford University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabenhorst, M.C., Foss, J.E. and Fanning, D.S. (1982) Genesis of Maryland soils formed from serpentinite. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 46, 607–616.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rhoades, J.D. (1982) Cation exchange capacity. Pp. 149–157 in: Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 2, Chemical and Microbiological Properties, 2nd edition (A.L. Page, R.H. Miller and D.R. Keeney, editors). Agronomy Monograph 9. American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, Madison, Wisconsin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sawhney, B.L. (1989) Interstratification in layer silicates. Pp. 789–828 in: Minerals in Soil Environments, 2nd edition (J.B. Dixon and S.B. Weed, editors). SSSA Book Series No. 1. Soil Science Society of America, Madision, Wisconsin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schreier, H., Omueti, J.A. and Lavkulich, L.M. (1987) Weathering processes of asbestos-rich serpentinitic sediments. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 51, 993–999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simonson, R.W. (1995) Airborne dust and its significance to soils. Geoderma, 65, 1–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soil Survey Staff (2006) Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 10th edition. Natural Resources Conversation Services, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., 332 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weaver, C.E. (1956) The distribution and identification of mixed-layer clays in sedimentary rocks. American Mineralogists, 41, 202–221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whittaker, R.H. (1954) The ecology of serpentine soils. IV. The vegetation response to serpentine soils. Ecology, 35, 275–288.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wildman, W.E., Jackson, M.L. and Whittig, L.D. (1968) Iron-rich montmorillonite formation in soils derived from serpentinite. Soil Science Society of America Proceedings, 32, 787–794.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, M.J. and Berrow, M.L. (1978) The mineralogy and heavy metal content of some serpentinite soils in northeast Scotland. Chemie der Erde, 37, 181–205.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Nei-Pu, Pingtung, 912-01, Taiwan

    Z. Y. Hseu & Y. C. Chen

  2. Department of Geography, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, 50018, Taiwan

    H. Tsai

  3. Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 811, Taiwan

    H. C. Hsi

Authors
  1. Z. Y. Hseu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. Tsai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. C. Hsi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Y. C. Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Z. Y. Hseu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hseu, Z.Y., Tsai, H., Hsi, H.C. et al. Weathering sequences of clay minerals in soils along a serpentinitic toposequence. Clays Clay Miner. 55, 389–401 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1346/CCMN.2007.0550407

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1346/CCMN.2007.0550407

Key Words

Search

Navigation