HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kunze, G. W. Articles by Bloodworth, M. E. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Kunze, G. W. Articles by Bloodworth, M. E. Agricola Articles by Kunze, G. W. Articles by Bloodworth, M. E.

Grumusols of the Coast Prairie of Texas¹

ABSTRACT

Morphological, chemical, mineralogical, and physical data are reported for 13 profiles of Grumusols, representing 3 soil series, all of which have developed in the Beaumont clay geological formation. These are the dominant soils in a narrow 10 million-acre strip, some 40 miles wide, that extends 300 miles in a southwest direction from the Texas-Louisiana border on the east to about Kingsville. Rainfall varies from an average of about 52 inches in the extreme eastern end of the area to about 25 inches in the southwestern part. The profile of Beaumont clay, the dominant soil in the most eastern humid part, is acid throughout. Lake Charles clay, which is dominant in the central part, is acid in the upper part but calcareous in the lower horizons. In contrast, Victoria clay, the principal soil of the southwestern or driest part, is calcareous throughout. All three of the clay soils are dominated by montmorillonite, which is reflected in the chemical and physical properties. With the exception of calcium carbonate and soluble salts, all properties investigated are unusually uniform throughout the profile.

Fractionation studies of the clay separate indicate a very high degree of sorting of the clay fraction throughout the range of all soils sampled. Based upon this evidence and other, it is hypothesized that low energy aqueous forces effected a relatively equal distribution of the clay fraction over the entire area sampled. Following uplift and emergence of the Beaumont clay formation, the major differences noted in the present profiles can be related to the climatic factor of rainfall.

¹ Contributions from the Texas Agr. Exp. Sta. and the Soil Conservation Service, USDA. Presented before Div. I, II, and V, Soil Science Society of America, St. Louis, Mo., Nov. 29, 1961.

² Professor of Soil Mineralogy, Soil Scientist (SCS), and Professor of Soil Physics, respectively. The authors wish to thank Mr. Irving Mowery for his assistance in collecting some of the samples.

Received for publication June 1, 1962. Accepted for publication January 28, 1962.