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Sponge Spicules in Illinois Soils¹

ABSTRACT

Examination of silt fractions of surface horizons of upland Illinois soils indicates that fragments of opaline freshwater sponge spicules are unusually common. Spicules also occur in various degrees of abundance in Peorian loess and are rare or absent in till. Size, state of preservation, and distribution of spicules indicates aeolian transport from floodplains. The presence of a thin mantle of recent loess covering most of Illinois deposited during a period when fluvial conditions were favorable for sponge growth is postulated.

¹ Contribution of the Department of Agronomy, University of Illinois. Research described here was supported by a grant from the U. S. National Science Foundation (G 16020) and represents a portion of the dissertation presented by the first author to the Graduate College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree. Presented before Div. V, Soil Science Society of America, Ithaca, N. Y., Aug. 21, 1962.

² Graduate Assistant, presently Research Associate, and Associate Professor of Soil Mineralogy, respectively, Agronomy Department, University of Illinois.

Received for publication September 12, 1962. Accepted for publication October 30, 1962.