Soil nutrients strongly influence biomass allocation. However, few studies have examined patterns induced by soil C:N:P stoichiometry in alpine and arid ecosystems. Samples were collected from 44 sites with similar elevation along the 220-km transect at spatial intervals of 5 km along the northern Tibetan Plateau. Aboveground biomass (AGB) levels were measured by cutting a sward in each plot. B...

a r t i c l e i n f o Here we analyze the past and present roles of the five soil-forming factors in USDA Soil Taxonomy. As opposed to the 7th Approximation of 1960, the factorial and genetic approach is clearly present in Soil Taxonomy. Soil climate is the most important factor in Soil Taxonomy. It is used at the highest level to define two of the 12 soil orders: Aridisols, the soils of the dr...

Recent studies of soil–landscape relationships in northeastern Patagonia identified fibrous-clay minerals in calcic and petrocalcic horizons developed on old fluvio-glacial plains called “Rodados Patagónicos” (RP). The objectives of this study were: i) to evaluate the occurrence of fibrous-clay minerals in the arid soil environment, and ii) to establish the relationship between the soil propert...

The Atacama Desert is among the driest places on Earth, yet ancient agricultural systems are present in region. Here, we a study of terraced soils high-altitude eastern margin northern Chile, mainly dating to Late Intermediate Period (ca. 950–1400 AD) and Inka period 1400–1536 AD). Terraced fields were compartmentalized distribute limited irrigation water originating from springs. Natural used ...

Analysis of stacked Permo-Pennsylvanian palaeosols from north-central Texas documents the influence of palaeolandscape position on pedogenesis in aggradational depositional settings. Palaeosols of the Eastern shelf of the Midland basin exhibit stratigraphic trends in the distribution of soil horizons, structure, rooting density, clay mineralogy and colour that record long-term changes in soil-f...

carbonates are among the most common soil constituents in arid and semiarid zones. they exhibit many significant differences in their chemical and mineralogical, suite, origin, physical and micromorphological properties and consequently in their activities in soil. the differences cause different properties of calcareous soils. six profiles of aridisols and inceptisols with carbonate accumulati...

The Moenave Formation was deposited during latest Triassic to earliest Jurassic time in a mosaic of fluvial, lacustrine, and eolian subenvironments. Ephemeral streams that flowed north-northwest (relative to modern geographic position) deposited singleand multi-storeyed trough cross-bedded sands on an open floodplain. Sheet flow deposited mainly silt across broad interchannel flats. Perennial l...

Libation, or the pouring of wine or blood on the ground, was an important element of religious practice in ancient Greek religion (Burkert 1985), indicating reverence for soil. Homer (c . 750 BC, Iliad 14.347) sang how ‘divine soil [χθών δı̂α] made fresh-sprung grass to grow, and dewy lotus, crocus and hyacinth’. A similar epithet ‘sacred soil’ [‘ιερòν πέδoν], which includes the root word for pe...