Comparison of depth profile properties between a Silandic Andosol and an Aluandic Andosol collected under natural forests in Miyazaki, Japan

Alam, M. M.*; Yamakita, Eri*; Mori, Yuki*; Koarashi, Jun   ; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko  ; Abe, Yukiko; Nakayama, Masataka  ; Hiradate, Shuntaro*

The formation and development of Japanese Silandic (Sil-A) and Aluandic (Alu-A) Andosols remain unclear. This study aims to clarify the depth profile of chemical properties of these soils and understand the transformation of Sil-A to Alu-A in Japan. Soil samples from Sil-A and Alu-A were collected from natural forest areas in Miyazaki, Japan, up to 50 cm depth with a 5 cm interval and analyzed for C content, C value, pH, pyrophosphate and acid-oxalate extractable Al (Alp and Alo). Alu-A was more acidic. The C contents ranged from 1.6% to 26.7% for Sil-A and 6.1% to 14.9% for Alu-A. For both soils, allophane and imogolite contents were very low in the uppermost horizon but increased with depth more rapidly in Sil-A than in Alu-A. The Alp/Alo values were higher in shallower layers in both soils and decreased with depth more rapidly in Sil-A than in Alu-A. Therefore, both soil profiles had a Silandic layer overlaid by an Aluandic layer, and the Aluandic horizon in Alu-A was thicker than that in Sil-A. It would be possible to interpret that Sil-A formed first, and it is transformed into Alu-A with receiving more acidic materials (e.g., precipitation and plant-derived materials). The detailed depth profile sampling, like at an interval of 5 cm, could be an effective and prominent approach to understand the pedogenesis and their chemical transformation of soils.