Contributions to the understanding of soil and landscape relationships

Abstract

A new approach to pedology was developed in Australia in the 1950's. It was based on geomorphic and stratigraphic principles and recognized the cyclic or episodic nature of soil and landscape development. The research reviewed here represents a contribution to that approach and further developments of it in fluvial erosional and depositional landscapes of south-eastern Australia and in glaciated landscapes of midwestern U.S.A. This research features detailed studies of hillslope layers and their relationship to alluvial valley fills; soil chronosequences on flights of alluvial terraces; the stratigraphy of coastal flood plains and the development of acid sulfate soils; dust accession in soils and the resulting problems of interpreting pedogenesis; the erosional-depositional origin of soils in enclosed drainage basins on glacial deposits of Iowa, U.S.A.; the development of a raintower-tilting flume facility and its use in elucidating the processes of soil erosion by flowing water.