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Calcic Soils |
  
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Calcic Soils |
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A widely observed morphological feature of soils in arid climates is the accumulation of secondary limestone as a distinctive horizon consisting chiefly of calcite. In the calcic soils either hardpan carbonate (calcrete) or a soft carbonate horizon dominates the morphology of the subsoil.
A subtle interplay of calcium supplied by weathering, water movement, evaporation, pH and carbon dioxide from biological respiration produces an array of features such as nodules, pipe stems, vesicular structure and laminations. As with silicic soils, other evaporite minerals such as sepiolite and gypsum may be found in association (Soil forms: Kinkelbos, Molopo, Askham, Kimberley, Plooysburg, Etosha, Gamoep, Addo, Prieska, Brandvlei, Coega).
Source: http://www.uwsp.edu |
