THE WEATHERING AS A MAIN PROCESS MODELLING THE SOIL VITAL ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

The objectives of the paper had been to evaluate the level at which weathering, as the main process active in the studied soil, proceed to modelling the soil vital environment.

The researches had been performed in Patranjeni area, located in The ApuseniMountains, on an AlosolRodic. The results pointed out that on the general background of an extremely anthropic polluted and acid soil (pH below 4.5), the micromorphological observation (on the oriented thin sections) had been reveal an intense weathered process of the skeleton grains (composed of greenish grey sandstones). Consequently, the soil matrix had been in situ enriched with large amounts of weathered products which kept the soil in a state of youth and gives mainly to the Bt₂horizon the characteristics of a layer known as „alteration bed‟. The analytical data showed an extremely high level of total Fe, ranging between 14712 ppm and 23759 ppm, whereas the total Mn values are lower and ranged from 176 ppm to 743 ppm. The acidification directly influenced the soil life environment, by increasing: the weathering of the skeleton grains, the soil matrix debazification and the organic matter oxidation. In addition, the soil ecosystem being affected, the soil inhabitants (from macro- to micro-scale) had been also affected. On the other hand, the soil vital environment had been modelled mainly by the weathering that locally buffered the highly acidity and created a vital environment for the soil life.