Quaternary soils and dust deposition in southern Nevada and California

Abstract

Research Article| September 01, 1995 Quaternary soils and dust deposition in southern Nevada and California Marith C. Reheis; Marith C. Reheis 1U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center, Box 25046, Lakewood, Colorado 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jonathan C. Goodmacher; Jonathan C. Goodmacher 2Department of Geological Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jennifer W. Harden; Jennifer W. Harden 3U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, California 94025 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Leslie D. McFadden; Leslie D. McFadden 4Department of Geological Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Thomas K. Rockwell; Thomas K. Rockwell 2Department of Geological Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Ralph R. Shroba; Ralph R. Shroba 5U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center, Box 25046, Lakewood, Colorado 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Janet M. Sowers; Janet M. Sowers 6William Lettis and Associates, 1000 Broadway, Suite 612, Oakland, California 94607 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Emily M. Taylor Emily M. Taylor 5U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center, Box 25046, Lakewood, Colorado 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1995) 107 (9): 1003–1022. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1995)107<1003:QSADDI>2.3.CO;2 Article history first online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Marith C. Reheis, Jonathan C. Goodmacher, Jennifer W. Harden, Leslie D. McFadden, Thomas K. Rockwell, Ralph R. Shroba, Janet M. Sowers, Emily M. Taylor; Quaternary soils and dust deposition in southern Nevada and California. GSA Bulletin 1995;; 107 (9): 1003–1022. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1995)107<1003:QSADDI>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Eolian dust constitutes much of the pedogenic material in late Pleistocene and Holocene soils of many arid regions of the world. Comparison of the compositions and influx rates of modern dust with the eolian component of dated soils at 24 sites in southern Nevada and California yields information on (1) the composition and influx rate of dust in late Pleistocene and Holocene soils, (2) paleoclimate and its effects on the genesis of aridic soils, especially with regard to dustfall events, (3) the timing and relative contribution of dust from playa sources versus alluvial sources, and (4) the effects of accumulation of dust in soil horizons.The <2 mm fractions of A and B horizons of soils formed on gravelly alluvial-fan deposits in the study area are similar to modern dust in grain size, content of CaCO3 and salt, major oxides, and clay mineralogy; thus, they are interpreted to consist largely of dust. The major-oxide compositions of the shallow soil horizons are nearly identical to that of the modern dust, but the compositions of progressively deeper horizons approach that of the parent material. The clay mineralogy of modern dust at a given site is similar to that of the Av horizons of nearby Holocene soils but is commonly different from the mineralogies of deeper soil horizons and of the Av horizons of nearby Pleistocene soils. These results are interpreted to indicate that dust both accumulates and is transformed in Av horizons with time.Changes in soil-accumulation rates provide insights into the interplay of paleoclimate, dust supply, and soil-forming processes. Modern dust-deposition rates are more than large enough to account for middle and late Holocene soil-accumulation rates at nearly all sites. However, the early Holocene soil-accumulation rates in areas near late Pleistocene pluvial lakes are much higher than modern rates and clearly indicate a dust-deflation and -deposition event that caused rapid formation of fine-grained shallow soil horizons on uppermost Pleistocene and lower Holocene deposits. We interpret late Pleistocene soil-accumulation rates to indicate that dust-deposition rates were low during this period but that increased effective moisture during the late Wisconsinan favored translocation of clay and CaCO3 from near the surface to deeper in the soil profile. Pre–late Pleistocene rates are very low in most areas, mainly due to a pedogenic threshold that was crossed when accumulations of silt, clay, and CaCO3 began to inhibit the downward transport of eolian material, but in part due to erosion. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.