Palaeosols in the Reading Beds (Paleocene) of Alum Bay, Isle of Wight, U.K. |
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| Authors: | P BUURMAN |
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| Institution: | Department of Soil Science and Geology, Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands |
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| Abstract: | Fossil soils occur in the Reading Beds of Alum Bay. All soils have hydromorphic characteristics, caused by either groundwater or stagnating pluvial water; some have illuviation of clay. The combination of bioturbation (striated burrows) and iron segregation may indicate that the Reading Beds in Alum Bay are of fluviomarine origin. The soils were formed in a warm climate with a marked dry season. They indicate a landscape with minor variations in surface level. The Reading Beds have clay mineral assemblages that are partly inherited and partly changed by soil formation. Some soil horizons might be used for stratigraphic correlation. |
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