Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

The Soils of India pp 129–141Cite as

Soil Micromorphology

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 461 Accesses

Part of the book series: World Soils Book Series ((WSBS))

Abstract

Soil micromorphology is a branch of Soil Science and its application is very relevant in pedology, soil classification and other fields including earth surface processes and archaeology. The thin section technique is commonly used in direct evaluation of soil structure in situ under the microscope. Soils observed under a microscope reveal many pedological features which are not visible with the naked eye. This chapter explores the kinds of information that soil micromorphology can advance for the better understanding of soils. The chapter highlights the micromorphological evidences with relevant examples from different parts of India for important thematic contemporary issues on advancement in Indian agriculture. It describes its applied usage in agriculture including Quaternary research (buried soils, palaeosols, palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironmetal issues, human-environmental relationship) and archaeology. This is because the soils can retain a whole range of information which provides the opportunity to investigate the complex interplay between natural and human agency. It is often very difficult to perceive many aspects of soil development when field studies are conducted. It is only through micromorphology that we can understand whether soil is formed in situ or it represents reworked alluvial or colluvial sedimentation that has been transported and then undergone further pedogenesis. The chapter highlights the micromorphological traits and features in soils of the Indo-Gangetic alluvium, Thar area of Rajasthan, Haryana, Eastern and western Uttar Pradesh, Kashmir valleys, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu and other parts with reference to formation of soils in situ, horizontal orientation due to sedimentation, breakdown of organic matter, clay-rich argillic subsoil horizon, pedofeatures like clay and iron coatings, translocation of iron and calcium carbonate nodules, diagenesis of organic matter, passage features as a result of movement of soil fauna, polygenesis, pedogenic and non-pedogenic calcium carbonates including b-fabric in Vertisols.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD   199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Achyuthan H (2003) Petrologic analysis and geochemistry of the Late Neogene-Early Quaternary hardpan calcretes of Western Rajasthan, India. Quatern Int 106:3–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banerjee A (1998) Environment, population, and human settlements of Sundarban Delta. Concept Publishing Company

    Google Scholar 

  • Berkelhammer M, Sinha A, Stott L, Cheng H, Pausata FSR, Yoshimura K (2012) An abrupt shift in the Indian Monsoon 4000 years ago. In Giosan L, Fuller D, NNichol K, Flad R, Clift P (eds) Climates, Landscapes and Civilizations, vol 198. The American Geophysical Union, Washinfton, pp 75–88

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Biswas TD, Mukherjee SK (2001) Text book of soil science. Tata McGrow-Hill Education, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Bronger A, Pant RK, Singhvi AK (1987) Pleistocene climatic changes and landscape evolution in the Kashmir Basin, India: paleopedologic and chronostratigraphic studies. Quatern Res 27(2):167–181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bullock P, Fedoroff N, Jongerius A, Stoops G, Tursina T (1985) Handbook for soil thin section description. Waine Research

    Google Scholar 

  • Cady JG, Daniels RB (1968) Genesis of some very old soils-the Paleudults. In Holmes J (ed) Transactions of the 9th international congress soil science, vol 4, International Society of Soil Science and Angus and Robertson, Adelaide, pp 103–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Catt JA, Weir AH (1976) The study of archaeologically important sediments by petro-graphic techniques. In: Davidson DA, Shackley ML (eds) Geoarchaeology: earth science and the past. Duckworth, London, pp 65–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Courty MA (1990) Pedogenesis on Holocene calcareous parent materials under semi-arid conditions (Ghaggar Plain, NW India). Dev Soil Sci 19:361–366

    Google Scholar 

  • Courty MA, Fedoroff N (1985) Micromorphlogy of recent and buried soils in a semi-arid region of northwestern India. Geoderma 35(4):287–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dalrymple J (1957) Preparation of thin sections of soils. J Soil Sci 8(1):161–165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dar RA, Chandra R, Romshoo SA, Kowser N (2015a) Micromorphological investigations of the Late Quaternary loess–paleosol sequences of the Kashmir Valley, India. J Asian Earth Sci 111:328–338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dar RA, Chandra R, Romshoo SA, Lone MA, Ahmad SM (2015b) Isotopic and micromorphological studies of Late Quaternary loess paleosol sequences of the Karewa Group: inferences for palaeoclimate of Kashmir Valley. Quat Int 371(12):2e134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fedoroff N, Courty M (1999) Soil and soil forming processes under increasing aridity. In: Singhvi A, Derbyshire E (eds) Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction in arid lands, Oxford and IBH Publishing, New Delhi, pp 73–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Fedoroff N, Courty M, Guo Z (2010) Palaeosoils and relict soils. In: Stoops G, Marcelino V, Mees F (eds) Interpretation of micromorphological features of soils and regoliths, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 623–662

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzpatrick EA (1984) The micromorphology of soils. Chapman and Hall, London and New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Gerrard J (1992) Soil geomorphology: an integration of pedology and geomorphology. Springer, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Hallaire V, Curmi P (1993) Image analysis of pore space morphology in soil sections, in relation to water movement. In: Ringrose-Voase A, Humphreys G (eds) Soil micromorphology: studies in management and genesis, proceedings of the {IX} international working meeting on soil micromorphology, Townsville, Australia, July 1992, vol 22 of Developments in soil science, pp 559–567

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Jenny H (1941) Factors of soil formation: a system of quantitative pedology. Dover Publications, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kalbande AR, Pal DK, Deshpande SB (1992) b-fabric of some benchmark Vertisols of India in relation to their mineralogy. J Soil Sci 43:375–385

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khadkikar AS, Chamyal LS, Ramesh R (2000) The character and genesis of calcrete in Late Quaternary alluvial deposits, Gujarat, western India, and its bearing on the interpretation of ancient climates. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 162(3):239–261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kooistra MJ (1990) The future of soil micromorphology. Dev Soil Sci 19:1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-2481(08)70310-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kubiëna WL (1938) Micropedology. Collegiate Press, Ames, Iowa

    Google Scholar 

  • Kubiëna WL (1970) Micromorphological features of soil geography. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • Lagacherie P, McBratney A (eds) (2006) Digital soil mapping: an introductory perspective, vol 31. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Lal S, Deshpande S, Sehgal J (1994) Soil series of India. Number 40. National Bureau of Soil Survey & Land Use Planning (ICAR)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mermut AR, Dasog GS (1986) Nature and micromorphology of carbonate glaebules in some Vertisols of India. Soil Sci Soc Am J 50:382–391

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra BB, Choudhary CD, Singh NK, Mall J, and Singh VN (1994) Fluvisol as a proposed Order in soil Taxonomy for active flood plain soils. Trans. XVth. world congress soil science, Acapulco, Mexico, 6B, pp 55–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Mishra BB (2000) Fluvisol as the 13th order in USDA soil taxonomy for floodplain soils with Chemihydropedoturbation-Pedogenic process-A proposition. In: Proceedings of international conference on natural resource & sustainable agriculture in 21st century, vol 2, 14–18 Feb 2000, New Delhi, pp 86–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Mishra BB (2015) Soil Classification: Issues and Opportunities for Indian System, The 26th Dr. SP Raychaudhuri Memorial Lecture, 19th October, 2015, NBSS & LUP, Nagpur, Journal of the Indian Society of Soil Science, Vol. 63 (Supplement) pp S41-S52

    Google Scholar 

  • Mishra BB (2016) Indian System of Soil Classification: A way Forward. Agri Res & Tech: Open Access J. 2016; 3(2): 555606. https://doi.org/10.19080/artoaj.2016.03.555606002

  • Neogi S. (2014). Geoarchaeological investigations of Indus settlements in the plains of northwest India. PhD thesis, University of Cambridge, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Pal DK, Bhattacharyya T, Chandran P, Ray S, Satyavathi P, Durge S, Raja P, Maurya U (2009) Vertisols (cracking clay soils) in a climosequence of Peninsular India: evidence for Holocene climate changes. Quatern Int 209(1):6–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pal DK, Srivastava P, Bhattacharyya T (2003) Clay illuviation in calcareous soils of the semiarid part of the Indo-Gangetic Plains. India. Geoderma 115(3):177–192

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pal DK, Kalbande AR, Deshpande SB, Sehgal JL (1994) Evidence of clay illuviation in sodic soils of the Indo-Gangetic plain since the Holocene. Soil Sci 158:465–473

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pal DK, Dasog GS, Vadivelu S, Ahuja RL, Bhattacharyya T (2000) Secondary carbonate in soils of arid and semi-arid regions of India. In: Lal R, Kimble JM, Eswaran H, Stewart BA (eds) Global climate change and pedogenic carbonates. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL, pp 149–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Pal DK, Balpande SS, Srivastava P (2001) Polygenetic vertisols of the purna valley of central India. Catena 43:231–249

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips JD (1998) On the relations between complex systems and the factorial model of soil formation (with discussion). Geoderma 86(1):1–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Randhawa N (ed) (1982). Review of soil research in India: managing soil resources to meet the challenges to mankind. In: 12th international congress of soil science, New Delhi, India 8–16 February 1982. Indian Society of Soil Science

    Google Scholar 

  • Sahai V (2011) Fundamentals of Soil. Kalyani Publishers, India

    Google Scholar 

  • Sander H (2002) The porosity of tropical soils and implications for geomorphological and pedo- genetic processes and the movement of solutions within the weathering cover. CATENA 49(1):129–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shankar N, Achyuthan H (2007) Genesis of calcic and petrocalcic horizons from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu: Micromorphology and geochemical studies. Quatern Int 175(1):140–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinha R and Sarkar S (2009) Climate-induced variability in the Late Pleistocene–Holocene fluvial and fluvio-deltaic successions in the Ganga plains, India: a synthesis. Geomorphology 113(3):173–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soil Survey Staff (1975) Soil Taxonomy. USDA-NRCS, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Soil Survey Staff (2014) Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 12th edition, USDA, NRCS, Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava P (2001) Paleoclimatic implications of pedogenic carbonates in Holocene soils of the Gangetic Plains, India. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 172(3):207–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava P, Parkash B (2002) Polygenetic soils of the north-central part of the Gangetic Plains: a micromorphological approach. CATENA 46(4):243–259

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava P, Patel S, Singh N, Jamir T, Kumar N, Aruche M, Patel RC (2013) Early Oligocene paleosols of the Dagshai Formation, India: a record of the oldest tropical weathering in the Himalayan foreland. Sed Geol 294:142–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava P, Sauer D (2014) Thin-section analysis of lithified paleosols from Dagshai formation of the Himalayan Foreland: identification of paleopedogenic features and diagenetic overprinting and implications for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. CATENA 112:86–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava P, Singh AK, Parkash B, Singh A, Rajak M (2007) Paleoclimatic implications of micromorphic features of Quaternary paleosols of NW Himalayas and polygenetic soils of the Gangetic PlainsâĂŤa comparative study. CATENA 70(2):169–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava P, Parkash B, Sehgal JL, Kumar S (1994) Role of neotectonics and climate in development of the Holocene geomorphology and soils of the Gangetic Plains between Ramganga and Rapti rivers. Sed Geol 94:119–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava P, Bhattacharyya T, Pal DK (2002) Significance of calcium carbonate minerals in the pedogenesis and management of cracking clay soils (Vertisols) of India. Clays Clay Miner 50:110–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava P, Rajak M, Singh LP (2009a) Late Quaternary alluvial fans and paleosols of the Kangra Basin, NW Himalaya: tectonic and paleoclimatic implications. Catena 76:135–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava P, Pal DK, Kalbande AR (2009b) Soil micromorphology and its usefulness in soil surveys. In: Bhattacharyya T, Sarkar D, Pal DK (eds) Soil survey manual, NBSS&LUP Publication No. 146, Nagpur, India, pp 400

    Google Scholar 

  • Staubwasser M, Sirocko F, Grootes PM, Segl M (2003) Climate change at the 4.2 ka BP termination of the Indus valley civilization and Holocene south Asian monsoon variability. Geophys Res Lett 30(8):1–4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoops G (2003) Guidelines for analysis and description of soil and regolith thin sections. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, Wisconsin

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoops G, Marcelino V, Mees F (eds) (2018) Interpretation of micromorphological features of soils and regoliths, 2nd Edn. Elsevier Science, The Netherlands, p 752, ISBN 10-0444638482. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-63522-8.00009-7

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas J, Parkash B, Mohindra R (2002) Lithofacies and palaeosol analysis of the middle and upper Siwalik Groups (Plio–Pleistocene), Haripur-Kolar section, Himachal Pradesh, India. Sediment Geol 150(3):343–366

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsatskin A (2012) On Russian concepts of soil memory-expansion of Dokuchaev’s pedological paradigm. In: EGU general assembly 2012, vol 14, held 22–27 Apr 2012 in Vienna, Austria, p 38

    Google Scholar 

  • Walia CS, Rao YN, Rao YS (2000) Micromorphology of endopedons of some soils of Bundelkhand region. J Indian Soc Soil Sci 48(4):813–818

    Google Scholar 

  • WRB (2014) World reference base for soil resources. World Soil Resources Report No. 106. FAO, Rome

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3ER, UK

    Sayantani Neogi & Sean Taylor

Authors
  1. Sayantani Neogi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sean Taylor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sayantani Neogi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Science, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India

    Bipin B. Mishra

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Neogi, S., Taylor, S. (2020). Soil Micromorphology. In: Mishra, B. (eds) The Soils of India. World Soils Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31082-0_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation