Early stages of podzolisation in young aeolian sediments, western Jutland

Soil formation in young aeolian sediments covered with pine and spruce was studied in an afforestation area in western Jutland. Because of advancing accumulation of mor, pH(H2O), values in the upper mineral layers have decreased from 5 to less than 4 within 30 years after planting. At the same time, the beginning of podzolisation is indicated by the development of an eluvial horizon, which increases in thickness by 1 cm per decade. After 80-100 years, the mor layer and the eluvial horizon are both about 10 cm thick, whereas visual identification of the illuvial horizon is still difficult at this stage. Moderate C and Al translocation result in narrow C-py/C-org and Al-py/Al-di ratios of the subsoils. Fe is less involved in the translocation process. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.