Investigation of a paleocatena across a Late Pennsylvanian landscape comprised of organic and mineral paleosols

Exposures of the Pittsburgh coal bed, its seatearth, and correlative rocks at six sites along a 79 mile-long traverse from Morgantown, West Virginia south to near Burnsville, West Virginia comprise a paleocatena of organic and mineral paleosols formed on a coeval landscape. Northern sites were poorly drained leading to weakly developed Inceptisol profiles in the seatearth followed by thick accumulations of organic matter. More highly evolved profiles developed at the better drained sites to the south contain: highly leached, kaolinitic A horizons; slickensided horizons; subsurface accumulation of iron oxide; strong soil structure; in-situ clay production and translocation; and redoximorphic concentrations and depletions. Intermediate sites exhibit characteristics of northern and southern profiles. Genesis of the profiles indicate change from an initial moist savanna climate, to a rainforest-savanna climate, and back to a moist savanna climate. Overlying sediments and paleosols indicate a semi-arid climate.

Name thesis:degree_name

MS

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Geology and Geography

Year dc:date.available

1998

Author dc:creator

• Fedorko, Nick, III

Contributors dc:contributor

• Alan C. Donaldson.

• Geology
• Soil sciences
• Physical geography

Identifier

https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/907

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-1910