Studies on the soils developed on basic-igneous rocks in Central Aberdeenshire
Glentworth, R.
TRANS ROY SOC EDINBURGH 61(Pt 1, paper no 5): 149-170
1944
Accession: 025591602
A survey of soils has been made of an area in Central Aberdeen-shire in which the soils are derived from glacial drift of basic-igneous origin. The Manitoba system of classification was used, grouping the soils into Associations, based on the nature of the geological parent material, with associates, dependent on drainage and varying from excessively drained to excessively wet. The morphological characters, distribution and chemical properties of the associates are given. A definite correlation was found to exist between soil type as judged by the profile, degree of drainage, chemical properties and chemically detd. nutrient contents. An outstanding difference was found in the total phosphate content, which is significantly higher in the well drained associates than in the poorly drained associates, thus pointing to differences in the weathering processes. This difference is closely paralleled by the carbon content, which is also higher in the well drained soils than in the poorly drained. Differences in the amounts of free sesquioxides in these associates were found. A correlation occurs between certain deep freely drained soils and village sites, from which it is thought that the deep soils constitute the "infield" land of earlier agricultural times.