Michalyna 1971

Michalyna W. 1971. Distribution of various forms of aluminum, iron and manganese in the orthic gray wooded, gleyed orthic gray wooded and related gleysolic soils in Manitoba. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 51: 23-36.

This author examined soil Al, Fe, and Mn in some poorly drained soils of the Gleysolic order in western Manitoba, looking for indicators for soil classification that would cover some of the deficiencies of the previous criteria. The distribution of these metals, including the ratio of oxalate-extractable to dithionite-extractable iron representing amorphous and total Fe(III)-oxide forms, respectively, was a useful criterion for classification.

Iron of all types was concentrated in the upper horizons of these soils, with the highest levels in the BA and B horizons. The ratio of amorphous to total Fe(III) was also highest in these horizons, and declined with depth. This suggests amorphous Fe(III) is most abundant in relatively oxidizing conditions in these wet soils. Water content is not reported, except to note that some soils are “imperfectly drained”, others are “poorly drained”.

The ratio of amorphous to total Fe(III) found in these soils ranged from about 0.1 to about 1.2, with most measurements between 0.4 and 0.8. My own measurements, converted to the same ratio, range between 0.14 and 0.83.