Relative Influences of Climatic Change, Dust Flux, and Lithology on Soil Hydrology and Soil-Geomorphic Processes in Arid and Semiarid Transitional Environments

提出了一个多学科项目，以确定如何 气候、尘埃通量和岩性的变化是遗传学上的 与沙漠冲积扇土壤景观演变有关 环境. 可以检查重要变量，因为 研究区域包含干旱到半干旱的气候梯度， 第四纪气候变化和沙尘通量独立记录， 出色的年代地层分辨率， 岩性不同的沉积物（花岗岩、石灰石、混合）。 的 项目目标是：确定土壤- 不同岩性之间的地貌过程， 以及沙尘通量、气候、地表渗透性 和土壤-水平衡，并确定这些因素的变化 控制钙质土壤的形成。 土壤地貌特性 与气候和沙尘通量的时空变化有关 将通过现场描述和实验室记录 土壤分析，扇面形态测量，以及 土壤和扇面水文评价。 一种新的方法， 这项研究将整合经验测量的土壤- 土壤水计算机模拟的地貌特性 碳酸盐岩的运移和成土作用 同位素研究 土壤碳酸盐将提供更多的信息， 石灰土形成的时间和过程与古气候。 结果将为制定以下标准提供信息： 识别保存在土壤中的气候变化信号- 地貌系统，用于评估气候变化对 通常用于年龄的土壤地貌成分比率 估计，并制定区域地层对比 美国西南部的其他第四纪沉积物

A multi-disciplinary project is proposed to determine how variations in climate, dust flux, and lithology are genetically linked to soil-landscape evolution on alluvial fans in desert environments. Important variables can be examined because the study area contains an arid to semi-arid climatic gradient, an independent record of Quaternary climate change and dust flux, excellent chronostratigraphic resolution, and sequences of lithologically distinct deposits (granite, limestone, mixed). The project objectives are to: determine variation in rates of soil- geomorphic processes among different lithologies, determine spatial and temporal changes in dust flux, climate, surface permeability, and soil-water balance, and determine how changes in these factors control formation of calcic soils. Soil-geomorphic properties related to spatial and temporal changes in climate and dust flux will be documented through field descriptions and laboratory analysis of soils, morphometric measurements of fan-surfaces, and evaluation of soil and fan-surface hydrology. A novel approach of this study will be to integrate empirically measured soil- geomorphic properties with computer simulations of soil water movement and pedogenic accumulation of carbonate. Isotopic studies of soil carbonate will provide additional information concerning the timing and processes of calcic soil formation and paleoclimate. Results will provide information for developing criteria for recognition of signals of climatic change preserved in soil- geomorphic systems, for evaluating the effect of climate change on the rates of soil-geomorphic components commonly used for age estimations, and for developing regional stratigraphic correlations to other Quaternary deposits in the southwest U.S.