2008 Joint Meeting of The Geological Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies with the Gulf Coast Section of SEPM

Paper No. 2
Presentation Time: 8:20 AM

Pedologic and Lanscape Evolution along a Traverse of Highly Gypseous Soils in a Semi-arid Bolson, New Mexico


SCHOENEBERGER, Philip J., USDA - NRCS, 100 Centennial Mall N. - MS 34, Lincoln, NE 68508 and CATES, Greg, USDA-NRCS, 2507 Telshor, Las Cruces, NM 88001, philip.schoeneberger@usda.gov

A traverse across representative landforms and soils on the floor of a bolson in south-central New Mexico is presented. The soils are composed primarily of high gypsum-bearing materials from both geogenic and pedogenic sources, mantled in places by a cap of wind and water reworked. siliceous sediments. A record of pedologic and landscape evolution is contained in the soil morphology and geomorphology of these soils which demonstrate the presence and ultimate demise of pluvial lakes in the Tularosa Basin.