A micromorphological index of soil development for the Quaternary geology research

Profile development indices of Harden [Harden, J.W., 1982. A quantitative index of soil development from field: examples from a chronosequence in Central California. Geoderma 285, 1–98] and Ferrari and Magaldi [Ferrari, G., Magaldi, D., 1983. Significato ed applicazioni della paleopedologia nella stratigrafia del Quaternario. Boll. Mus. Civ. St. Nat. Verona 10, 315–340] have shown their utility for comparative dating of some paleosols during geomorphological and geological surveys. In Italy and other countries, pedostratigraphic methods have been commonly applied to soil profiles formed in continental formations. Unfortunately, buried and relict paleosols are very scarce or badly preserved in some areas of Italy due to past and recent tectonic activity and to strong human impact dating back to prehistoric times. er to use relict paleosols for correct chronostratigraphic interpretation of relict paleosols and in order to correlate them with old landscape forms for the reconstruction of Quaternary sequences, a new micromorphological index (MISODI) for assessing soil development and degree of weathering was devised. The index was tested in the extensional tectonic basin of LʹAquila-Scoppito (Abruzzi, Central Italy) where some chronostratigraphic information is available. s demonstrate that there is a good relationship between presumed relative age of paleosols and degree of weathering and pedogenesis in B and B/C horizons as assessed by this index. The index has the potential to be adapted for application to other paleosol types in other countries.