Structures and properties of the late pleistocene paleosols of the loess-soil section of Obi-Mazar (Tajikistan)

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Abstract

The loess-soil series of Central Asia cover the history of subaerial sedimentation of the last 2–2.5 mln years. Significant thicknesses, a large number of paleosols, and an impressive chronology place the loess-soil series of the Afghan-Tajik depression on a par with the famous sections of the Loess Plateau of China. The study of the most significant sections located within the Khovaling Loess Plateau makes it possible to develop a regional chronostratigraphic chart, to study the structure and conditions of formation of the main stratigraphic benchmarks–buried paleosols. The present study is devoted to the clarification of the structural features of loess and paleosols of the Late Pleistocene in one of the sections of the Khovaling–Obi-Mazar Plateau. Based on the results of stratigraphic dissection, description of the macro- and micromorphological structure, magnetic susceptibility analysis, study of the chemical and granulometric composition, a comprehensive description of the structure and properties was carried out and the most probable conditions for the formation of paleosols and loess were established. In the Late Pleistocene part of the section, two loess layers and a pedocomplex PC1 with three welded paleosols, consisting of a total of 7 horizons, are distinguished. The deposits are characterized by high silt content, carbon content, and the presence of signs of pedogenesis and biological activity in all layers of the studied section. Available data indicate the presence of a poorly developed MIS 3 paleosol in the upper loess layer. The developed pedocomplex PC1 of Obi-Mazar, according to its stratigraphic position, structural features, and magnetic susceptibility data, belongs to the MIS 5. According to preliminary data, its formation occurred in semi-humid and humid conditions under forest vegetation, which contributed to the biogenic segregation of Fe-Mn compounds, as well as intra- and interhorizon redistribution of carbonates due to diagenetic processes. Towards the end of the Last Interglacial, gradual aridization occurred, due to which the upper paleosol to be the least developed.

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About the authors

O. А. Tokareva

Institute of Geography RAS; Institute of Archeology and Ethnography SB RAS

Author for correspondence.
Email: tokareva1406@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow; Novosibirsk

М. P. Lebedeva

FRC V.V. Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute

Email: m_verba@mail.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

P. M. Sosin

Institute of Water Problems, Hydropower and Ecology NAST

Email: sosin.paleosol@gmail.com
Tajikistan, Dushanbe

I. K. Ashurmadov

Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of NAST

Email: muhammad.islomov.2017@mail.ru
Tajikistan, Dushanbe

R. N. Kurbanov

Institute of Geography RAS; Institute of Archeology and Ethnography SB RAS; Lomonosov Moscow State University

Email: roger.kurbanov@gmail.com

Faculty of Geography

Russian Federation, Moscow; Novosibirsk; Moscow

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2. Fig. 1. Map of the location (a) and general view of the outcrop and section of Obi-Mazar (b). The red dot (a) shows the location of the studied section, the yellow lines (b) show the occurrence of six identified pedocomplexes (PC).

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3. Fig. 2. Stratigraphic column of the Obi-Mazar section (a); structure of the upper part of the Obi-Mazar section (b); general view of the Obi-Mazar outcrop (Schäfer and Sosin, 2013) (c); PC are highlighted with dark stripes; carbonates in pores and a humified zone in the L1 member (d); carbonates in pores and organomineral cutans along root passages, horizon 2ABwk (e); bioliths-chambers of invertebrates with hard carbonated walls in horizon 2BAk (e); carbonates in pores and Fe-Mn cutans along root passages, horizon 3Bk (g).

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4. Fig. 3. Micromorphological features of soil horizons and loess layers in the upper part of the Obi-Mazar section. Red arrows point to the described features. CaCO3 hypocutans near a pore filled with VPM – L1.5 (XPL) (a); sparite intergrowths, 1ABk (XPL) (b); coprogenic microstructure, silty-dusty cutans and infillings, CaCO3 cutans, 1BAk (PPL) (c); sparite intergrowths, silty cutans and infillings, CaCO3 hypocutans, 2ABwk (XPL) (d); silty-dusty infillings, thick CaCO3 hypocutans, weakly carbonated VPM, 2BAk (XPL) (d); carbonated excrements in pores and carbonate micronodules, 3Ak (XPL) (e); rounded humified aggregate with CaCO3 covers inherited from transformed humus horizon, 3Bk (XPL) (g); thick CaCO3 infilling with porosity and Fe clots inside, 3BCwk (PPL) (z); silty-silty filling with crescent-shaped stratification, 3BCwk (PPL) (i); biogenic channels, micritic infilling, excrements, L2.2 (PPL) (k).

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5. Fig. 4. The degree of expression of microtraits in the studied horizons of paleosols. The width of the column in the diagram reflects the frequency of occurrence of the genetic microtrait for each horizon. IPM – intraped mass. NP – new formations. Dust and clay. – silty-dust and clayey cutans. In the column by micritic impregnation of IPM, stronger impregnation is marked in a darker color.

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6. Fig. 5. Profile distribution of magnetometric and granulometric analysis results. HS – Holocene soil. FMS – field magnetic susceptibility (SI units). Silt – particles <1 μm are marked with a green line, <2 μm – with a black line (a). Profile distribution of chemical analysis results (b).

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7. Fig. 6. Comparison of the distribution curves of the granulometric composition for the L1 and PC1 packs, constructed on the basis of measurements of 40 randomly selected samples from the corresponding packs.

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