The ethnic versus the economic frontiers of Poland

The soil which has developed at any given location is considered to be the result of five interacting factors: parent material, time, climate, topography and biotic factors. This paper discusses the role of these factors in the development of Scottish soils, which fall into three broad categories: leached soils, gley soils and organic soils. The intention is to provide a context for the case studies that follow in later papers.     

Soil fertility and slope processes in the Western Cumberland Escarpment of Kentucky: influences on the development of horticulture in the Eastern Woodlands

The archaeological record of dry rockshelters in the Red River Valley of eastern Kentucky contains botanical remains of several weedy annual seed-bearing plants that point to the independent development of agriculture during the Late Archaic and Early Woodland Period. The objective of this study is to gather quantitative data through the chemical and physical analysis of soils collected within a valley transect to gain insights into landscape processes and soil fertility that may have played a role in the early development of plant domestication and the location of garden plots in relation to rock shelter sites in the upper Cumberland Plateau region of eastern Kentucky. Soils on upland benches formed in limestones have soil fertility values that are comparable to fertile floodplain soils. Upslope outcrops of calcareous bedrock are contributing basic cations to these bench soils. Additionally, in comparison to other landscape positions these upland soils have high levels of organic carbon, available P and greater C:N ratios. Soil morphology, radiocarbon dates, and archaeological evidence indicate that many of the numerous earthflows and debris flows within the region are Early to Middle Holocene in age. These slides were likely generated by Mid-Holocene climatic shifts in which the frequency and intensity of summer precipitation increased across the southeastern United States. These slope failures may have contributed to the development of plant domestication by creating forest canopy gaps and disturbed soils in which weedy plants thrived.     

Micromorphology of Pech-de-l'Azé II sediments

A micromorphological study of the sediments from the cave of Pech-de-l'Azé II using the terminology of Brewer (1964) was undertaken in order to describe them, to compare the results and their palaeoclimatic interpretations (e.g., Laville, 1973) with those of classical sedimentological analyses and to evaluate the role of micromorphology in the analysis of cave and rock-shelter deposits.The soil skeleton is composed of quartz sand and silt resulting principally from the decay of bedrock with local reworking by solifluction and ruissellement. Lithorelicts consist of bedrock fragments of cryoclastic origin and detrital phosphate grains which can be identified as being large carnivore (bear or hyaena?) coprolites. The plasma is composed of mostly iron rich clay and although it was most abundant in reddish layers of previously recognized soils, no micromorphological evidence for clay illuvation was found. The latter might have been caused by post-depositional destruction by freeze and thaw which produced the generally well developed banded fabrics in many of the beds. Free grain argillans occur sporadically but are particularly well developed on phosphate grains. Secondary calcite, occurring either in dispersed zones or as void calcitans and neocalcitans occurs throughout but is more marked in the upper layers and bed 6.Micromorphologically based palaeoclimatic interpretations agreed on the whole with those obtained by classical sedimentology although several questions were raised which should make us more cautious in interpreting “classical” data: such as the origin of the clay, especially in “soil” horizons. The advantages of micromorphology in delineating sequence of events were indicated.     

A charcoal-rich horizon at Ø69, Greenland: evidence for vegetation burning during the Norse landnám?

It is often assumed that the colonisation of Greenland by Norse settlers in c. A.D. 985 had a sudden and dramatic effect on the environment, involving substantial vegetation clearance and environmental degradation. Consequently, it has been argued that charcoal-rich horizons, visible in many sections in Greenland, represent the initial burning of the vegetation by Norse farmers to create land suitable for agriculture. In this study a charcoal-rich layer, visible in a modern drainage ditch beside the Norse farm of Ø69, was analysed using archaeobotany, sedimentary analysis and radiocarbon dating to test the date and formation processes of the horizon. It is demonstrated that the charcoal-rich layer at Ø69 was not derived from in situ vegetation burning in the 10th century and concluded that the layer was probably formed by the addition of midden material to the infields around Ø69 in the 13th and 14th centuries cal AD, perhaps as part of a soil amendment strategy. It is argued that caution must be exercised when interpreting charcoal-rich horizons as time-specific chronological markers in palaeoenvironmental sequences in Greenland.     

Seismic Testing of Critical Lifelines Rehabilitated with Cured in Place Pipeline Lining Technology

Trenchless technology is well accepted for repairing critical underground lifelines with minimal ground surface disruption. The cured in place pipeline (CIPP) lining process is an application of trenchless technology that involves the installation of fiber reinforced composites inside existing pipelines. The uncertain performance of pipelines reinforced with CIPP linings in seismic areas is a barrier to the adoption of this method for seismic retrofit. This article evaluates experimentally the transient seismic response of pressurized pipelines reinforced with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) linings. The test results show that reinforced pipelines can accommodate very high intensity ground motions and can provide substantial seismic strengthening in addition to efficient rehabilitation of aging underground infrastructure.     

Ancient soil resources of the Usumacinta River Region,Guatemala

In this study we present the results of a combination of methods used to identify possible agricultural activity of the ancient Maya in the Usumacinta River Basin in Guatemala. These methods included stable carbon isotope analysis of bulk soil organic matter, soil profile investigations and a spatial model of gentle slopes and well-drained soils to identify favorable agricultural conditions. Stable carbon isotope analysis of bulk soil organic matter in particular offers potentially direct evidence of agricultural activity. The δ¹³C results suggest that there is a strong signature of C₄ plants, such as maize and tropical grasses, throughout the study area. Further, the current soil conditions and extent of relatively gently sloped areas are favorable to agriculture. Overall, the results are supportive of the hypothesis that the area, located between the polities of Piedras Negras and Yaxchilán, was agriculturally important to surrounding areas.     

Effects of Soil Characterization on the Seismic Input

This paper is aimed at determining the effects of the soil characterization on the seismic input to use for seismic assessment. Three different soil profiles have been assembled to represent the stratigraphies found through a proper experimental investigation, carefully described, and alternative seismic site response analyses have been performed. The surface spectra obtained from the seismic site response analysis (SRA) are very different from each other, thus evidencing the importance of carefully describing soil stratigraphy. Furthermore, the comparison among the surface records found for different return periods has shown a limited sensitivity of the SRA to the seismic intensity.     

Preparation of Engineering Geological Maps of Bam City Using Geophysical and Geotechnical Approach

Engineering geological mapping was carried out at a scale of 1:25000 in the city of Bam, located in southeastern Iran, to provide engineering geological information as a base for seismic microzonation of the city. In this study, Seismic Refraction and Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP) surveys were employed along with boreholes in order to identify the characteristics of subsurface material in Bam city. A number of different kinds of maps of the city were prepared consisting of Iso-depth, Iso-velocity, and Iso-Poisson's Ratio maps. The study also involves trial pitting and continuous core recovery, in-situ, and laboratory tests. Borehole data, index properties of soils, and standard penetration test results were used to assess subsurface conditions. Geophysical and geotechnical data were combined to simulate geotechnical boreholes and prepare engineering geological maps to provide basic data for seismic geotechnical microzonation to facilitate in the reconstruction of the city of Bam.     

Models for Pore Pressure Response of Low Plastic Fines Subjected to Repeated Loads

Cyclic pore pressure response of low plastic fines is examined with regard to factors influencing overall behavior of such soils under repeated loads. A model for pore pressure generation under repeated loads and another model for relationship between cyclic pore pressure and straining are proposed. The models are developed in consideration of an extended database generated through a comprehensive literature review. The models are evaluated based on the comparisons between predicted and measured pore pressure responses.