From the Soil Micromorphology Slide Collection

Micromorphological description Of slide: Spheres and bacillo-cylinders of excrement of Collembola (springtails). Coarse micro fecal pellets, weakly to moderately coalesced and very porous; comprised of organic material

Data for the horizon
Horizon sampled: LFH
Depth sampled: 1 8-0 cm
Physical and chemical data available: L-H: OC = 48.5%, N = 1 .80%, pH = 7.2, TEC (cmol (+)/kg) = 138.6. FH: C = 39.4%, N = 2.20%, pH = 6.9, TEC (cmol (+)/kg) = 140.7. H: OC = 41 .1 %, N = 2.40%, pH = 6.6, TEC (cmol (+)/kg) = 1 59.9
Macromorphological description of horizon: L-H (18-1 3 cm): Dark brown (7.5 YR 3/2 m) partially decomposed Populus balsamifera leaves, with a few partially decomposed roots; abundant medium fine and very fine random and horizontal roots. F-H (13-5 cm): Dark reddish brown (5 YR 3/3 m) humified and partially humified organic matter; loose and fluffy; abundant coarse and medium horizontal, fine and very fine random roots. H (5-0 cm): Dark reddish brown (5 YR 2/2 m) humified organic matter; loose; abundant coarse and medium horizontal, fine and very fine random roots.
Micromorphological description Of horizon: The F layer has mull-humiphytogranic fabric comprising comminuted plant fragments and an abundance of humigranic units ranging in size from 35pm to 950vm size are also common. Large (400-600pm) mullgranic units are concentrated in horizontal zones that resemble mull-like moder. The H layer is characterized by humigranoidic fabric of coalesced units dominantly 24-40vm and commonly 1 20-180pm in size. Phytogranic and orthogranic components are relatively few.

Data for thin section
Preparation of sample: Air dry
Impregnating medium: Epoxy
Thickness of section: 30 µm
Orientation of section: Vertical

Soil Classification
U.S.: Aquic Cryoboralf
F.A.O.: Gleyed Chernozem
Canada: Gleyed Black Chernozemic

Elevation: 700 m above sea level
Topography and hill slope position: Level to undulating Parent material: Lacustrine
Soil climatic data and/or soil water balance: Cold, subhumid soil climate
Vegetation: Balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera); aspen poplar (P. tremuloides); dogwood (Cornus stolonifera)

Data for 35-mm slide
Frame length: 0.9 mm
Light mode: Plane polarized

Sanborn, P. and S. Pawluk. 1983. Process studies of a Chernozemic pedon, Alberta (Canada). Geoderma 31 : 205-237.
Pawluk, S. 1985. Soil micromorphology and soil fauna: Problems and importance. Quaest. Ent. 21 :473-497. (Publ. Dept. of Entomology, Univ. of Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E3)
Source: S. Pawluk

Slide BF29. Soil Science Society of America, 1993. A Reference Slide Collection for Soil Micromorphology. SSSA, Madison, WI.