From the Soil Micromorphology Slide Collection

Micromorphological description of slide: Phyto-humigranic fabric--loose random arrangement of fine meso and coarse micro fecal pellets of Collembola (springtails); organic composition with partially decomposed meso and macro plant fragments.

Data for the horizon
Horizon sampled: LFH
Depth sampled: 8-0 cm
Physical and chemical data available: L: pH = 6.1, OC = 35.5 N = 1.47%. F: pH = 5.6, OC = 35.0%, N = 1.56%. H: pH = 4.9, OC = 20.3%, N = 0.83%.
Macromorphological description Of horizon: L (8-5 cm): Leaf litter; undecomposed and semi decomposed spruce needles and aspen leaves. F (S-1 cm): Some decomposed leaves, needles, mixed with grass roots; loose to matted, numerous fungi; abundant fine and very fine random and plentiful. medium random roots. H (1-0 cm): Decomposed fibrous to matted organic matter; abundant, fine and very fine random and plentiful, medium roots; clear, smooth boundary.
Micromorphological description of horizon (Brewer, 1 976): The F layer is dominantly phyto-humigranic fabric with partially decomposed plant fragments and humigranic units of variable size. The H layer has a few mullgranic units and orthogranic units are more prominent as well. Phytogranic units diminish in importance. Fungal hyphae dominate

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.: Typic Cryoboralf
F.A.O.: Albic Luvisol
Canada: Orthic Gray Luvisol

Elevation: 700 m above sea level
Topography and hill slope position: Level to undulating upper slope Parent material: Till
Soil climatic data and/or soil water balance: Subhumid moisture regime and cold soil temperature class
Vegetation: Boreal forest; Populus tremuloides and Picea qlauca

Data for 35-mm slide
Frame length: 3.5 mm
Light mode: Plane polarized

Brewer, R. 1 976. Fabric and mineral analysis of soil, Krieger Publ.Co., Melbourne, FL.
Howitt, R.W. and S. Pawluk. 1 985. The genesis of a Gray Luvisol within the Boreal Forest Region.
1 . Static pedology. Can. J. of Soil Sci. 65:1-9. Pawluk, S. 1 985. Faunal influences on soil structure. Quest. Ent. 21 :473-496. (publ. Dept. of Entomology, Univ. of Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E3)

Slide BF31. Soil Science Society of America, 1993. A Reference Slide Collection for Soil Micromorphology. SSSA, Madison, WI.