From the Soil Micromorphology Slide Collection

Micromorphological description Of slide: Fecal pellets of Diptera (fly) larvae. Enchytraeids (potworms) and Collembola (springtails). Medium meso bacillo-cylinders of excrement of Enchytraeids, coarse micro cylinders and spheres of excrement of Collembola, and coarse meso spheres of excrement of Diptera larvae. Larger fecal pellets are random, separated and weakly coalesced, largely intact and comprised of mineral grains, organic substances and strongly coalesced and disintegrated, dense fecal pellets of Collembola. Smaller fecal pellets are clustered, weakly coalesced and very porous.

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. F_ H: 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) =
Macromorphological description of horizon: L-H (18-1 3 cm): Dark brown (7.5 YR 312 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 35vm to 950vm size are also common. Large (400-600vm) 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 20-180vm 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 BF34. Soil Science Society of America, 1993. A Reference Slide Collection for Soil Micromorphology. SSSA, Madison, WI.