From the Soil Micromorphology Slide Collection

Micromorphological description of slide: Humigranoidic fabric--Random moderately coalesced coarse micro and fine meso fecal pellets of Collembola (springtail) and Acari and coarse meso fecal pellets of Diptera (fly) larvae; porous and composed of organic materials; crumb microstructure, according to Bullock et al. 1985.

Data for the horizon Horizon sampled: LFH Depth sampled: 18-0 cm
Physical and chemical data available: L-H: oc = 48.5%, N = 1.80%, pH = 7.2, TEC (cmol < + ) /kgl = 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) = 159.9
Macromorphological description of horizon: L-H (18-13 cm): Dark brown (7 .5 YR 3/2 ml 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 35µm to 950µm size are also common.
Large (400-600µm) mullgranic units are concentrated in horizontal zones that resemble mull-like moder. The H layer is characterized by humigranoidic fabric of coalesced units dominantly 24-40µm and commonly 120-180µm 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.0.: 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: 3.5 mm
Light mode: Partially 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 MS6. Soil Science Society of America, 1993. A Reference Slide Collection for Soil Micromorphology. SSSA, Madison, WI.