Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium 

near Merced, California

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1590-A

I , ,. $1&$^^ ' "^~~^'? 

/ /'I

Soils Developed in

Granitic Alluvium

near Merced, California

ByJ.W. HARDEN

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1590-A

SOIL CHRONOSEQUENCES IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

DONALD PAUL MODEL, Secretary

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Dallas L. Peck, Director

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1987

For sale by the

Books and Open-File Reports Section

U.S. Geological Survey

Federal Center, Box 25425

Denver, CO 80225

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Harden, Jennifer Willa, 1954-

Soils developed in granitic alluvium near Merced,

California.

(Soil chronosequences in the Western United States)

(U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1590-A)

Bibliography: p. A24-A26

Supt. of Docs. No.: I 19.3:1590-A

1. Soils California Merced River valley. 2. Soil

formation California Merced River valley. 3. Soil

chronosequences California Merced River valley. 4.

Granite California Merced River valley. 5. Alluvium 

California Merced River valley. 6. Geology California 

Merced River valley. 7. Geology, stratigraphic Cenozoic.

I. Title. II. Series: Soil chronosequences in the Western

United States. III. Series: United States. Geological

Survey. Bulletin 1590-A.

QE75.B9 no. 1590-A 557.3s 86-600047

[S599.C2] [551.3'05]
FOREWORD

This series of reports, "Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States," attempts to 

integrate studies of different earth-science disciplines, including pedology, geomorphology, 

stratigraphy, and Quaternary geology in general. Each discipline provides information important 

to the others. From geomorphic relations we can determine the relative ages of deposits and soils; 

from stratigraphy we can place age constraints on the soils. Field investigations and mineralogic 

and sedimentologic studies provide information on the nature and types of deposits in which soils 

form. As a result of our work, we have estimated rates of soil formation, inferred processes of 

soil formation from trends in soil development with increasing age, and obtained information on 

the types of weathering that occur in various areas. In return, soil development and soil genesis 

have provided data on the age of landforms, the timing and duration of sedimentation, and, in some 

cases, the history of climatic fluctuations.

Between 1978 and 1983, a coordinated and systematic study was conducted on soil development in different types of geologic deposits in the Western United States. The goals of this 

project, led by the late D.E. Marchand and subsequently by M.N. Machette, were to learn whether 

rates of chemical, physical, and mineralogic transformations could be determined from soil 

Chronosequences; how these rates vary in different mineralogic and climatic environments; and 

how accurately soils can be used for such problems as estimating the ages of deposits, periods of 

landscape stability, and timing of fault movements. This series of reports presents data from 

several soil Chronosequences of that project.

More than 100 analyses on more than 1,000 samples were performed on soils collected in the 

Western United States. Some results have appeared in various Docks, journals, and maps (for 

example, Harden and Marchand, 1977, 1980; Burke and Birkeland, 1979; Dethier and Bethel, 1981; 

Marchand and Allwardt, 1981; Meixner and Singer, 1981; Busacca, 1982; Harden, 1982a, b; Harden 

and Taylor, 1983; Machette, 1983; Machette and Steven, 1983; Busacca and others, 1984; Machette 

and others, 1984; Reheis, 1984). In the reports in this series, the basic field information, geologic 

background, and analytical data are presented for each chronosequence, as well as some results 

additional to the previous publications.

One of the most significant aspects of these chronosequence studies is that in every study 

area, many soil parameters change systematically over time, or with the age of deposits. As 

Deming (1943) emphasized, it is this recurrence of correlation in such different conditions that is 

most significant to geologic and pedologic studies. In relatively moist areas, such as coastal and 

central California, such soil properties as percent clay or reddening of soil colors change most 

systematically over time. In more arid regions, such as in the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming, calcium 

carbonate and gypsum contents best reflect the relative ages of the deposits. A few parameters 

for example, elemental composition of sands or clays appear to be comparable between areas so 

diverse in climatic setting.

Numeric age control has enabled us to estimate rates of soil development. In some places, 

we have been able to compare rates between different areas. For example, in central California, 

rates of clay accumulation were found to be most rapid during the initial stages of soil development; these rates declined with increasing age. The straightest lines for regression were on a loglog scale. In coastal California, rates of clay accumulation appeared to be much higher than in 

central California. This difference in rates could be due to parent material (the coastal soils that 

we studied were formed on reworked shale and sandstone, whereas central California soils were 

developed in granitic alluvium), and (or) the differences in rates could be due to eolian additions of 

clay. In the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming, rates of clay accumulation, as well as most other soil 

properties, increased linearly over time, with no apparent decrease in initial rates.

The data we present here suggest many opportunities for further interpretation. For example, we may learn how climate, vegetation, and mineralogy affect the rates of clay formation or 

organic-matter accumulation. In some study areas, we present data for rare-earth elements, 

which could be used to examine how each element reacts in different weathering environments. 

These examples are only a fraction of the possible future studies that could be conducted on the 

data presented here.

J.W. Harden 

Editor

m

CONTENTS

Foreword III 

Abstract Al 

Introduction Al 

Geographic setting A2 

Geologic setting A2

Previous work A2

Origin of deposits and regional late Cenozoic stratigraphy A4 

Age control on alluvial units A5 

Post-Modesto deposits A5 

Modesto Formation A5 

Riverbank Formation A7 

Turlock Lake Formation A9

China Hat Gravel Member of the Laguna Formation A9 

Provenance for Merced River deposits A10 

Evaluation of soil development A10

Site selection and sampling criteria A10 

Assumptions and methods All 

Trends of soil development with increasing age A12 

Major- and trace-element chemistry A13 

Relative rates of element loss A13

Methods for an accumulation series of elemental oxides A14 

Methods for calculating loss percents of elemental oxides A15 

Resulting orders of rates of element loss A17 

Estimating rates of soil development A17 

Discussion A2 0 

Summary A22 

References cited A24 

Supplementary tables A27

FIGURES

1. Map of central California, showing location of study area A3

2. Geologic map showing late Cenozoic deposits along the Merced River A6

3. Profiles of Merced River terraces, showing sample localities A9 

4-7. Plots of:

4. Ratio of pyroxene to zircon grains in the very fine sand fraction of C horizons of 

Merced soils Al 1

5. Etching scale of hornblende and zircon grains from the very fine sand fraction of 

Merced soils All

6. Examples of soil properties that develop over long timespans and for the initial 

timespans A13

7. Examples of soil properties that show changes after 100 ka A14 

8. Chart showing examples of method for deriving an accumulation series for relative rates of

element loss or gain A15 

9-12. Plots of:

9. Element percent loss from A and B horizons for three size fractions versus bestestimate age A18

10. Rates of soil-property development for three timespans A19

11. Clay content versus age A22

12. Example of estimating age from soil development A23 

13. Map of study area in central California, showing locations of sample sites A29
TABLES

1. Generalized map units and taxonomic classes of soils of the Merced chronosequence A4

2. Age controls for alluvium in the northeastern San Joaquin Valley A8

3. Variation of rates of element loss from the A-horizon silt-plus-clay fraction, with age 

uncertainties considered A16

4. Order of rates of element loss from size separates A19

5. Tests for constraining rates of soil development for late Cenozoic deposits A20

6. Tests for constraining rates of soil development for Holocene deposits A21

7. Tests for constraining rates of soil development for Pleistocene deposits A23

8. Comparison of Pleistocene and Holocene rates of soil development from tables 6 and 7 A23

SUPPLEMENTARY TABLES

1. Field descriptions A28

2. Physical properties A34

3. Extractive chemical analyses A3 7

4. Mineralogy A42

5. Total chemical analyses of the fine (less than 47 ym) fraction by X-ray fluorescence A45

6. Total chemical analyses of the less-than-2-mm fraction by X-ray fluorescence A49

7. Total chemical analyses of the fine (less than 47 ym) fraction by instrumental neutron activation A53

8. Total chemical analyses of the less-than-2-mm fraction by instrumental neutron activation ABO

VI
SOIL CHRONOSEQUENCES IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium 

near Merced, California

By].\N. Harden

Abstract

Terrace and fan deposits along the Merced River 

in the San Joaquin Valley, Calif., have been 

approximately dated and range in age from about O.Z 

to 3,000 ka. Soils were sampled on nine deposits to 

establish a soil chronosequence in an area with a 

Mediterranean climate, grassland vegetation, and 

sandy granitic parent material. Soil samples were 

analyzed for several morphologic, chemical, physical, 

and mineralogic properties, many of which vary 

systematically with age. Properties showing the most 

systematic changes over time include: (1) field 

descriptions of clay films, total texture (texture plus 

wet consistence), rubification (color hue plus chroma), 

and dry consistence; (Z) depletion or concentration of 

Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Al, and Ti relative to Zr, the most 

stable constituent; and (3) other physical and 

extractive-chemical characteristics, including clay 

mineralogy, dithionite- and oxalate-extractable Fe 

content, and total (titratable) soil acidity. Changes in 

soils over the 3,000-ka age span demonstrate that 

significant chemical differentiation, mineralogic 

transformations, and morphologic changes occurred as 

a result of soil development. The high correlation of 

soil characteristics with age provides a means to use 

the soils for correlating and dating late Cenozoic 

deposits.

INTRODUCTION

Alluvium in the northeastern San Joaquin Valley, 

Calif., offers an opportunity to study soils in an 

exceptionally well dated, widely spanned age 

sequence. Nine principal units of terrace and fan 

deposits range in age from about 0.2 to 3,000 ka; the 

ages of many of these deposits have been established 

or approximated by radiometric dating. Deposition of 

each unit was relatively rapid; major depositional 

events were separated by periods of stream

entrenchment and slow sedimentation (hiatuses). 

Older, nested terrace and fan deposits are isolated 

above modern stream channels and flood deposits, and 

as a result, the ages of many of these deposits 

(particularly the Pleistocene deposits) closely 

approximate those of the surfaces and soils. In this 

study, soils along the Merced River were sampled in 

relatively flat, grass-covered areas, and a soil 

chronosequence was established; that is, the soils 

differ in age but appear to have formed under similar 

conditions of climate, vegetation, slope position, and 

parent material (Jenny, 1941).

Both the soils and geology in the Merced area 

have been mapped and studied in detail by Arkley 

(1962a, b) and Marchand and Allwardt (1981); their 

work is carefully reviewed here to evaluate 

radiometric ages and site-specific data that affect 

interpretation of the soil chronosequence. For 

example, uncertainty of age assignments is analyzed in 

this report, and soil-development rates are estimated 

by considering the uncertainties in radiometric ages 

(and their relation to surfaces and soils). These rates 

are estimated for several soil parameters, including 

morphologic, bulk or total chemical, and extractivechemical characteristics. The morphologic 

characteristics have been reported previously (Harden, 

1982a) but are reexamined in this report to provide a 

more complete discussion of the soils. Other data are 

presented here for the first time.

The wide age range represented by the 

chronosequence of this study permits an evaluation of 

the time dependence of soil (and soil property) 

development. Some soil characteristics, such as color 

hue and chroma, clay mineralogy, and the morphologic 

soil-development index (Harden, 1982a), change 

systematically over time. Other properties, including 

clay films and percent loss of certain elements from 

size separates, change significantly in the older 

Pleistocene and Pliocene soils. Another set of 

characteristics, including organic-carbon content and 

dry consistence, change systematically in the younger 

Holocene and latest Pleistocene soils.

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California Al
Acknowledgments. Innumerable people played 

important roles in the planning, excavation, analytical, 

and interpretative stages of this work. My project 

leader, the late Denis Marchand, conducted the 

geologic investigations and guided and supported this 

study throughout most of its history. M.J. Singer, A.J. 

Busacca, R. Meixner, and Peter Janitkzy not only 

conducted many of the soil analyses but also 

contributed many ideas and tests in the planning and 

execution of the work. E.M. Taylor was fundamental 

in all of the data compilation and contributed many 

ideas toward data analysis and future studies. C. 

Terhune and S. Walker spent countless hours in 

organizing the data presentation. M.N. Machette 

accepted and succeeded in the difficult task of 

continuing leadership of this work after the loss of 

Marchand. R. Mark contributed many ideas to the 

methods of data analysis and helped identify 

limitations that might be overcome in future work. G. 

Dembroff helped with some of the calculations. In 

conjunction with my doctoral dissertation, R.J. Arkley, 

Bans Jenny, H.E. Doner, and Clyde Wahrhaftig were 

helpful in their guidance and encouragement of this 

work. B.F. Atwater encouraged consideration of the 

effects of age uncertainties, which clearly 

strengthened the arguments and their validity. K.L. 

Pierce helped to clarify many of the main points of the 

manuscript, and J.C. Tinsley encouraged presentation 

of these ideas. Last, I thank the landowners of my 

excavation sites, without whom I could not have 

proved worthy of spending wisely the taxpayers' 

money: thanks go to the J.J. Stevinson Corp., M. 

Cotta, F. Moiser, R. Jones, C. Matheson, R. 

Armstrong, M. MacNeilson, L. Roedner, A. Spence, 

Mrs. A. Arkelian, Turlock Lake State Park, and the 

Circle J Ranch.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING

The Merced River heads in the Sierra Nevada and 

flows through the Sierran foothills and the eastern San 

Joaquin Valley before joining the lower San Joaquin 

River to the west (fig. 1). The Sierra Nevada, 

glaciated several times during the Pleistocene, is 

underlain by granitic and dioritic rocks. Glacial 

outwash of the Merced River is the parent material for 

most of the soils discussed in this study; with the 

possible exception of Holocene alluvium, it is 

composed of granitic debris and minor mafic minerals 

derived from the metamorphic terrane of the foothills.

The study area has a Mediterranean climate in 

which most of the rain (mean annual precipitation, 30 

cm) falls during the cool winters. Because 

evapotranspiration is low during the rainy season, 

rainfall is effective in penetrating and leaching the 

soil. During the dry summers, the soils are readily 

desiccated by evapotranspiration. The effective wetdry cycles constitute a xeric soil-moisture regime (Soil 

Survey staff, 1975). The mean annual temperature 

near the study area is about 16 °C, and the soiltemperature regime is thermic (Soil Survey staff, 

1975).

GEOLOGIC SETTING 

Previous work

In the 1950's, R.J. Arkley mapped the soils in 

much of the northeastern San Joaquin Valley (Arkley, 

1954, 1962b) and began to elucidate the relation 

between soil development and the surficial geologic 

deposits in this area (table 1). Arkley (1962a, p. 3) 

differentiated soils developed in "recent alluvium, 

young alluvium, moderately old alluvium, high terrace 

gravels, and very high terrace gravels," and proposed a 

glacial origin for the deposits along the major streams 

heading in the Sierra Nevada. Davis and Hall (1959) 

used Arkley's mapping and designated three 

Pleistocene formations, which they named, from 

youngest to oldest, the Modesto, Riverbank, and 

Turlock Lake Formations.

The influence of Quaternary glaciations in the 

Sierra Nevada on deposition in the valley became 

widely recognized when Arkley (1962b), Wahrhaftig 

and Birman (1965), and Janda and Croft (1967) 

compared the glacial sequence of the Sierra 

(Blackwelder, 1931, 1932; Birman, 1954, 1957, 1964; 

Matthes, 1960; Birkeland, 1964) with the alluvial, 

glaciogenic sequence of the valley. Glacial deposits 

are not well preserved on the west slope of the Sierra, 

but similar (major unit) time stratigraphies and rock 

compositions are found in deposits along glaciated 

river drainages in both the Sierra Nevada and the San 

Joaquin Valley. Janda and Croft also used (1) the 

stratigraphy of subsurface cores in a confined basin, 

(2) available radiometric ages correlating valley units 

with glacial deposits, and (3) the regional similarity of 

glaciated river drainages in the northeastern San 

Joaquin Valley to link the origin of alluvial fans to 

glaciation in the Sierra Nevada. Janda (1965, 1966) 

and Janda and Croft (1967) subdivided the Modesto and 

Turlock Lake Formations on the basis of erosional 

unconformities and buried soils; with extensive 

fieldwork and limited age control, they proposed a 

sedimentation model of several cyclical, climatically 

induced periods of alluviation separated by periods of 

nondeposition and soil formation.

Helley (1966) extended Janda's (1966) model to 

the unglaciated Chowchilla River basin in the San 

Joaquin Valley. Helley's stratigraphy is strikingly 

similar to that of the glaciated river basins nearby, 

and he concluded that alluviation in the Chowchilla 

drainage nearly coincides with alluviation in these 

glaciated river drainages. Helley further inferred that 

sedimentation over much of the San Joaquin Valley 

was probably induced by changes in erosion rates, 

landscape stability, and precipitation patterns of 

climatic origin which also were manifest as cycles of 

Sierra Nevada glaciation.

In the late 1970's, D.E. Marchand mapped the 

late Cenozoic deposits between Bakersfield and 

Stockton (including the Merced area) and established a 

widespread regional time stratigraphy that 

emphatically supports a climatic control on sedimentation in the eastern San Joaquin Valley. Marchand 

used the soil maps by Arkley (1962b), Ulrich and 

Stromberg (1962), and Huntington (1971) to examine 

soil differences in relation to geomorphic landform

A2 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
123° 121' 119°

39°

37°

35°

50 KILOMETERS

Figure 1. Central California, showing location of study area.

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A3
Table 1. Generalized map units and taxonomic classes of soils of the Merced 

chronosequence

[Units and approximate ages from Marchand and Allwardt (1981). Soil series from 

Arkley (1984). Taxonomic subgroups from Soil Survey staff (1975)]

Unit

Approximate Soil series 

age

(ka)

Taxonomic 

subgroup

Post-Modesto deposits-----

Modesto Formation

Upper member- 10 

Lower member 40

Riverbank Formation- 100-300

Turlock Lake Formation

Upper member- 600

China Hat Gravel Member 3,000 

of the Laguna Formation.

0.2-3.0 Grangeville, HanfordHanford, HoncutGreenfield - 

Snel 1 ing- ---

Typic xerorthent.

Do.

Typic haploxeralf. 

Do.

Montepell ier-- Do.

Corning (acid variant) - Ultic palexeralf.

differences. From detailed mapping of the geology on 

large-scale maps (Marchand, 1976b, c, d, e, f, g) and 

from additional radiometric ages (Marchand and 

Allwardts, 1981), Marchand (1977) (1) concurred with 

the sedimentation models of Arkley (1962a), Helley 

(1966), and Janda and Croft (1967); (2) subdivided the 

Pleistocene formations into even more units than 

Janda and Croft (1967) had recognized; and (3) 

extended the climatic model of sedimentation to 

correlate with other climatic histories recorded in 

continental and marine records. Marchand (1976b, c, 

d, e, f, g) separated as many as 24 mappable units but 

fewer time-stratigraphic units, 9 of which were 

sampled for this soil-chronosequence study. Although 

Marchand used soils to help recognize and map the 

alluvial deposits, each of the nine units chosen for this 

study was also was recognized on the basis of (1) 

geomorphic expression of terrace and fan surfaces, (2) 

buried soils and unconformities, and (3) regional extent 

along different river systems within the eastern San 

Joaquin Valley. Thus, major regional rather than local 

control of sedimentation was identified.

The late Cenozoic history and chronology of the 

San Joaquin Valley as defined by Marchand (1977) and 

Marchand and Allwardt (1981) were used in this study 

for the chronology of Merced River deposits in this 

study. Some new ages are available and have been 

added to this report. Most of the radiometric ages 

reported here were determined on deposits correlated 

with those along the Merced River. Discussions of 

regional geology and age control are included below; in 

addition, more site specific details are discussed for 

the Merced area, in the context of the regional 

mapping.

Origin of deposits and regional late Cenozoic 

stratigraphy

Throughout the eastern San Joaquin Valley, 

tectonic uplift and tilting and cyclical patterns of 

sedimentation have created a sequence of nested

Quaternary alluvial terraces that are incised into older 

units near the Sierran foothills and open into alluvial 

fans to the west. Successively younger fans spread 

westward over older fans; thus, many alluvial units 

grade westward from surface to subsurface expression 

(Marchand and Allwardt, 1981). Tectonic uplift and 

tilting of the Sierra Nevada are shown by depositional 

and erosional gradients in Tertiary and Quaternary 

units that increase with increasing age (Marchand, 

1977; Huber, 1981). Westward shift of fan apices in 

the Quaternary units over time suggests relative 

subsidence of the valley, a tectonic trend 

demonstrated by Croft (1968, 1972) in subsurface 

lacustrine deposits.

Although tilting and uplift of the Sierra Nevada 

have occurred during the late Cenozoic, several lines 

of evidence support a climatic control on pulses of 

alluviation in the eastern San Joaquin Valley. Janda 

and Croft (1967, p. 175) discounted eustatic control on 

deposition because alluvial units are found along the 

Kings and Kaweah Rivers, which drain internally into 

the Tulare Lake basin; similar stratigraphies in open 

and closed drainages indicate that sedimentation was 

not controlled by eustatic fluctuations in sea level. 

Janda and Croft discounted a tectonic origin for 

alluvial-fan deposition for the following two 

reasons. (1) Quaternary alluvium predates the last 

major tilting of the Sierra Nevada, which occurred 

before deposition of the Turlock Lake Formation. 

More recently, however, Huber (1981) argued that 

tectonic deformation has continued and even 

accelerated during the late Cenozoic, although he also 

supported a glacial origin of alluvium in Sierran drainages in the San Joaquin Valley. (2) No major 

unconformities were recognized in the San Joaquin

1-More recently, Atwater and others (1987) proposed 

that the Tulare Lake basin was not closed during parts 

of early and middle Wisconsin time.

A4 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Basin subsurface to indicate episodic subsidence that 

would have caused the episodic alluviation found 

upstream.

As Marchand (1977) and Marchand and Allwardt 

(1981) indicated, a climatic control of sedimentation is 

supported by several features. (1) Unweathered 

granitic silt and very fine sand resembling glacial rock 

flour are found at the bases of deposits in glaciated 

drainages (Arkley, 1962a; Janda, 1965) whereas coarse 

sand and gravel, also typical of glacial outwash, 

commonly overlie the silt near fan apices. (2) At least 

two alluvial units, the upper member of the Modesto 

Formation and the upper unit of the Turlock Lake 

Formation, are nearly contemporaneous with glacial 

events. A minimum age for the Tioga glaciation in the 

Sierra Nevada (Adam, 1967) and ages for the end of 

the main stade of the Wisconsin glaciation of 

midcontinental North America (Frye, 1973, p. 277) 

approximately correspond to the minimum age for the 

upper member of the Modesto Formation. The upper 

unit of the Turlock Lake is contemporaneous with the 

end of marine oxygen-isotope stage 16, a time characterized by glacial conditions (Shackleton and Opdyke, 

1976). (3) Uranium-trend ages (Rosholt, 1978, 1980; 

J.N. Rosholt, written communs., 1978, 1980, 1982) also 

coincide with the marine record for oxygen-isotope 

stages (Shackleton and Opdyke, 1976) of the end of 

glacial conditions.

Age control on alluvial units

The soils in this study compose the following 

time-stratigraphic units, from youngest to oldest : 

post-Modesto deposits; the upper and lower members 

of the Modesto Formation; the upper, middle, and 

lower units of the Riverbank Formation; the upper unit 

of the Turlock Lake Formation; and the China Hat 

Gravel Member of the Laguna Formation (fig. 2; table 

2). Most of the age information is from Marchand and 

Allwardt (1981), except for some uranium-trend ages 

reported more recently (J-N... Rosholt, written 

commun., 1982) and some new C ages obtained by 

B.F. Atwater (unpub. data, 1984).

Uncertainties in the ages (table 2) are associated 

both with the regional correlations of units and with 

local conditions at the sampling sites. Any available 

ages must be related to the geomorphic surface at the 

site of soil sampling. Subdivision of the formations is 

especially subject to uncertainty in the ages; for 

example, in some areas, multiple terraces in a major 

unit could represent only a local phenomenon, such as 

recent aggradation, and thus make regional correlation 

invalid. A strong argument for subdividing alluvial 

units on a regional scale is that similar numbers of 

subunits occur along the major Sierran streams. For 

example, three surfaces are commonly associated with

the Riverbank Formation; this regionwide repetition of 

stratigraphy suggests a regional rather than a local 

control of sedimentation.

A major problem with identification and age 

assignment of subunits is that they must be correlated 

by using soil and geomorphic characteristics, which 

may not differ significantly for the age span 

considered. A good example of this problem occurs 

along the Tuolumne River (see Marchand and Harden, 

1978), where four subunits or phases all have Hanford 

soils developed on them within the upper member of 

the Modesto Formation. Marchand and I distinguished 

these subunits throughout the quadrangle, but unless 

all four terrace levels are adjacent to each other, the 

differentiation is ambiguous, as we indicated by 

queries on our map. The uncertainty of stratigraphic 

assignment and correlation with dated localities varies 

among the different soil-sampling localities. Age 

control is discussed below, and sampling localities are 

considered for each stratigraphic unit to assess the 

reliability of age estimates (table 2).

Post-Modesto deposits

Post-Modesto alluvial deposits are divided into 

four units, all of which were mapped by Marchand and 

Allwardt (1981) along major Sierran streams in the 

northeastern San Joaquin Valley. Post-Modesto IV 

deposits, not sampled for this study, generally consist 

of unvegetated alluvium of channels and point bars. 

Post-Modesto HI (PM3) deposits, which form part of the 

modern flood plains, are 2 to 3 m above the modern 

stream channels (figs. 2, 3). Although no datable 

material has been found within post-Modesto HI 

deposits, very mature oak trees on the surface suggest 

that this surface is more than a few years old. 

Although I estimated that post-Modesto III deposits are 

0.2 ka old (table 2), the surface could be as old as 

about 3 ka on the basis of the age of post-Modesto II 

(PM2) deposits, or as young as a few years if there has 

been recent aggradation on the surface.

Post-Modesto II deposits, extensive along the 

Merced River near Snelling, form a surface about 3 to 

5 m above the modern channel (f ig^ 3). Marchand and 

Allwardt (1981, p. 63-64) reported 14C and U-Th ages 

that range from about 2 to 4.5 ka, but the dated 

deposits are situated near Orovilie and Stockton. A 

very conservative maximum age of 8.3 ka (sample 

Beta-2787) was provided by B.F. Atwater (written 

commun., 1983) on wood fragments in San Joaquin 

River deposits below the post-Modesto II surface near 

the mouth of the Tuolumne River. A more reasonable 

age estimate for post-Modesto II deposits is about 3 ka 

(table 2), but the post-Modesto II surface and soil could 

be younger if covered more recently by flood deposits.

The U.S. Geological Survey's convention of 

discussing units in the order of decreasing age is not 

followed here because this report focuses on the 

genesis of soils rather than on the evolution of 

geologic units.

Modesto Formation

The Modesto Formation is divided into two 

members (Marchand and Allwardt 1981). The upper 

member, which may include as many as four phases of 

alluvial filling and incision, may be as old as about 27 

to 29 ka at its base and as young as 8 or 9 ka at its

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California AS
Figure 2. Geologic map showing late Cenozoic deposits along the Merced River, 

chand (1976a, b, c, d) and Marchand and Allwardt (1981).

Geology compiled from Marsurface. The upper member appears to be correlative 

with the Tioga glaciation, which ended before about 

9.8 ka (Adam, 1967), and with the end of marine 

oxygen-isotope stage 2 of Shackleton and Opdyke 

(1976). The minimum constraining age of 8.23 ka is 

based on charcoal in San Joaquin River deposits that 

are set into the upper member at the toe of the 

Tuolumne River fan (table 2). The. maximum 

constraining age of 31.24 ka is based on C data on 

charcoal in deposits beneath the same late Modesto 

fan (table 2). Marchand and Allwardt (1981, p. 57) also 

cited a constraining (maximum) uranium-series age of 

about 29 ka by E.L. Begg on bone in basin alluvium 

mapped by Marchand and Allwardt as the lower unit of 

the Modesto Formation.

Both soil-sampling localities in the upper 

member of the Modesto Formation display features 

which suggest that the surface and soil are within the 

younger end of the age range of this unit. Site M31 is 

only 3 m above the modern stream channel (much like

post-Modesto II deposits), and its elevation appears to 

be somewhat low for the longitudinal profile of the 

terrace (fig. 3). The surface of site M46 is located 

along the projected profile of upper-member terraces 

(fig. 2), but the terrace is incised into, and somewhat 

younger than, the extensive eolian phase of the upper 

member (table 1). Both sites M31 and M46 were 

assigned an age of 10 ka, which corresponds to the 

closing phase of the glacial stage, but the surface and 

soils could be anywhere from about 8.2 to 14 ka (table 

2).

The age of the lower member of the Modesto 

Formation is somewhat ambiguous. Marchand and 

Allwardt (1981, p. 57) referred to the uranium-series 

age of 29 ka determined by E.L. Begg as a minimum 

age for the lower member. Atwater and others (1986), 

in their recent work on the Tulare Lake bed, 

tentatively correlated it with an early phase of the 

Tioga glacial deposits of the late Wisconsin glaciation 

and estimated an age of about 20 to 26 ka. Marchand

A6 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
EXPLANATION

Post-Modesto deposits (Holocene)

Modesto Formation (Pleistocene)-- Consists of: 

Upper Member--Divided into: 

Alluvial deposits

Eolian deposits 

Basin deposits

Lower Member Divided into: 

Alluvial deposits

Eolian deposits

Riverbank Formation (Pleistocene) 

Turlock Lake Formation (Pleistocene) 

North Merced Gravel (Pleistocene or Pliocene)

Laguna Formation (Pliocene) Consists of: 

China Hat Gravel Member

Lower part

Mehrten Formation (Pliocene and Miocene) 

Sedimentary and volcanic rocks, undivided (Tertiary)

Figure 2. Continued

and Allwardt (1981, p. 57) reported a uranium-trend 

age (Rosholt, 1980) of 95±45 ka on an early Modesto 

terrace, but this age has been modified because of new 

calibrations. The revised uranium-trend ages are 

42+16 ka for the alluvial terrace (sample M12, fig. 3) 

and 43+34 ka for the alluvial fan farther downstream 

(sample M14 of J.N. Rosholt, written commun., 

1982). If deposition of the major Sierran streams 

coincided with the later parts of glacial events, then 

deposition of the lower member might have coincided 

with the later part of isotope stage 4, at about 65 ka 

(Shackleton and Opdyke, 1976). A tentative age of 40 

ka was used for terrace deposits of the lower member 

of the Modesto Formation (table 2), which corresponds 

to the ages determined by J.N. Rosholt and is in the 

central part of the estimated age range from 20 to 70 

ka.

Riverbank Formation

The Riverbank Formation was divided by 

Marchand (1976a, b, c, d, e, f; 1977) into three units. 

The upper unit is separated in the subsurface from the 

middle and lower units by a disconformity and a buried 

soil (Marchand and Allwardt, 1981, p. 40). The upper 

unit was correlated with oxygen-isotope stage 6, on 

the basis of Marchand's model of sedimentation 

(Marchand, 1977) and on uranium-trend ages for soil 

sample R9 of this report (see fig. 3; table 2); its age of 

140+40 ka generally coincides with the end of marine 

oxygen-isotope stage 6 at about 127 ka (Shackleton and 

Opdyke, 1976). This uranium-trend age, however, does

not overlap the 260+60-ka uranium-trend age of 

sample RIO from the middle unit of the Riverbank 

Formation (table 2), which is compatible with the end 

of marine oxygen-isotope stage 8 at about 250 ka 

(Shackleton and Opdyke, 1976). Hansen and Begg 

(1970) determined an open-system uranium-series age 

of about 103 ka on bone from within Riverbank 

deposits at the Teichert Quarry in the Sacramento 

Valley (Shlemon, 1967). Marchand and Allwardt (1981, 

p. 41) considered this bone to be within the middle unit 

but that this age should be regarded only as a minimum 

for the middle unit. Subsequent uranium-trend data on 

the unit adjacent to the Teichert Quarry yield an age 

of 120+40 ka (J.N. Rosholt, written commun., 1982). 

Because the uranium-trend age corresponds to late 

Riverbank ages along the Merced River, and because 

this age does not overlap ages within the middle unit, I 

believe that the Teichert unit correlates with the 

upper unit of the Riverbank. In this case, the uraniumseries age determined by Hansen and Begg would be a 

minimum for all units of the Riverbank Formation.

Separation and correlation of the upper and 

middle units of the Riverbank Formation pose 

problems in the Snelling area, where the soils were 

sampled. Sampling sites are from Marchand and 

Allwardt's (1981) "reference section" for the three 

subunits, but topographic distribution in the study area 

may be less clear cut than their geologic map 

indicates. Topographic profiles of the Riverbank 

terraces (fig. 3) demonstrate that the upper unit is 

about 2 to 3 m above the middle unit. Because stream 

profiles appear to converge below the Merced RiverDry Creek confluence, the surfaces near the sampling 

sites are difficult to separate. The surfaces of sites 

R9 and R33 appear to be typical of those of stream 

profiles of the upper unit, but samples R2, RIO, and 

R32, mapped on the middle unit, occur at low elevations for the middle unit and could be from either the 

middle or upper unit. One of Marchand's (1977) 

mapping criteria for subdivision of the Riverbank 

Formation is that the middle unit is more extensive 

than the upper and lower units. Apparent convergence 

of the terrace at sites R2, RIO, and R32 with an 

extensive Riverbank surface along Dry Creek (fig. 2) 

supports Marchand's original claim that this terrace is 

one of the middle unit. Differentiation of the 

Riverbank units is a critical argument for interpreting 

the soil data because the soils of this study do not 

notably differ between the middle and upper units. 

These soils may be similar because they are developed 

in similar-age deposits, or the rate of soil development 

in this area may have declined after about 100 to 300 

ka. If the sampling sites from the upper and middle 

units of the Riverbank are actually on the same unit, 

their age is bracketed by 103 ka as a minimum (Useries age on bone) and by 305 ka as a maximum 

(oldest U-trend age on the upper and middle units of 

the Riverbank). These two units, however, were 

assigned ages of 130 and 250 ka, respectively (table 2), 

on the basis of the later parts of oxygen-isotope stages 

6 and 8 and on J.N. Rosholt's dating.

A minimum age for the lower unit of the 

Riverbank Formation appears to be provided by a 

uranium-trend age of about 260 ka on the middle unit; 

the maximum age is limited by a K-Ar age of about

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A7
Table 2. Age controls for alluvium in the northeastern San Joaquin Valley, California

[Map units from Marchand and Allwardt (1981). Underscores indicate most reliable ages. Approximate ends of marine oxygen-isotope stages from Shackleton and Opdy

compiled since report by Marchand and Allwardt (1981). n.a., not available]

Cfl

2.

i i

o

cnr» 

(U

i?

Map unit

Post-Modesto deposits

pmlll

pmll

Modesto Formation

Upper member (m2)

Lower member (ml)

Riverbank Formation 

Upper unit (r3)

Middle unit (r2)

Lower unit (rl)

Turlock Lake Formation

Upper unit (t2)

Laguna Formation 

China Hat Gravel

Member (Ich).

Soil 

sample 

(this 

study)

PM15

PM19

PM8 

PM13

PM14

PM15

PM17 

PM18

M31

M46

Ml 2

R9

R33

R2

RIO

R32

R30

T2 

T6

Til

CH1

CH2

CH3

Pertinent radiometric ages from the

Stratigraphically 

above unit Within unit 

(1 imiting minimum) (sample) 

(sample)

0 n.a.

n.a. 3. 33+0. 06 

(Beta-2788)

^8.2310.08 "14.110.2

(Beta-2787) (USGS-38)

7 31±21

(USGS-M31)

^K.ltO.Z in 29. 407+2. 027

(USGS-38) 42+16

(USGS-M14)

13 42. 4+1.0 ll4 103+6

42+16 7T4T!+TO

(USGS-R9)

7 145+ 20

(USGS-R33)

16 103±6 ? 260±45

 (USGS-R10)

"103+6 n.a.

"103±6 18 615±31

 L '570150

(USGS-T6)

Ir 615i6 n.a.

^730

Central Valley (ka)

Stratigraphically 

below unit 

(1 imiting maximum) 

(sample)

1 3. 33+0. 06

(Beta-2788)

14.1+0.2 

(USGS-38)

'8.23+0.08

(Beta-2787)

'31.24tO.32

°29.407t0.207

U 103±fi

7 ?60±45

(USGS-R10)

Ih 615+31

^615±31

u 615+31

7 570150

19 3, 000-4 ,000

2 -730

23 3, 000-4, 000

marine oxygen-isotope stages A

Other evidence a

for age control su

stanp Approximate date of 

Stage end of stage (ka)

 In most places, unit pmlll 

terraces cut into unit pmll.

 Unit pmll terraces cut into 

unit pml, where present.

2 13 Tulare Lake dam formed 26 ka; 

highest lake stand of the

Wisconsin glaciation.

4 70 Lower member buried or eroded 

by upper member in many

places; argillic horizon

suggests that unit ml is

significantly older than

unit m2.

6 Soil separating unit r3 rom 

units r2 and rl indica es

a significant differen e

in the age of the unit .

At least two units wit

strong soils separate

unit r3 from unit t2.

8 250 Sample sites possibly of 

same age as for unit r3.

10/12 330 Older than unit r2 or r3. 

16 

 3

1 ^*C age on wood in core 3 to 4 m below unit pmll and pmlll surfaces along the lower San Joaquin 

River.

2 Qn upper member of the Modesto Formation (B.F. Atwater, unpub. data, 1983).

3 **C age on charcoal of oxbow-lake deposit that appears to be cut by unit pmll and pmlll deposits 

of the lower San Joaquin River (B.F. Atwater, unpub. data, 1983).

^B.F. Atwater (unpub. data, 1983).

5 0n charcoal beneath unit m2 fan on the Kern River (Marchand and Allwardt, 1981).

6 0n wood in deposits of the lower San Joaquin River beneath unit m2 and ml fans along the Tuolumne River (B.F. Atwater, unpub. data, 1983; Atwater and others, in press).

7 J.N. Rosholt (unpub. data, 1984).

8 E.G. Begg (oral commun., 1980) and Marchand and Allwardt (1981).

'Marchand and Allwardt (1981).

10 U-series age on bone at top of unit ml (E.G. Begg, oral commun., 1980; Marchand and Allwardt, 

1981); Atwater and others (in press) estimate an age of 20 to 25 ka.

"Hansen and Begg (1970) and Marchand and Allwardt (1981).

12 Upper uncertainty bound of 70 ka corresponds to both the end of isotope stage 7 and the limiting age of the informally designated West Lake silt of Atwater and others (in press).

1J B.F. Atwater (unpub. data, 1983) and Atwater a

'"'U-series age (Atwater and others, in press) ci

in unit r2 deposit; correspondence with U-trend ages 

' c Upper uncertainty bound of 305 ka is U-trend m

16 Dalrymple (1980) and Marchand and Allwardt (19

17 Upper uncertainty bound of 570 ka is U-trend m

18 K-Ar age on ash at base of unit t2 (Dalrymple, 

"Limiting age on Hemphillian fauna in Stratigra

1981).

20 Lower uncertainty bound of 570 ka is U-trend m

?1 U-trend age that may indicate age of the surfa

1984).

 ''Gilbert-Gauss boundary age on lower unit of th

dyke, 1976).

- 3 Age of Hemphillian fauna found in the Stratigr

?l*Age corresponds to date of magnetic reversal i

assumed to be the Gilbert-Gauss boundary.
225

200

175

150

- 125

> 100

75

50

EXPLANATION

Post Modesto deposits pm3 A

pm2 *

Modesto Formation 

upper member m2 o 

lower member ml 

Riverbank Formation 

upper unit r3 o 

middle unit r2 o 

lower unit r 1 

Turlock Lake Formation (not shown) 

Laguna Formation

China Hat Gravel Member Ich x 

All sample localities capitalized

CH3 

CH2>

CH1X

1RA2

\PM15 

PM19 MRA3

M46 ___-- " " ~ ~ . - -zf~

t MERCED RIVER PROFILE

f CONFLUENCE OF DRY CREEK DRAINAGE

25 

0 

Figure 3. Profiles of Merced River terraces, showing sample localities (see supp. table 1).

HORIZONTAL SCALE -1:250,000 

VERTICAL EXAGGERATION X 200

750

700

600 

500 t

LL

2

2

400 O

< 

§

LLJ

300

200

100

615 ka (Janda, 1965, 1966; Dalrymple, 1980) on ash 

within the Turlock Lake Formation, and by a uraniumtrend age of 570150 ka for the upper unit of the 

Turlock Lake. Marchand (1977) and Marchand and 

Allwardt (1981) correlated the lower unit with oxygenisotope stage 10 but suggested that this unit could also 

correlate with stage 12. A tentative age of 330 ka was 

used for this study (table 2) to generally coincide with 

the later part of marine oxygen-isotope stage 10 of 

Shackleton and Opdyke (1976).

Turlock Lake Formation

At least two units compose the Turlock Lake 

Formation; they are separated by a well-developed 

buried soil at exposures near the town of Friant and in 

roadcuts near Turlock Lake (Marchand and Allwardt, 

1981, p. 26-27). This study includes soil samples from 

only the upper unit of the Turlock Lake because there 

are no surface exposures of the lower unit. Janda 

(1965, 1966) found a pumiceous ash at the base of, and 

conformable with, the upper unit of the Turlock 

Lake. This ash, now called the Friant Pumice Member 

of the Turlock Lake Formation, provides a maximum 

age for the deposit and has a K-Ar age of 615+31 ka 

(Dalrymple, 1980). In addition, uranium-trend ages of 

about 570 and 610 ka (table 2), may indicate ages for 

about the upper 3 m of the deposit and thus for the 

surface and soil.

Sampling sites for soils of the upper unit of the 

Turlock Lake Formation are located along the 

Tuolumne River where the deposits and surfaces are 

well defined by mapping criteria. The surface of the 

upper unit of the Turlock Lake is dissected, and 

although samples were collected on relatively flat 

topographic highs, the soils could have been partly 

eroded. Janda (1965) proposed that dissection of the 

surface occurred during deposition of the Riverbank 

Formation, and so the soils of the Turlock Lake 

deposits would have developed for a few hundred 

thousand years before dissection and partial erosion 

occurred.

China Hat Gravel Member of the Laguna Formation

The China Hat Gravel Member of the Laguna 

Formation, the oldest unit in the study area, occurs as 

a remnant of a late Tertiary gravel deposit of the 

Merced River near the town of Snelling (fig. 2). The 

gradient of the China Hat deposits along the Merced 

River is considerably steeper than those of younger 

alluvial units (fig. 3), and paleochannels in the China 

Hat Gravel Member have a more southerly trend than 

those in younger alluvial units (Marchand, 1977, p. 39- 

41).

A maximum age for the China Hat Gravel 

Member is provided by a vertebrate fauna of latest 

Hemphillian age (3,000-4,000 ka) from the underlying

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A9
Miocene and Pliocene Mehrten Formation (Marchand 

and Allwardt 1981, p. 19). Wahrhaftig and Sir man 

(1965, p. 314, table 2) and Marchand and Allwardt 

(1981, p. 19) correlated the China Hat Gravel Member 

with the Pliocene Tuscan Formation in the Sacramento 

Valley, which includes the Nomlaki Tuff Member, 

dated at about 3,300 ka near its base. Marchand and 

Allwardt (1981, p. 19) also correlated the China Hat 

with gravel deposits in the Kings River, which contain 

basalt clasts about 3,800 ka old (Huber, 1981, p. 

1194). Furthermore, Marchand and Allwardt (1981, p. 

19) and Busacca (1982) discussed a magnetic reversal 

discovered by K.L. Verosub within the Laguna 

Formation in the Sacramento Valley and tentatively 

assigned it to the Gilbert Reversed/Gauss Normal 

Polarity Chrons boundary, at about 3,400 ka. For this 

study, an age of 3,000 ka was used for the surface; this 

age is constrained between about 730 ka (magnetic 

reversal within the younger North Merced Gravel) and 

4,000 ka (Hemphillian fossil in the next oldest unit, the 

Mehten Formation) (table 2).

Soils found in the China Hat deposits were 

sampled on the flat, relatively uneroded tops of 

surface remnants. Mima-mound topography 

(Nikiforoff, 1941) is ubiquitous across the terrace 

surface, and soils were sampled at the tops of the 

mounds. Soil excavations revealed many filled animal 

burrows of different ages, as evidenced by varying 

degrees of redness, hardness, and clay-film development (see supp. table 1). Gopher activity probably 

played an important role in the formation of these 

mounds (Arkley and Brown, 1954). Concentric collapse 

features were also observed all along a depression 

(intermound area), suggesting collapse related to 

chemical loss or to ground-water dissolution 

(Nikiforoff, 1941).

As discussed above, there are considerable 

uncertainties in the dating of these surfaces. The 

uncertainties in both age estimates of the surfaces and 

in variation of the soils are shown schematically by 

horizontal and vertical error bars in figures 6, 7, 10, 

and 11.

Provenance for Merced River deposits

Deposits along the Merced River were chosen for 

this study to limit the variation in mineralogy of the 

soil parent material. The Merced River drains about 

600 km of granitic terrane of the Sierra Nevada and 

about 150 km of metamorphic and marine 

sedimentary rocks of the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Holocene alluvium along the Merced River has a 

larger component of mafic minerals than do older 

alluvial units, apparently in relation to a climatic 

control of erosion in the Merced River drainage 

basin. Janda (1966) discussed the relation of erosion 

rates in the Sierra Nevada and foothills to the origin of 

alluvium along the major Sierran streams. Under 

glacial conditions, most of the erosion and, thus, the 

sediment supply is from the glaciated headwaters of 

major Sierran streams. Under interglacial conditions 

and, possibly, during transitions into or out of glacial 

events, more erosion takes place in the Sierran foothills, which is underlain mainly by metavolcanic and 

metasedimentary rocks.

Janda's (1966) conclusions are borne out by the 

higher content of mafic minerals in Holocene deposits 

along the Merced River. Some mineralogic and 

chemical trends of the soils developed in Merced River 

alluvium suggest that the Holocene deposits contain 

more metamorphic (foothill derived) debris in comparison with the older units. In general, metamorphic 

rocks of the foothills contain more pyroxene and less 

zircon than do granodiorites of the Sierra Nevada 

(Roger, 1966), and the pyroxene/zircon ratio of C 

horizons is much higher for Holocene (younger than 10 

ka) than for older soils (fig. 4). Etching categories of 

some of the heavy minerals also indicate unusual 

characteristics of the Holocene soils. In older soils, 

increase in etching with age indicates systematic 

weathering of consecutively older units. Clinopyroxene and hornblende grains, however, are more 

etched in late Holocene than in early Holocene soils 

(fig. 5), a difference which may indicate that the late 

Holocene deposits have inherited etched grains from 

previously weathered sources. The Holocene soils also 

contain unusually large amounts of total Mg, 

exchangeable Mg and H, smectites, and oxalateextractable and total Fe, and have high ratios of fine 

to total clay (see supplementary tables), which suggest 

reworking of previously weathered materials rich in 

ferromagnesian rocks of the foothills.

EVALUATION OF SOIL DEVELOPMENT 

Site selection and sampling criteria

Sampling sites had to meet the following requirements to be included in this chronosequence study. 

Ideally, sites had not been cultivated, had 0- to 3- 

percent slopes, showed no active erosion, were on 

well-drained, sandy alluvium, and had a grassland 

vegetation. The requirement that excluded the largest 

area was cultivation. Most of the eastern San Joaquin 

Valley is intensely cultivated, typically including 

grading of surfaces, plowing of the upper half-meter of 

soil, and addition of large amounts of fertilizers, 

herbicides, and other soil amendments. All sampling 

sites in the study area were free from major grading, 

some sites had been farmed lightly, and all sites had 

been grazed by livestock at some time in the historical 

past.

q Although alluviation along major streams may 

have coincided with Holocene glaciations in response 

to climatic fluctuations (Marchand and Allwardt,

1981), alluvial deposits in the valley were probably 

derived primarily from the metamorphic rocks in the 

foothills. Several late Holocene moraines are still 

confined to the high alpine areas on the west slope of 

the Sierra Nevada (Curry, 1969; Yount and others,

1982), and preservation of these moraines indicates 

that the granitic debris was not captured by western 

drainages.

A10 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
10

pm3 pm2 m2 ml r3 r2 

HOLOCENE | PLEISTOCENE 

RELATIVE AGE

Figure 4. Ratio of pyroxene to zircon grains in the 

very fine sand fraction of C horizons of Merced soils. 

See table 2 for map units; data listed in supplementary 

table 4.

4.2

3.6

LU

^

O

(/)

/rj 3.0

Z

I

O

h- 2 4

LU

1.8

-

Z

z

z

h

-

h 

h

~

Z

Z

Z h

z z

h z

z z

h h

h 

h

h

h

Z

Z

h

h Z

h

z z z

h h

h

Z

h

h

h

Z 

Z

pm3 pm2 m2 ml r3 r2 t2 

HOLOCENE | PLEISTOCENE 

RELATIVE AGE

Figure 5. Etching scale of hornblende (h) and zircon 

(Z) grains from the very fine sand fraction of Merced 

soils. Etching scale after Gillam and others (1977).

Another requirement that excluded many 

potential sites was internal (vertical) drainage. Many 

soils in the Central Valley have hardpans cemented by 

carbonates, iron oxides, or silica that greatly affect 

the movement of soil water. Such hardpans may have 

formed as a result of initial stratification or drainage 

boundaries in the soil parent material (Marchand, 

1976a; Harden and Marchand, 1977). Soils with hardpans were avoided in this study so as to compare only 

well-drained soils. All sites were sampled on topographic highs with slopes of 0 to 3 percent.

Further requirements of uniform vegetation and 

uniform parent-material texture were generally met, 

as outlined in figure 2 and generalized below for the

study area. Sampling pits were excavated by backhoe 

or by hand, or sampled along a roadcut or bluff (in 

which case the site was dug at least a meter inward 

from the exposed vertical cut). Soils were sampled at 

least to the depth of the B3 (BC) horizons. Soils were 

described in the field (Soil Survey staff, 1962) and 

analyzed for several chemical, physical, and 

mineralogic properties; most of the analyses were 

described in detail by Singer and Janitsky (1986):

Soil-forming 

factor

Climate 

VegetationTopography 

Parent materialAge (ka) 

Description

Xeric moisture regime (mean 

annual precipitation, 30 

cm), thermic temperature 

regime (mean annual 

temperature, 16 °C).

Perennial, annual grasses, 

scattered oaks (Quercus 

lobata).

Topographic highs, 0- to 3- 

percent slopes.

Sand-loamy texture, 

granitic composition.

0.2-3,000

Assumptions and methods

Some important limitations affect the interpretation of a soil chronosequence. Soil-forming factors 

other than time differ among the sampling sites, and 

so the differences in soils would be due not only to age 

but also to differences in other factors. If the variations in other factors is random within the chronosequence, then trends with increasing age are 

dominated by time rather than by other factors. For 

example, if precipitation at the sampling sites 

increased covariantly with age, then soil differences 

are due not only to age but also to the precipitation 

gradient. In the study area, precipitation increases 

slightly with the age of these soils, but this effect is 

thought to be minimal. Random differences in soilforming factors (other than time) among the sampling 

sites might be an important source of soil variations, 

and accounting for these variations is likely to improve 

the age trends.

A similar complexity in a chronosequence is 

climatic change over time; older soils might have 

undergone more variations in climate, as well as drier 

or wetter climates, in comparison with younger soils. 

In the study area, soils older than those of the upper 

member of the Modesto Formation underwent at least 

one full glacial-to-interglacial cycle, and successively 

older soils underwent successively more cycles an 

attribute of cumulative frequency and not necessarily 

one of differences in inherent precipitation. Because 

Holocene soils were developed only in Holocene, 

interglacial climates, important climate-related 

differences may exist between Holocene and preHolocene soils.

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California All
Reference to soil processes and pathways of soil 

development may be misleading if only chronosequence 

data are considered. For example, a soil property such 

as clay content may change systematically with age, 

but older soils may have had clay forming in place, 

whereas younger soils may have received clay from 

flood deposits. In addition, the systematicness of a 

plot of a soil property versus age does not necessarily 

reflect a continuous process. Because the deposits in 

this study were apparently generated during similar 

(late) phases in a climatic cycle, stepwise functions or 

some other pathway of soil development (such as the 

"soil-forming intervals" proposed by Morrison, 1967) 

would not be evident simply from age plots of soil 

properties. As Yaalon (1975) emphasized, the use of 

chronosequences to decipher pathways of soil genesis 

would be improved by smaller increments between the 

ages of deposits. The rates of soil or soil-property 

development are useful, but only as an empirical 

measure of cumulative processes. In figures 6, 7, and 

9 through 12, the term "age" rather than "time" is used 

on the x.-axis to emphasize this shortcoming.

Uncertainty in the numerical ages affects the 

correlation between soil properties and age; this 

uncertainty is large in most cases (a factor of 2 is 

typical). The uncertainty, expressed as a percentage, 

differs between age groups and generally is not 

centered about the best-estimate ages, and so the 

errors are not symmetrical. Several different 

graphical and numerical approaches are used to 

represent age uncertainties and their bearing on interpretation.

Laboratory-measurement error is small in 

comparison with the natural soil variation represented 

by replicate soils on a given terrace (Harden, 1982b; 

Singer and Janitzky, 1986). As a result, by 

analyzing replicate soils on given deposits, soil variation encompasses the smaller laboratory error.

Trends of soil development with increasing age

Some soil properties develop rapidly or regularly 

within a given age interval, before or after which the 

properties decline or do not develop with age, or show 

irregular age trends (figs. 6, 7). Possible intermittent 

action of soil processes over long timespans results in 

a time dependence of soil-property development. Soil 

properties are discussed below according to the 

processes that may be time dependent, although such 

time dependence is hypothetical and limited by the 

numerous assumptions discussed above.

Clay content, rubification (figs. 6_A, 6B), iron 

oxide content (fig. 7C) and the soil-development index 

(explained in detail for these soils by Harden, 1982a) 

increase throughout the 3,000-ka age span of these 

soils. These four properties increase most strikingly at 

first, then increase more slowly during later stages 

(older units) of soil development. Soil-property curves 

are bowl shaped if plotted against age on a log scale, 

and straighten when plotted as log (soilHog (age) 

functions. Development of these properties is clearly 

nonlinear over such long timespans.

For young (as old as 10 ka) deposits of the 

Merced area, organic-matter content increases with

soil age. Soils of this age range can be differentiated 

on the basis of their carbon content and by darkening 

and thickening of the A horizons, represented by 

melanization (fig. 6C!). Although all soil characteristics vary somewhat, owing to stratification of the 

alluvium, strata in the upper meter are mixed by biotic 

(animals and plant roots) and mineralogic (swelling of 

grains) processes and weather fluctuations (freezethaw, shrink-swell). After about 10 ka, organic-carbon 

content and melanization generally decline irregularly 

with age, possibly in relation to a decline in soil 

fertility and in response to the climatic changes that 

are inherent in the trends of older soils.

After stabilization of the surface, soil 

structure forms (see supp. table 1), and peds become 

harder or firmer as binding agents develop, such as 

sesquioxides and organic matter. Buildup of binding 

agents is evident from the increase in hardness as 

measured by dry consistence of soils younger than 

about 100 ka (fig. 6D). Most of the structure and 

hardness in young (Holocene) soils develop in the A 

horizons, whereas in older (Pleistocene) soils, further 

changes occur mostly in the B horizons. After about 

100 to 600 ka of soil development, consistence and 

structure apparently reach a maximum state of 

development, whereafter structure and consistence 

generally decline unsystematically. Commensurate 

with the development of consistence and structure in 

these soils, bulk density begins to increase within a 

few hundred years of surface stabilization, and then 

reaches a maximum after about 100 to 300 ka (see 

supp. table 2). 4

Properties related to clay formation and translocation and to soil acidity develop most noticeably in 

soils older than about 100 ka. Although the total clay 

content increases in both young and old soils (fig. 6JJ), 

morphologic evidence for increase in clay content is 

unclear until sometime between about 10 and 100 ka, 

as indicated by increases in clay films (fig. 7J3) and 

total texture. Soil acidity, indicated by pH lowering in 

figure 7D, develops mostly between about 600 and 

3,000 ka.

Most physical and morphologic properties appear 

to be unaffected by mineralogic differences in the 

parent materials, as evidenced by smooth, systematic 

age curves through the Holocene to Pleistocene. Some 

soil parameters, however, particularly those measured 

by chemical analyses, appear to be highly sensitive to 

the mineralogic differences between deposits. Age 

trends of dith ion ite-ex tractable Fe (fig. 7C!) 

demonstrate the difference between Holocene and preHolocene deposits. Most chemical analyses must be 

evaluated separately for these two age groups because 

the parent materials differ. Although the totalchemical analyses are discussed below only for 

Pliocene and Pleistocene age ranges, the same 

processes clearly must have occurred during the 

Holocene as well (there have been considerable

Increase of kaolinite content over time suggests 

that this clay mineral is forming in these soils (see 

supp. table 4).

A1Z Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
<

CJ

1.2

0.8

01

2

01 0.4

O 

cc.

Q.

10 2 10 4 

AGE, IN YEARS

10 6

c

10 2 104 106 

AGE, IN YEARS

300

01 

O

200

100

o (/)

10 s

10 £

Figure 6. Examples of soil properties that develop 

over long timespans (A, B) and for initial timespans (Cj 

D). _A, Rubification. J3, Clay content. C_, Melanization. D, Dry consistence. Points and numbers indicate 

number of samples and best-estimate ages. Vertical

1.8 -

S 1.2

cc.

Q

O 

cc. 

o.

0.6

0 -

102 10 4 

AGE, IN YEARS

10 6 108

102 10 4

AGE, IN YEARS

10e 10 6

dimension of boxes indicates one standard deviation 

for replicate soil profiles on same surface; horizontal 

dimension indicates total age uncertainty (table 2). 

Field properties in figures 6^ 6C_, and 6D^ from Harden 

(1982a).

transformations in the youngest Pleistocene soil, which 

shows no evidence of reworked, preweathered parent 

material).

major-elemental composition of the A-horizon silt plus 

clay are used to demonstrate the methods used for 

data interpretation.

Major- and trace-element chemistry

Two size fractions, 2 mm (whole soil) and silt 

plus clay (fine), were separated and analyzed for total 

amounts of major and trace elements. Major 

elemental oxides were determined by X-ray fluorescence (see supp. tables 5, 6), and trace elements were 

determined by instrumental neutron activation (see 

supp. tables 7, 8). The composition of the sand 

fraction was also determined by calculating the 

difference between the whole-soil and fine fractions. 

Samples chosen for analysis generally include the 

lowermost Al horizon, the B horizon containing the 

most clay, and the lowermost C horizon. Trends in

Relative rates of element loss

The concentrations of major elements change 

profoundly over the 3,000-ka age span of these soils. 

Greater understanding of these changes requires that 

actual losses or gains of an element be distinguished 

from apparent changes caused by the opposite loss or 

gain of other constituents. Two methods were devised 

to determine the losses and gains of elements over 

time. The first method, referred to as the accumulation-series method, examines elemental ratios over 

time; the second method, referred to as the net-loss 

method, uses Merrill's (1906) loss equation, in which a 

stable constituent and a standard are defined for

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A13
01 

DC

3

X ,,

LU 2

_ 9 _______ c ^/

- B

iE 2

10 2 10 4 106 

AGE, IN YEARS

-5 B

102 104 

AGE, IN YEARS

10 6

10

DC 

. LU

o kj 

E I

LU H 

QQ LU

t D.

Z CO

O ^

fi 2

o -

0

or

UJ

2

I

Q.

O 2

DC 

O.

i r

10 2 10

AGE, IN YEARS

10 10 fc

I_____i

102 10 4 106 

AGE, IN YEARS

Figure 7. Examples of soil properties that show changes after 100 ka. Aj Total texture. IJ, Clay films. Cj 

Dithionite-extractable Fe. Dj pH lowering. Vertical dimension of boxes indicates one standard deviation for 

replicate soils on deposit; horizontal dimension of box indicates total age uncertainty (table 2). Field properties 

in figures 7 A_ and 7B^ from Harden (1982a).

calculating actual losses (positive values) or gains 

(negative loss values) of other constituents. Both 

methods allow for net loss or net sain of elements.

Methods for an accumulation series of elemental 

oxides

In the accumulation-series method (fig. 8), a 

ratio of two elements is tested for significant 

increases or decreases with age. The order of

accumulation or depletion of elements is obtained by 

comparing the concentration of each element to that 

of every other element in a ratio and by tabulating the 

consecutive order of accumulation or depletion. The 

term "accumulation" is used here because it can mean 

net gain or only apparent gain by loss of other constituents. Net depletion or dilution by other elements can 

also cause relative accumulations. Rank correlation is 

used to test the age trends in which elemental ratios 

and age are both ranked from low to high categories. 

The (ranked) elemental ratio is then regressed against 

the (ranked) age. In this case, only the relative age

A14 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Spearman's rho coefficient for rank ratio versus rank age 

NUMERATOR

Si Al Fe Ca Na Ti Zr

Si

Al

Fe

Mg

Ca

Na

K

Tl

Zr

...

.369

-.033

.567

.758

.680

.649

-.313

.805

-0.369

 

-.651

.563

.767

.641

-.056

-.707

-.129

0.033

.651

...

.615

.770

.661

.565

-.217

-.078

-0.567

-.563

-.615

 

.662

.263

-.483

-.565

-.500

-0.758

-.767

-.770

-.662

 

-.683

-.773

-.771

-.675

-0.680

-.641

-.661

-.263

-.683

-.605

-.662

-.714

-0.649

.056

-.565

.483

-.773

.605

 

-.670

-.609

0.313

.707

.217

.565

.771

.662

.670

 

.075

-0.805

.129

.078

.500

.675

.714

.609

-.075

 

NUMERATOR

Accumulated relative to 

numerator

Ti.Fe

Fe.Al.Si

Zr,Mn,P,Ti ,K,Na,Mg,Fe,Al ,Si

Zr.P.Ti ,K,Fe,Fe,Al ,Si

Zr.Ti ,Fe,Si

Depleted relative to 

numerator

Mg,Ca,Na,K,Mn,Zr

Mg.Ca.Na

Al ,Mg,Ca,Na,K,Mn

Ca.Ti.P (K.Zr)

Ca 

Mg.Ca.Na

Ti,Fe>Al>K>Mg,Na>Ca 

Si>K

Figure 8. Example of method for deriving an accumulation series for relative rates of element loss or 

gain. Aj Element ratios for A-horizon fine fraction, 

ranked and regressed against ranked age for Spearman's rho correlation. B, Element ratios listed as 

accumulated or depleted if significant at 5-percentconfidence level (r_>0.66). Numbers in parentheses, 

significant at 5- to 10-percent-confidence level. Cj 

Series tabulated for relative rates of accumulation, 

with highest rates to left or most depleted to right.

must be known to determine the relative rates of 

element loss. The resulting correlation, or Spearman's 

rho coeffiecient (Tate and Clelland, 1957), is then a 

test for whether or not the elemental ratio changes 

significantly with relative age. Figure 8 illustrates 

this procedure. If an elemental ratio increases significantly with age, then the element in the numerator is 

said to accumulate relative to the element in denominator. A decreasing ratio indicates the reverse; if the 

ratio does not change significantly over time, the 

trend is not considered to be pedologically 

significant.

A constant ratio would infer that the elements 

are lost or gained at the same rate. Typically, 

however, when ratios do not change significantly with 

age, there is considerable scatter in the regression. 

Such scatter is likely to be caused by parent-material 

variation; therefore, statistical tests consider only 

significant changes with age.

For the silt-plus-clay fraction of the A horizons, 

Spearman's rho coefficients were determined for each 

(ranked) elemental ratio versus (ranked) age. For each 

element, the correlations of its ratio to the other 

elements are evaluated. If the ratio changes significantly (at the 5-percent-confidence level), then the 

relative loss or gain is tabulated (fig. 8B) by listing 

decreases with age to the right and increases to the 

left of the numerator (center column, fig. 8B). 

Elements listed to the right may be lost more rapidly 

or gained more slowly than a given element; elements 

listed to the left are either lost more slowly or gained 

more rapidly than the given element. The 

accumulation series of all elements is then tallied with 

accumulated or concentrated constituents to the left 

of other elements. For the A-horizon silt-plus-clay 

fraction, Fe, Ti, Si, and Al increase, and the alkalineearth elements are depleted, relative to Zr (a stable 

constituent; fig. 8C).

Methods for calculating loss percents of elemental 

oxides

Rates of element loss or gain can also be 

determined by using Merrill's (1906) loss equation, in 

which a stable or resistant species and an unweathered 

parent material are used as standards to monitor net 

changes in other constituents. For relative rates of 

element loss, the slopes of regression equations are 

used from correlating percent loss with age. 

Estimates of real percent loss can also be made, 

although many assumptions and limitations are used in 

these estimates.

Using the equation of Merrill (1906) for percent 

loss, and using Zr as the resistant species, Ca loss from 

the A horizons can be estimated as follows:

Ca loss =

Ca Zr. - Ca.Zr 

pm A____A pm

Ca Zr. 

pm A

where pm signifies the parent material and A the A 

horizon.

For this study, Zr was used as the resistant 

species, and sample M12 was used as the parent 

material for all soils. Zr appears to be the most stable 

constituent, as indicated by its concentration in sand 

separates relative to the decreases in most other 

elements (see supp. tables 5-8). This stability is commensurate with the consistently low etching index of 

zircon grains in soils of various age (see supp. table 

4). Barshad (1964), Wild (1961), Sudom and St. Arnaud 

(1971), and Busacca (1982) also found that Zr and 

zircon grains in soils are relatively resistant to loss 

and mobility. Given the resistance of Zr, element 

percent loss can be estimated by using Zr as a 

resistant species and by using a soil standard that 

represents the parent material. The Cl horizon of a 

soil from the lower member of the Modesto Formation 

(sample M12, from 20.1- to 23.1-cm depth) was chosen 

as the parent material for all soils because most soils 

were not sampled deep enough to reach relatively 

unweathered C horizons.

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A15
Use of a single parent material has the following 

advantages: (1) all data are normalized to a given 

standard; and (2) when element loss is plotted against 

age, the slopes of the curves do not change if the 

standard is changed. Thus, the estimated rates are 

good approximations that will change only when age 

uncertainties are considered. The disadvantages of 

using a single sample for the parent material are that 

(1) minor variations in parent material are not represented by the calculation; and (2) the intercepts, or 

estimates of loss percents, are not so valid because 

they depend on the chosen parent material. 

Mineralogic and chemical compositions of parent 

materials are assumed to be similar for Merced soils 

older than Holocene. Any variations among parent 

materials are most likely random and thus will 

increase scatter in the regression analysis. Holocene 

soils are not included because of compositional differences, and soils from the middle unit of the Riverbank 

Formation are omitted to ensure the correct order of 

ages (relative age).

Uncertainty of age estimates is a more complex 

problem for regressions of percent-loss calculations. 

Whereas relative age is established by the sequence of 

terraces, quantitative age can be listed only as a range 

(table 2). Most significantly, the uncertainty varies 

among the different deposits (as indicated by boxes in 

figs. 6 and 7). To determine the extent to which this 

uncertainty in age affects the correlation between 

chemical losses and age, the ages of units were

allowed to vary within their constraints, and the 

resulting effects on regression were determined. If 

the slopes of the regressions maintain a similar order 

for all elements, then regression techniques can 

decipher relative rates of element loss by using bestestimate, assigned ages (table 2). Otherwise, relative 

rates of loss must rely on the accumulation-series 

method, using rank regression.

Ages of the different pre-Holocene units were 

varied for different regression analyses to test how 

age uncertainties affect the calculated rates of 

element loss. In table 3, these tests include various 

combinations of minimum and maximum ages, as well 

as the best-estimate age assignments listed in table 

2. In general, the combinations chosen include those 

of maximum constraints on young ages with minimum 

constraints on old ages for finding maximum slopes, 

and the reverse (minimums for young and maximums 

for old) for minimum slopes. This technique is used in 

later sections of this report to estimate rates of soil 

development.

Regardless of the combination of possible ages 

used in regression (table 3), the order of slopes remains 

the same for percent loss. One exception is the order 

of Ca and Na loss, but these rates are so close that the 

differences are probably insignificant. For ordering 

the rates of loss, then, it is valid to use the relative 

order of slopes from regression of percent loss versus 

best-estimate age. Such regressions probably would be 

invalid if the relative age order were uncertain.

Table 3. Variation in rates of element loss from the A-horizon silt-plus-clay fraction, when age uncertainties are 

considered

[Ages used for trials: 1, best-estimate ages; 2 and 3, best-estimate ages with one young and one old constraint; 4 through 7, combined young, old, and bestestimate ages (see table 2). Rates vary by a factor of about 1.7. _S, standard deviation of predicted y_ values]

Age used for trial (ka)

Map unit

ml

r3

rl

t2

CH

40

130

330

600

3,000

70

130

330

600

3,000

40

130

330

600

1,000

20

130

330

600

4,000

70

130

330

600

4,000

20

103

250

570

4,000

70

250

440

615

1,000

Element Regression ange in rates (trial)

Al

(£=8)

Ca 

(_n=8)

Mg

(_n=8)

Fe

(_n=8)

Na 

(_n=8)

Slope

y-intercept

r

I

Slope 

y-intercept

i

Slope

j^-intercept

I

Slope

y-intercept T2

I

Slope 

^-intercept 

r2

1

percent/logjg yr

percent loss

.01 percent

percent loss

percent/logjo yr 

percent loss 

.01 percent

percent loss

percent/logjQ yr

percent loss 

.01 percent

percent loss

percent/1 ogjfj yr

percent loss 

.01 percent

percent loss

percent/1 og 10 yr 

percent loss 

.01 percent

percent loss

0.213

-1.05

.572

.11

.412 

-1.83 

.740

.15

.319

-1.25 

.594

.16

.124

-.452 

.621

.06

.405 

-.208 

.691

.167

0.249

-1.26

.651

.10

.458 

-2.10 

.758

.15

.354

-1.45 

.606

.16

.140

-.545 

.656

.06

.459 

-2.39 

.736

.15

0.223

-1.09

.432

.13

.460 

-2.07 

.633

.18

.358

-1.45 

.517

.18

.136

-.526 

.537

.066

.436 

-2.22

.550

.20

0.170

-.804

.506

.12

.343 

-1.44 

.714

.16

.266

-.949 

.574

.17

.101

-.326 

.582

.06

.333 

-1.67 

.650

.18

0.171

-.805

.537

.12

.340 

-1.41 

.730

.15

.264

-.927 

.590

.16

.099

-.312 

.582

.063

.333 

-1.65 

.675

.172

0.278

-1.40

.517

.12

.537 

-2.50 

.664

.17

.418

-1.78 

.540

.173

.165

-.676 

.585

.06

.521 

-2.70 

.603

.19

0.267 0.170 (4) to 0.278 (6)

-1.36

.360

.14

.588 0.340 (5) to 0.588 (7) 

-2.84 

.605

.19

.458 0.264 (5) to 0.458 (7)

-2.05 

.493

.18

.173 0.099 (5) to 0.173 (7)

-.738 

.490

.07

.548 0.333 (4, 5) to 0.548 (7) 

-2.90 

.508

.21

A16 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Regression lines and best-estimate ages were also used 

to order the rates of element loss in other size fractions of the A and B horizons (fig. 9; table 4).

Resulting orders of rates of element loss

The accumulation-series and net-loss methods 

generally agree on the relative order of element loss. 

For example, for the A-horizon fine fraction, the order 

is Ti, Fe > Al > K > Mn > Na > Ca by the accumulationseries method and Si > Zr > K > Mn > Na > Ca by the netloss method. The major difference in these two 

methods is that the net-loss method lists fewer 

elements, because it relies only on the significance of 

ratios with Zr versus time. In general, alkaline-earth 

elements are lost more rapidly than sesquioxides. Al is 

added more slowly to this fraction than Fe, as a result 

of either faster Fe dissolution of the sand fraction or 

more rapid incorporation into the fine fraction, in 

comparison with Al. The poor correlation of Zr ratios 

seen in the accumulation series (fig. 8_A) suggests that 

although there are distinguishable differences in losses 

of Ti, Al, and Fe based on interrelations of these 

elements, Zr may not serve as a good index for 

monitoring their net loss. Indeed, Zr may not be truly 

stable, and so small losses or even gains of Zr into the 

silt or clay fraction would make the ratio correlation 

indeterminant. Relative to Al, there is a net gain of 

Ti and Fe. The increase in dithionite-extractable Fe 

over time (fig. 7C_) verifies that Fe tends to be 

sustained in this fraction. Mabee (1978) found that 

magnetite grains incorporate Ti into the soils sampled 

in this study, an observation that explains the influx of 

Ti into this fraction relative to Al and, possibly, Fe.

The order of element loss varies among size 

fractions and horizons (table 4) in relation to processes 

of dissolution, translocation, and size fractionation. In 

the sand fraction of B horizons (fig. 9; table 4), the 

order of element loss is: Zr (most resistant) <Si<Al, 

K<Na<Ca. Cementation of fine particles into sandsize grains is not evident in these soils, and so the 

elements in the sand fraction are an index of the 

relative retention of elements by primary mineral 

grains, or, in other words, an index of dissolution. 

Mineral grains generally release Ca, Mg, and Na more 

readily than Si, Al, and K, and (or) minerals rich in Ca, 

Mg, and Na are more easily weathered than those rich 

in Si, Al, and K. There may be a net gain of Ti and, 

possibly, Fe into the sands via the magnetic grains 

(Mabee 1978), but there is no systematic change over 

time of either element relative to Zr.

In contrast to the order of element loss from the 

sand fraction, the silt-plus-clay fraction of B horizons 

gains Al, Ti, Fe, and Si (table 4). These elements may 

be weathering from sand grains and upper soil horizons 

and reprecipitating in the B-horizon clays. Clay 

mineralogy (see supp. table 4) indicates a regular 

increase of kaolinite over time. Although the 

mineralogy explains the influx of Al into the fine 

fraction, there is no strong evidence for desilication of 

the illite-dominated parent material. The influx of Ti 

can be explained by incorporation into both magnetite 

and octahedral layers of clays (Barshad, 1953), possibly 

in the abundant vermuculite clays (see supp. table 4).

The relative order of element loss from the lessthan-2-mm fraction in B horizons is generally similar 

to that in the sand fraction, where Zr > Fe > Al > Na > 

Ca>Mg (percent-loss method, table 4). If, indeed, 

there are net losses of Fe and Al in the less-than-2- 

mm fraction, they are due mostly to dissolution of 

sand grains, because there are net gains of these 

elements in the silt-plus-clay fraction. The relative 

loss of Ca and Na is similar to that in the sand but 

different from that in the fine fraction (percent-loss 

method, table 4), possibly owing to incorporation of Na 

into secondary compounds or minerals. Silica is lost 

more readily from sand than is Al (accumulation-series 

method, table 4), but the reverse is true for the fine 

fraction. Thus, enrichment of Al in the whole soil is 

due to rates of Al and Si enrichment of clays rather 

than to rates of Al and Si release from sands.

Several other studies have estimated the relative 

rates of element loss, and despite differences in their 

methodologies, their results are nearly identical to 

those of this study. Comparing fresh to weathered 

rock or less-than-2-mm soil, Steidtmann (1908) 

concluded that Al is concentrated (gained more rapidly 

or lost more slowly) at higher rates than Fe, although 

Goldich (1938) found the reverse to be true. Both of 

these reports found that Si is intermediate in rate of 

loss between the sesquioxides (Fe and Al) and Na, Mg, 

and Ca. Because Si constitutes more than 60 percent 

of the elemental analyses, volumes of Si loss could be 

substantial. Although the losses of Na, Mg, and Ca 

were greater than those of other elements, their 

relative order varied among the studies and was 

related in part to the composition of the parent rock. 

Colman (1982) found similar rates of accumulation or 

loss in basalt and andesite, where Ti>Fe>K>Al>Si> 

Mg>Na>Ca.

This study generally confirms the conclusions of 

other workers, although the approach differs 

somewhat. The previous work compared one 

weathered sample to the parent material, whereas in 

this study the element-loss series is based on five 

different-age samples plus a parent material. The 

advantage of comparing several different-age samples 

is evident in figure 9. Using only the oldest sample for 

the less-than-2-mm fraction (fig. 9), Ca is apparently 

lost more readily than Na or Mg; but using the rates of 

loss for all pre-Holocene soils, Mg is actually lost most 

readily. Another advantage of this study over previous 

ones is in the separation of the size fractions. As 

discussed above, the less-than-2-mm soil fraction 

demonstrates that Fe and Al are lost relatively slowly; 

analysis of the sand and fine fractions shows that these 

low rates are due both to slow release of Fe and Al 

from the sand fraction and to slow release and reprecipitation of sesquioxides in the silt-plus-clay fraction. 

Although mechanisms in these two size fractions are 

probably interdependent, comparison of the rates in 

separate fractions is a step closer to understanding the 

causes of chemical differentiation in soils.

Estimating rates of soil development

The number and age span of surfaces and soils 

and their associated ages invite calculations of soilSoils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A17
10 

AGE, IN YEARS

10' 10"

S O 0

en N

QJ ^

°- O

i

slope

/Na(.393) 

tCa(.393)

.NIA C

 F

:"c

"A

.M

10' 10' 10' 107

10 10' 

AGE, IN YEARS

10 C 10'

O cc

CC. u_

I- V

z z

0 N

£E ^

iii OC

Q- O

	X

-1

slope

g(.473) 

a (.392) 

Na(.347>-

 N

 A

 C

- »F

.A 

 C

.N:A

 F

10' IDAGE, IN YEARS

104 10 5 

AGE, INYEARS

10e 107

Figure 9. Percentage of element loss from A (A_-_C) 

and B (D_-F) horizons for three size fractions versus 

best-estimate age. Using Merrill's (1906) loss equation 

(eq. 1), calculations used Zr for a stable index and 

sample M1Z-C1 for parent material. Linear regression 

was computed for all analyses, but values for each age

group (table 2) are averaged to show sample point. 

Dashed lines indicate regressions with less than 95- 

percent confidence (trial 1, table 3). Holocene soils 

are plotted but not used in regression because of 

differences in parent material. Positive slope, net 

loss; negative slope, net gain.

development rates, in which a given soil property is 

plotted or regressed against age. In addition, analysis 

of multiple soil profiles on a given-age surface 

provides a measure of soil variation. There are 

important limitations to these techniques, however, 

many of which have been identified or rectified in 

previous sections of this report. Probably the greatest 

limitation to estimating soil-development rates from

soil chronosequences is age uncertainties. As 

discussed in the preceding section, the effect of age 

uncertainties can be assessed by using different combinations of ages to calculate soil-development rates. 

Because some soil properties may change over wide or 

only narrow age ranges (for example, organic-carbon 

accumulation during the Holocene, or clay-film 

development during the Pliocene and Pleistocene),

A18 Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California
Table 4. Order of rates of element loss from size 

separates

[Percent-loss method from Merrill's (1906) loss equation, using Zr 

as index and sample M12-C1 as parent material (see fig. 9 for regressions). Other elements were omitted because correlations with 

age were poor. Accumulation-series method as in figure 8]

Fraction A horizon B horizon

Percent-loss method

Silt plus clay Zr<Fe<Al<Mg<Na<Ca

Whole soil Zr<Fe<Al<Mg<Na,Ca

Al<Fe<Zr<Na<Ca<Mg 

Zr<Fe<Al<Ca<Na<Mg

Accumulation-series method

Silt plus claySand Ti,Fe<Al<K<Mg,Na<Ca 

Ti ,Zr<Si,Fe<Al<K<Ca

Whole soil Ti<Fe<Si<Al ,K<Na,Ca

Ti,Fe,Al<Si<Zr<K<Na<Ca

Ti<Fe,Si<Al,K<Na<Ca 

and ZrxSi

Ti ,Fe<Al<Si<K<Na,Ca 

and Zr<K

regressions of soil properties versus age are studied 

separately for the age spans 0-10, 0-3,000, 20-600, and 

20-3,000 ka.

For soil properties that develop throughout the 

3,000-ka age span of these surfaces, plots of soil 

property versus age are convex downward (fig. 10_A), 

and of soil property versus the logarithm of age are 

bowl shaped (fig. 6B); the straightest curves are in loglog plots of soil property versus age (fig. 10A). Thus, 

linear regression must be applied only to log-log transformations for the wide (3,000 ka) age span. Seven 

trials of different age combinations suggest that rates 

using best-estimate ages are accurate within a factor 

of about 2 (fig. lOAj table 5). Minimum rates, 

obtained in trial 5 or 6, are obtained when minimum 

ages are used for young units and maximum ages for 

old units. Maximum rates (trial 2 or 3) correspond to a 

combination of maximum young and minimum old 

ages. Intermediate-age units in either of these cases 

may be assigned either best-guess or constraining ages.

Soil properties that develop primarily during the 

Holocene or Pleistocene age spans raise some 

important questions as to whether rates are linear or 

exponential. Properties that develop only during the 

Holocene or Pleistocene generally fit into linear 

curves, even when age uncertainies are accounted 

for. The seven combinations of ages have significant 

correlation coefficients for linear regressions of soil 

property versus age (figs. 1013, 10(3; table 6). As in the 

trials for elemental analysis and the wide-range 

regressions (table 5), age uncertainties permit the 

rates to vary by a factor of about 2. If soil properties 

from the wide-range examples are plotted for only the 

Holocene or Pleistocene, the same properties appear 

to have linear rates, even though these rates are 

generally exponential over wider age spans. The 

exponential functions, then, might be approximated by 

linear segments along the curve (fig. 11). As would be

2.5

2.0 

1.5

. A

I- oL

cc O

O 0.5 

CO

105 

AGE, IN YEARS

107

O £ 

cc 5

2.4

CD LU

< <-> h m

1.8

I CC 1 2

LU LU

. 

II 0.6

2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 

AGE, IN YEARS

O 

N 

CC

O

* T 10 °

O <

LL. LL.

O O 80

3P 60

Z QC

O " 40

cc u*

LU Z

^^20 

O

DC

"- 0

150 300 450 600 750 900 

AGE, IN THOUSANDS OF YEARS

Figure 10. Rates of soil-property development for 

three timespans. A^ Soil-development index. 15, 

Dithionate-extractable Fe. Cj Percent loss of Ca from 

A-horizon silt-plus-clay fraction. Points and numbers 

indicate samples at best-estimate age (table 1); error 

bars represent age uncertainty. Regression lines for 

constraining rates are from tables 5 through 7.

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A19
Table 5. Tests for constraining rates of soil development for Late Cenozoic deposits, when age uncertainties are 

considered

[Field properties from Harden (1982a). Rates vary by a factor of about 1.7. _S, standard deviation of predicted y_ values]

Age used for trial (ka)

Map unit

prolll

pmll

m2

ml

r3

r2

t2

CH

0.20

3.00

10.00

40.00

130.00

250.00

600.00

3,000.00

1.00

8.30

14.00

40.00

130.00

103.00

570.00

1,000.00

1.00

8.30

14.00

20.00

103.00

103.00

570.00

1,000.00

1.00

1.00

14.00

20.00

103.00

330.00

615.00

4,000.00

0.05

1.00

8.30

40.00

130.00

330.00

615.00

4,000.00

0.05

1.00

8.30

70.00

250.00

330.00

615.00

4,000.00

0.20

3.00

10.00

40.00

130.00

330.00

615.00

4,000.00

Property Regression Range in rate (trial)

Soil development index

(SDI).

(_n=20)

Rubification

(rub).

(_n_=18)

<2-ym cl ay

(_n=20)

Slope

y-intercept

r z

7

Slope

^-intercept

r 2

T

Slope

y-intercept 

r 2

T

log

log

.01

log

log

log

.01

log

log

log 

.01

log

SDI/log yr

SDI x cm/100

percen

SDI x

rub/lo

rub x

percen

rub x

m/100

yr

m/100

m/100

g/cm^/log yr

g/cmz 

percent

g/an?

0.495

-.731

.931

.173

.107

-.271

.884

.06

.454

-.556 

.937

.16

0.680

-1.64

.930

.19

.146

-.465

.879

.056

.620

-1.37 

.916

.19

0.674

-1.59

.908

.21

.146

-.459

.868

.06

.617

-1.34 

.902

.20

0.555

-1.12

.869

.25

.120

-.358

.826

.068

.513

-.938 

.884

.22

0.415

-.296

.950

.16

.089

-.177

.890

.054

.381

-.158 

.950

.14

0.412

-.299

.958

.14

.089

-.176

.839

.05

.377

-.157

.954

.14

0.479 0.412 (5) to 0.680 (2)

-.675

.932

.18

.104 0.089 (5, 6) to 0.146 (2, 3)

-.259

.876

.057

.440 0.377 (6) to 0.620 (2)

-.507 

.933

.17

expected from exponentially decreasing functions, 

Holocene rates are 10 times higher than Pleistocene 

rates of the same soil properties (table 7). Although 

the exact form of the curves may not prove to be 

correct when more data are available, the data clearly 

show that initial rates are highest at first and drop off 

drastically within 100 ka.

The age combinations in tables 5 through 7 

generally constrain the rates of soil (or soil property) 

development. They demonstrate that best-estimate 

ages are intermediate between minimum and maximum 

possible rates, and that rates based on best-estimate 

ages are accurate to within a factor of about 2. 

Although the linear rates documented for the Holocene 

and Pleistocene may not be representative for longterm processes, the straight, nonlogarithmic units are 

easy to interpret and compare with those from other 

studies, and they are probably reasonable approximations of short-term rates.

DISCUSSION

The systematic changes in the properties of 

Merced soils with age suggest that over intervals of 

thousands of years, some processes may act nearly 

continuously on soils, regardless of shorter term 

fluctuations and perturbations in soil-forming factors, 

such as paleoclimate or erosion. One question that 

should be addressed, however, is whether pre-Holocene 

soils formed as a result of modern soil-forming 

processes, or whether they are relict from past and 

different processes. If past processes were similar to 

modern ones, then "empirical" rates of soil-property 

development with age may be reasonable estimates of

the actual rates. If past effects of paleoclimate and 

vegetation on soil development can be accounted for, 

then soil-chronosequence studies can provide an onsite, 

empirical laboratory for such fundamental questions as 

how soil properties and rates of soil development 

differ with climate and time, how mineral-dissolution 

rates compare with those determined by laboratory 

and theoretical studies, and how soils might respond to 

such perturbations as cultivation, erosion, deposition, 

or changes in climate.

The changes in major-element (total) chemistry 

over time are generally systematic for most of the 

size fractions and soil horizons. The changes over 

time in the A horizons suggest that the geomorphic 

surfaces are somewhat stable and do not receive 

significant amounts of eolian materials, or that such 

processes are time dependent. It may be that the 

surfaces are being eroded, but erosion rates would 

have to be slow for chemical trends of the A horizons 

to change systematically with age. For example, if all 

the surfaces had vast erosion rates, then soils probably 

would not form. If individual soils were more eroded 

than others, then age trends would not be expected, 

especially in the A horizons. If these soils are being 

eroded slowly but continually, then the actual rates of 

soil development would be far greater than those 

documented by the chronosequence. Decreasing rates 

of various soil properties over time (table 8) could 

reflect geomorphic stability rather than the kinetics of 

mineral dissolution or other soil processes. Recent 

10Be analyses of the soils sampled in this study (M.J. 

Pavich, written commun., 1984) suggest significant 

erosion of these surfaces. One argument for a kinetic 

origin of the decreasing rates of soil development is

A20 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Table 6. Tests for constraining rates of soil development for Holocene deposits, when age uncertainties are 

considered

[Field properties from Harden (1982a). Trial 7 is generally not significant at the 5-percent-confidence level 

factor of about 2.5. _S_, standard deviation of predicted y_ values]

Rates commonly vary by a

Age used for trials (ka)

Trial -

Map unit

pmlll 

pmll 

m2

Property

Organic-carbon

content.

Mel anization

(mel).

(_n=10)

Dithioniteextractabl e

Fe.

(£=9)

Dry consistence (dc) .

(n=8)

Rubif ication

(rub) . 

(n.= 10)

<2-ytn clay

(n_=10)

Soil development index

(SDI).

(_n = 10)

Regression

Slope

y-intercept 

r 2

^

Slope

_y_-intercept

r 2

j>

Slope

y-intercept

r 2

_S

Slope

y-intercept

T2

T

Slope

y-intercept 

r2

J>

Slope

y-intercept 

r 2 ~s

Slope

y-intercept

r^

^

Units

g/cm 2 /ka

g/cm 2 

.01 percent

mel x cm/ka

mel x cm/ka

mel x cm

.01 percent

mel x cm

g/cm 2/ka

g/cm 2

.01 cercent

g/cm2

dc x cm/ka

dc x cm

.01 Dercent

y/cm2

rub x cm/ka

rub x cm 

.01 percent

g/cm2

g/cm 2 /ka

y/cm 2 

.01 oercent

g/cm2

SDI x cm/ka

SDI x cm

.01 percent

SDI x cm

 1

0.20 

3.00 

10.00

0.036

.636 

.256

.22

3.83

22.0

.69

9.4

.192

.744

.60

.61

3.27

4.31

.18

3.78

2.78

11.1 

.644

7.5

2.30

2.40 

.730

5.11

1.69

.22

.845

2.6

2

0.05 

3.00 

14.00

0.023

.669 

.225

.228

2.54

25.0

.662

9.80

.127

.889

.576

.63

2.14

7.15

.900

4.18

1.81

13.5 

.596

8.03

1.56

4.13 

.733

5.08

1.12

4.53

.816

2.87

3

0.05 

8.30 

14.00

0.030

.537 

.341

.21

2.68

15.8

.627

10.3

.136

.445

.568

.63

2.53

-3.32

.805

5.8

2.12

5.25 

.700

6.9

1.46

-.047 

.46

6.6

1.18

.540

.764

3.3

4

0.05 

1.00 

14.00

0.018

.713 

.168

.24

2.19

29.2

.592

10.8

.110

1.09

.512

.672

1.85

11.1

.855

5.2

1.50

16.7

.494

9.0

1.39

6.57 

.705

5.3

.966

6.4

.732

3.5

5

1.00 

3.00 

8.30

0.048

.060 

.251

.22

5.10

18.0

.684

9.5

.255

.545

.597

.610

4.34

.987

.916

3.8

3.69

8.29 

.637

7.6

3.08

.056 

.732

5.1

2.25

1.47

.841

2.7

6

1.00 

8.30 

8.30

0.042

.488 

.277

.22

2.87

17.1

.308

14.0

.155

.465

.306

.80

2.46

.544

.268

.11

2.58

4.11 

.446

9.4

1.29

2.52 

.182

8.9

1.25

1.17

.369

5.32

7

0.20 

8.30 

8.30

0.038

.522 

.277

.22

2.58

19.4

.308

14.0

.139

.592

.306

.80

2.21

2.56

.268

11.3

2.33

6.23 

.446

9.4

1.16

3.57 

.182

8.9

1.12

2.20

.369

5.3

Range in rate (trial )

0.18 (4) to 0.48 (5)

2.19 (4) to 5.10 (5)

0.110 (4) to 0.255 (5)

1.85 (4) to 4.34 (5)

1.50 (4) to 3.69 (5)

1.16 (7) to 3.08 (5)

0.966 (7) to 2.25 (5)

that studies on mineral weathering (Colman, 1982) 

typically document initially rapid rates, followed by 

slower rates.

The appropriateness of linear or nonlinear curve 

fitting is a difficult problem to overcome with these 

data. This study has shown that long-term exponential 

curves can be approximated by shorter term, linear 

segments (fig. 11); other chronosequence studies with 

narrow age spans may be approximated by linear rates 

for the same reason. In other words, such studies may 

actually demonstrate long-term nonlinear rates if 

older and (or) younger units were available for 

sampling.

Estimation of the ages of other deposits by using 

soil chronosequences is an important implication of 

this study, because so many soil properties change 

systematically with age. The age uncertainties of the 

chronosequence, however, are intrinsic to prediction of 

other ages. The clay content of Merced soils provides 

a good example for some methods and illustrates the 

problems with age prediction. When the clay content 

(y_-axis) is regressed against best-estimate age (x_-axis)

about the regression line, then the standard error of 

estimate S, given by

(where ^Q..^ is the predicted value of y_, and n_ is the 

number of samples), is about 30 percent (see table 5). 

In other words, there is about 30-percent scatter about 

the regression line related to soil variation. This 

result is commensurate with estimates of the amount 

of soil variation on a single-age surface, as 

represented by the standard deviation divided by the 

mean for replicate soils on a given terrace (Harden, 

1982b). When the axes are switched, however, so that 

age is the dependent variable (y_-axis), then S^ more 

than doubles to about 70 percent (fig. 12). (Because 

the best-estimate ages are fixed without any 

uncertainties, this standard error cannot be related to 

inaccurate dating of the terraces.) The standard error, 

which is a rough estimate of how precise age estimates

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A21
300

- 0

500 1000 1500 2000 2500 

AGE, IN THOUSANDS OF YEARS

3000

2 4 6 8 10 12 

AGE, IN THOUSANDS OF YEARS

14

160 -

- 35 -

150 300 450 600 750 900

AGE, IN THOUSANDS OF YEARS

Figure 11. Exponential curve of clay content versus 

age, approximated by linear segments. Aj Clay content versus log age for the timespan 3,000-0 ka. _B> 

clay versus age for the timespan 10-0 ka. Cj Clay 

versus age for the timespan 600-20 ka. Points and 

numbers indicate samples at best-estimate ages (table 

2); error bars indicate constraining ages. Regression 

lines for rates are from tables 5 through 7.

by soils could be, suggests that a 100-ka-old deposit 

would be reported as being from about 40 to 160 ka 

old. More appropriate statistics are needed to 

consider the source of these errors. The standard 

error should increase when age errors are 

incorporated, but it might decrease when more appropriate statistics are used. Intuitively, because soil 

variation is typically about 30 percent, more 

appropriate statistics and sampling might improve the 

estimates to no better than about 30 percent for this 

clay function over the 3,000-ka age span.

Another aspect that should be considered for age 

prediction is the time dependence of different soil 

parameters. Although it is probably advantageous to 

use several soil properties for age estimates, a scheme 

must be devised for using properties that are limited 

to the Holocene or Pleistocene. One possibility is to 

use wide-range (0-3,000 ka) properties (table 5) for 

first-order estimates, and then to use Holocene and 

pre-Holocene parameters (tables 6, 7) for the 

appropriate soils. The more restricted age ranges, 

with their linear rates, might actually improve the 

precision of age estimates because then the standard 

errors are lower than in exponential functions.

SUMMARY

The soil chronosequence near the Merced River 

demonstrates that many soil properties develop 

systematically over time and that a significant association exists between soil properties and geologic age. 

Morphologic properties that develop most regularly 

with age over wide (3,000 ka) or narrower (10 ka to a 

few tens of thousands of years) age ranges include clay 

films, total texture (texture and wet consistence), 

rubification (color hue and chroma), dry consistence, 

and the soil-development index (Harden, 1982a), which 

combines the morphologic properties. Elements 

determined by total-chemical analysis that change 

most systematically with age include Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, 

Al, and Ti, as expressed in loss percent relative to Zr, 

which is assumed to be stable. Physical properties 

most indicative of age include clay percent, bulk 

density, and thickness or depth to C horizons; extractive-chemical analyses include dithionite- and oxalateextractable Fe. Although many mineralogic properties 

(percentages and degree of etching) do not change 

systematically with age or cannot be measured 

precisely enough, these analyses help to interpret the 

significance of other trends.

Several of the methods for data analysis 

described in this report can be applied to similar 

studies. From total-chemical analysis, an 

accumulation series was developed to determine 

relative rates of element loss. This series can be used 

for soil chronosequences that lack radiometric age 

control but whose relative ages are well defined. 

Merrill's (1906) loss calculation was adopted for calculating the percent loss of an element from a given size 

fraction. Zr appears to work well as a stable index 

element. The selection of a single sample for the 

parent material of all soils appears to be appropriate 

for pre-Holocene deposits.

A22 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Table 7. Tests for constraining rates of soil development for Pleistocene deposits, when age uncertainties are 

considered

[Field properties from Harden (1982a). Rates vary by a factor of about 1.3. _S, standard deviation of predicted y_ values]

Trial- --- 

Map unit

ml 

r3 

r2 

t2

Property

Total texture

(r 7 >

Clay films

(Jl=7)

Rubification

(rub).

(£=5)

Soil development index

(SDI).

(_n=7)

<2-um clay

(ji=8)

Di thioniteextractable

Fe.

(£=8)

Regression

Slope

y-intercept 

r 2

7

Slope

y-interrp"t

T2

T

Slope

y-intercept

r 2

T

Slope

y-intercept

r 2

T

Slope

y-intercept "r 2

T

Slope

y-intercept

r 2

T

Units

total texture x cm/ka

total texture x cm 

.01 percent

total texture x cm

clay films x cm/ka

clay films

.01 percent

clay films

rub x cm/ka

rub x cm

.01 percent

rub x cm

SDI x cm/ka

SDI x cm

.01 percent

SDI

g/cm2 /ka

g/cm'

.01 percent

g/cm 2

g/cm2 /ka

g/cm2

0.1 percent

g/cm2

1

40.0 

130.0 

250.0 

600.0

0.153

bl.b 

.806

18.7

0.218

79.4

.830

24.6

.339

49.4

.942

25.6

.212

59.2

.762

29.4

.112

57.8

.183

15.1

.0061

1.40

.352

2.1

2

20. 0 

130.0 

330.0 

615.0

0.144

50.5 

.774

20.2

0.213

75.5

.863

?2.0

.329

46.8

.955

22.4

.198

58.4

.721

31.9

.108

65.5

.774

15.4

.0060

1.31

.353

2.13

Age used

3

20.0 

250.0 

330.0 

615.0

0.166

38.1 

.822

17.9

0.246

56.9

.923

16.5

.347

32.1

.926

28.9

.225

42.1

.154

29.9

.130

44.8

.901

10.2

.0067

.866

.353

2.13

for trial (I

4

20.0 

103.0 

330.0 

615.0

0.138

53.4 

.754

21.1

.204

79.9

.841

23.8

.322

50.9

.953

23.0

.190

62.4

.705

32.8

.103

59.0

.743

16.4

.0058

1.42

.349

2.13

ca)

5

70.0 

130.0 

103.0 

570.0

0.148

59.8 

.748

21.4

.194

95.2

.655

34. q

.323

65.9

.825

44.4

.207

70.1

.728

31.4

.105

64.5

.712

17.4

.0057

1.79

.311

2.19

6

70.0 

103.0 

103.0 

570.0

0.145

61.7

.744

21.5

.190

97.7

.654

35.0

.319

68.8

.832

43.5

.203

72.7

.726

31.6

.102

66.2

.694

17.9

.0056

1.85

.314

2.19

7

70.0 

250.0 

250. 0 

600.0

0.177

37.7 

.830

17.5

.249

60.8

.837

24.0

.369

?8.8

.900

33.6

.244

40.7

.779

28.3

.134

46.1

.870

11.4

.0069

.924

.343

2.14

Range in rate (trial )

0.138 (4) to 0.177 (7)

0.190 (6) to 0.249 (7)

0.319 (6) to 0.369 (7)

0.190 (4) to 0.244 (7)

0.102 (6) to 0.134 (7)

0.0056 (6) to 0.0069 (7)

Table 8. Comparison of Holocene and Pleistocene 

rates of soil development from tables 6 and 7

[Field properties from Harden (1982a)]

7.0

Property Holocene rate Pleistocene rate

Dithionite-extractable Fe.

Rubification (rub)- 

<l-wm clay---------

g/cmVka 0.110-0.255

Soil-development 

index (SDI).

rub x cm/ka 1.5-3.69

g/cm 2 /ka 1.16-3.08

SDI x cm/ka .966-2.25

0.0056-0.0069

.319-0.369 

.102-0.134 

.190-0.244

Long-term rates of soil development or some 

aspect of soil development, such as element loss or 

morphologic changes, can be estimated from these 

data. The variation between soils on the same age 

surface was represented by replication of soils on each 

terrace. Uncertainties in the ages of deposits can be 

considered by using minimum and maximum age 

constraints.

cc

<111

5.0

4.0

0 3.0 

O

2.0 -

0 0.6 1.2 1.8 2.4 3.0

LOGARITHM OF CLAY CONTENT 

(IN GRAMS PER SQUARE CENTIMETER)

Figure 12. Example of estimating age from soil 

development. Points and numbers indicate number of 

samples. Heavy line, regression line; light lines, 

standard deviation of predicted %_ values about regression line.

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A23
REFERENCES CITED

Adam, D.P., 1967, Late-Pleistocene and Recent 

palynology in the central Sierra Nevada, 

California, in Gushing, E.J., and Wright, H.E., 

Jr., eds., Quaternary paleoecology: New Haven, 

Conn., Yale University Press, p. 275-301.

Arkley, R.J., 1954, Soils of eastern Merced County: 

University of California, Exploration Station Soil 

Survey, v. 11, 174 p.

 1962a, The geology, geomorphology, and soils of 

the San Joaquin Valley in the vicinity of the 

Merced River, California, in Geologic guide to 

the Merced Canyon and Yosemite Valley, 

California: California Division of Mines and 

Geology Bulletin 182, p. 25-31.

 1962b, Soil survey of the Merced area, 

California: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil 

Survey Serial 1950, no. 7, 131 p.

 1963, Calculation of carbonate and water 

movement in soil from climatic data: Soil 

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A26 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
SUPPLEMENTARY TABLES
Supplementary Table 1. Field descriptions

Grade

m, massive

sg, single grained

1. weak

2. moderate.

3. strong

EXPLANATION 

[see fig. 13 for sample locations)

SOIL STRUCTURE 

Size

vf, very fine (v thin)

f, fine (thin)

m, medium,

c, coarse (thick)

vc, very coarse

(v thick)

Type

gr, granular

pi, platey

pr, prismatic

cpr, columnar

abk, angular blocky

sbk, subangular blocky

If two structures-listed as primary and secondary 

SOIL TEXTURE

co, coarse

f, fine

vf, very fine

S, sand

LS, loamy sand

SL, sandy loam

L, Loam

SiL, silt loam

Si, silt

SCL, sandy-clay loam

CL, clay loam

SiCL, silty-clay loam

SC, sandy clay

C, clay

SiC, silty clay

Dry

lo, loose

so, soft

sh, slightly hard

h, hard

vh, very hard

eh, extremely hard

Moist

SOIL CONSISTENCE 

Wet

lo, loose

vfr, very friable

fr, friable

fi, firm

vf, very firm

efi, extremely firm

so, nonsticky

ss, slightly sticky

s, sticky

vs, very sticky

po, nonplastic

ps, slightly plastic

p, plastic

vp, very plastic

HORIZON BOUNDARIES

Distinctness

va, very abrupt 

a, abrupt 

c, clear 

g, gradual 

d, diffuse

Topography

s, smooth

w, wavy

i, irregular

b, broken

Size

vf, very fine 

f, fine 

m, medium 

co, coarse

Abundance

1 few

2 common

3 many

ROOTS AND PORES 

Pore Shape

tub, tubular 

ir, irregular 

v, vesicular

Frequency

vj, very few

1. few

2. common

3. many

4. continuous

Thickness

n, thin

mk, moderately

thick 

k, thick

CLAY FILMS 

Morphology

pf, ped face coatings

br, bridging grains

po, pore linings

(w, occurs as waves or lamellae)

co, coats on clasts

A28 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
R30 Spelling fA P

 R32

_^4^l

MR

120°45' 

Figure 13. Study area in central California, showing locations of sampling sites.
Supplementary Table 1. Field descriptions Continued

Consistence

No.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

Sample

MRA1

MRA2

MRA3

MRA4

PHI 5

PM19

PM8

PM13

PM14

PM16

PM17

PM18

Horizon

A

IIClox

IIIC2ox

IVC3ox

VC4n

VICn

All

IIA12

IIIClox

IVC2ox

VC3ox

VIC40X

VIIC5ox

VIIIC6

Ao

Al

1IC1

IIIC2

IVC3

All

A12

IIClox

IIIC2ox

IVC3ox

VC4ox

All

IIA12

IIIClox

IVC2ox

YC3ox

VIC4ox

VIIC5n

A

Clox

IIC2ox

IIIC3ox

IVC4ox

YCSox

VC6n

A

IIClox

IIC2ox

IIC3ox

IIIC4n

A

IIClox

IIC2ox

IIIC3ox

IVC4ox

Basal

depth

(cm)

0-4

4-19

19-42

42-47

47-51

51-

0-7

7-12

12-23

23-43

43-49

49-55

55-66

66-80+

4-0

0-28

28-51

51-62

62-76

0-5

5-35

35-86

86-112

112-136

136-160+

0-3

3-33

33-99

99-130

130-175

175-200

2DO-230+

0-2

2-25

25-35

35-65

65-90

90-116+

216-236

0-6

6-45

45-63

63-74

74-120+

0-6

6-65

65-115

115-164

164-175+

Lower Moist

boun

a,w

a,w

a,i

a,«

c,w

g,w

g,w

a,w

a,«

a,w

a,w

c,s

g,w

g!s

a,s

c,w

g,w

a,s

c,w

g,w

c,w

c,w

c, w

a,w

g,«

g,w

g,w

g,w

g,w

a,w

g,w

g,w

g,w

g,«

d,w

g,w

dary color

10YR3/3

10YR4/4

rt 10YR4/3

10YR3/3.5

10YR4/2

10YR4/3.5

10YR2/2

10YR3/2

10YR3/3

10YR3/3

10YR3/3

10YR3/2

10YR3/2

10YR3/2

10YR3/3

10YR3/3

10YR4/3

10YR3/2

10YR3/3

10YR4/3

10YR4/3

10YR4/3

10YR4/4,

3/6

10YR3/3

10YR3/3

10YR4/3

10YR4/3

10YR3/3

10YR3/3

10YR5/2

10YR3/4

10YR3/4

10YR3/3

10YR4/4

10YR4/3

10YR4/4

10YR3/4

10YR3.5/4

10YR3/4

10YR3/4

10YR4/4

10YR4/3

10YR3/2

10YR3/4

10YR4/4

10YR4/4

10YR4/4

Dry

color

10YR5/3

10YR5/4

10YR5/3

10YR6/4,

10YR5/6

10YR6.5/2

10YR6/3

10YR6/3

10YR6/3

10YR6/3

10YR5/3

10YR6/3

10YR6/3

10YR6.5/3

10YR6/3

10YR5/4

10YR5/3

10YR6/3

10YR5/4

10YR4/3

10YR5/3

10YR5/4

10YR5/3

10YR5/4

10YR5/3

10YR4/3

10YR5/3

10YR5/3

10YR5/4

10YR5/3

10YR7/2

10YR4/3

10YR5/4

10YR5/3

10YR5/4

10YR6/2

10YR5/4

10YR5/4

10YR5/4

10YR5/3

10YR5/3

10YR5/4

10YR5/3

10YR4/2

10YR5/4

10YR5/4

10YR5/4

10YR6/3

Textur

S

LS

S

LS

coS

S

SL

fSL

LS

L

LS

vfSL

S

SiL

SiL

vfSL

LS

fS

SiL

L

SL

LS

LS

SIL

L

SiL

SL

LS

SL

LS

S

SL

fSL

fSL

LS

S

LS

LS

fSL

vfSL

vfSL

LS

SL

LS

LS

S

slgrS

e Structure Dry

Modern River Alluv

Post-Modesto Deposits,

1 m gr o

m h

sg o

sg o

sg o

sg o

1 m gr sh

m,l m sbk

m

m, 1 m sbk

sg

m

sg

Post-Modesto Deposits

2 gr

1 m sbk so

1 co sbk sh

m sh

sg

2 f gr so

m, m sbk, so

f gr

m, m sbk

m, m sbk

sg

2 m gr

m, m sbk

m, m sbk

m, 1 m sbk

n

m

sg

1 m gr sh

m, 2 m sbk sh

m, 2 m sbk sh

m, 1 m sbk so

sg

sg

1 co gr sh

m, 1 m sbk sh

m, 1 m sbk sh

m, 1 m sbk sh

sg

2 11 gr sh

m, 1 m sbk sh

m, 1 m sbk so

sg

sg

Moist

ium

.2 Ka

lo

fr

lo

vfr

lo

lo

vfr

fr

vfr

fr

lo

fr

lo

fr

3 Ka

fr

fr

vfr

lo

vfr

vfr

vfr

vfr

lo

lo

vfr

vfr

vfr

vfr

vfr

vfr

lo

fr

fr

fr

vfr

vfr

vfr

fr

fr

fr

fr

fr

fr

vfr

lo

lo

Wet

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

ss.oo

so,po

so,po

so.po

ss.po

ss.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

ss.po

ss,po

so.po

so.po

so.po

ss.po

55, pO

ss.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

ss.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so, po

so.po

ss.po

so.po

so,po

so.po

so.po

so.po

Roots

3vf

2vf,2f

2vf,lm

2m

If

3vf,3f

2f

2f

Im.lf,

Ics

If

If

2vcs

3f,3m

3f,3m

If

2f

1m,

Ico

If

3f

2m,2f

2vf

Ico,

Ivc

3vf

2vf

2vf

If

If

If

3f

2f

2f

2vf

3f

2m, 2f

3m,2co

Im.lco

Pores

Iftub

Iflr

2f,

Imtub

Iftub

2f,

Imtub

2ftub

2ftub

Iftub

Imtub

2m,

2fir

2f,

Imtub

2vf

tub

Ivf

tub

3fir

2ftub

If

tub

Ivf

tub

Imir

2vf

tub

2vf

tub

Ivf,

Iftub

Iftub

Iftub

2ftub

2ftub

2fir

Iftub

Imtub

Clay

films

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

PH

5.84

5.69

5.56

5.55

5.72

5.82

5.56

6.25

6.32

6.91

6.79

6.98

6.54

6.33

7.20

7.33

7.48

6.30

7.71

7.85

7.35

6.42

7.83

7.83

6.88

6.54

6.66

6.92

6.50

6.48

6.86

7.29

7.22

7.42

6.61

6.99

7.18

8.03

7.83

7.26

6.00

5.75

5.98

6.20

Assumed Parent 

Material

Texture

S

LS

S

LS

coS

S

SL

fSL

LS

L

LS

vfSL

S

SiL

SiL

vfSL

LS

fS

SiL

L

LS

LS

LS

SiL

L

SIL

SL

LS

SL

LS

S

SL

fSL

fSL

LS

S

LS

LS

fSL

VfSL

VfSL

LS

LS

LS

LS

S

SlgrS

Met

consistence

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so,po

so,po

so.po

ss.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

ss.po

ss.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

ss.po

ss.po

so,po

so,po

so.po

ss.po

ss.po

ss.po

so,po

so,po

so.po

so, po

so.po

so,po

so.po

ss.po

so.po

so.po

so,po

so.po

so.po

so,po

ss.po

~"

50, pO

so,po

so.po

so,po

so.po

A30 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 1. Field descriptions Continued

No. Sample Horizon

Basal Lower 

depth bounda

(cm)

Moist

ry color

Dry 

color Texture

Consiste

Structure Dry Moist

Modesto Formation, upper member,

54 M31

55

56

57

58

59 M46

60

61

62

63

64 M12

65

66

67

68

69

70

71 R9

72

73

74

75

76

77

78 R33

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88 R2

89

90

91

92

93

All

A12

AC

IIC1

IIIC2

Allp

A12p

IIA13p

IIIAC

IVCox

II8b

All

A12

IIB2H

IIIB22t

IVB3

VC1

VIC2

Allp

A12p

Bl

IIB21

IIB22

IIB3

IVC

All

IIA12

IIIA3

IIIB21t

III822t

IIIB23t

IIIB31

IIIB32

IVB33

VCox

Ap

B21

B22t

B3

Cl

C2n

0-20 c,s

20-63 g,w

63-150 g,w

150-200 c,w

200-254 a,s

0-5 c,w

5-14 c,w

14-32 c,s

32--66 g,«

66-250 c,s

250+

0-15 c,«

15-81 c,w

81-102 g,w

102-170 c,«

170-201 g,w

201-231 d,w

230-413+ --

0-30 g.s

30-60 g,w

60-105 c,w

105-180 c,w

180-235 g,w

235-350 c.s

350-400+

0-4 c,s

4-19 c,w

19-39 g,«

39-62 g,w

62-83 g,w

83-122 g,w

122-151 g,w

151-210 c,w

210-260 c.w

260-300+ --

0-25 c,s

25-81 c,«

81-185 c,«

185-386 g,w

386-500 g,w

500+

10YR3/2

10YR3/3

10YR3/3

10YR3/3

10YR4/2

10YR4/2,

4/6

10YR3/3

10YR4/3

10YR4/3

10YR3/3

10YR3/2

10YR4/3

10YR5/6

10YR5/4

10YR4/4

10YR6/2

10YR3/3

10-7. 5YR,

4/3

10YR4/3

7.5YR5/4

7.5YR6/4

7.5YR4/4

7.5YR5.5/6

10YR3/3

7.5YR4/4,

10YR3/3

7.5YR4/4

10YR4/4

10YR5/4,

4/4

10YR5/3

10YR5/4

10YR6/4

10YR6/4

10YR5/4

10YR6/3,

5/3

10YR5/3

10YR5/3

10YR5/3

10YR5/4

10YR5/3

10YR6/3

10YR5/4

10YR5/6

10YR6/6

10YR6/4

10YR7/2

--

SL

fSL

fSL

fSL

LS

fSL

fSL

fSL

fSL

fSL

fSL

LS

LS

SL+

LS

S

S

Riverbank

SL

SL

SL+

SCL

SL

SL+

LS

SL

SL

SL

coSCLSCL

coSCL

coSCLvgrSL

vgrSL

S

Riverbank

SL

SCL

SCL+

SCL

SL

S

2 m gr so vfr

m so fr

m sh

m h

sg To lo

2 m+co gr so vfr

1 m pi sh fr

m, 2 m sbk sh fi

m, 2 co h fi

sbk

sg so fr

' *

1 m sbk so lo

1 m sbk h fr

2 m sbk h fr

2 m sbk vh fi

2 m sbk h fr

1 m sbk so lo

sg so lo

Formation, upper member,

fr

1 f sbk -- fr

1 m sbk

1 m sbk

sg

sg

sg

2 co gr sh fr

2 co sbk sh fr

2 vco sbk h fr

2 co sbk vh fi

1 fi pr vh fi

1 fi pr vh vfi

2 vco sbk vh fi

m.vco sbk -- fi

sg -- vfr

sg

Formation, middle member.

2 f sbk

3 co sbk

3 vco cpr

2 co sbk

m

sg

nee

Wet

10 Ka

ss.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

ss.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

s,ps

s,ps

ss.ps

ss.po

so.po

130 Ka

so.po

so.po

ss.ps

s.P

so.po

ss.ps

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

ss.ps

ss.ps

s,P

ss.ps

ss.ps

ss.ps

so.po

250 Ka

ss.po

ss.ps

S, P S

ss.po

so.po

so.po

Assumed parent 

Material

Roots

2f

2m,lf

3m,2f,

2vf

2m,

If

2m,

2f

1m,

If

If,

Ivf

2m

2m

2f

2f,

2m

If

If

Pores

Iftub

2mtub

3m,

3ftub

2mtub

2fir

2f,

2vftub

3f,

2vftub

1m,

2ftub

3mtub

3mtub

2m,

Iftub

2mtub

2mtub

2f ,2mtub

2co,2f,

2vftub

3vf,3f,

Imtub

2f 2m

2vftub

2f,lm

tub

2f,2m 

tub

2f,2m

tub

3f,2m

tub

3f,2m

tub

Clay 

films

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2npo,

Vinpo

0

0

0

0

Inpo,

Inbr

2mkpo,

2mkbr,

vjnpf

Inpo,

Inbr

0

0

0

0

Inpo,

Inbr

2mkpo,

2mkbr

Inpo,

Inbr

2mkpo,

2mkbr

0

0

0

v l n P°

3nbr,

Imkbr

3nbr,

2rnkbr,

Inpo

4nbr, 

2kbrw

4nbr,

2mkbr,

Ikbrw

3nbr,

2mkbr«

2n-mk

coats

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

pH

7.62

9.64

10.0

10.0

9.64

6.29

6.76

6.77

7.01

7.04

6.45

6.87

6.67

6.98

7.34

5.83

5.77

5.77

6.13

6.05

6.15

6.13

6.26

6.29

6.12

5.94

6.21

.-

SL

fSL

fSL

fSL

LS

fSL

fSL

fSL

fSL

fSL

fSL

LS

LS

LS

LS

S

S

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

LS

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

LS

S

Met

ss.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so,po

so.po

so,po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so,po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so,po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so,po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so,po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A31
Supplementary Table 1. Field descriptions Continued

No. Sample Horizon

Sasal Lower Moist

depth boundary color 

(cm)

Dry

color

Consistence

Texture Structure Dry nuiii WCL KUUIS

Assumed Parent 

Material

Pores

Clay

films PH

Wet

Riverbank Formation, middle member, 250 Ka

94 RIO

95

96

97

98

99

100 R32

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108 R30

109

110

111

112

113

114 T2

115

116

117

118 T6

119

120

121

122

123 Til

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

A

IIB1

IIB2H

IIB221

IIIB3t

IIICox

All

A12

A3

B2H

B22t

831t

IIB32

IIICox

Ap

Bl

B21t

IIB22t

IIIB31

IIIClox

IIBb

A

B21

IIB22

me

All

A12

IIB2U

IIB22t

IIIB+C

Allp

IIA12p

IIA+B

IIBlt

IIB2t

IIIB3U

IVB32t

VB+C

VClox

VIC2ox

0-46 c,s

46-70 c,w

70-140 g,i

140-210 g,i

210-386 g,w

386-500 g,w

0-26 g,w

26-50 c,w

50-70 c,w

70-105 g,w

105-150 g,w

150-220 d,w

220-354 g.w

354-360+

49-65 a,w

65-78 c,«

78-127 g,«

127-179 g,w

179-197 g,w

197-220 c,«

220+

0-31 g

31-173 i

173-386 i

386-417

0-20 g,«

20-40 a,i

40-90 g,«

90-190 g,«

190-370 g,«

0-5

5-11 a

11-20 g

20-33 g

33-80 g

80-191 g

191-256 g

256-292 g

292-375 g

375+

10YR3/3

7.5YR4/4

7.5YR4/6,

5YR4/4

7.5YR4/6,

5YR4/4

7.5YR4/4

10YR4/4

10YR3/2

10YR3/3

7.5YR3/4

7.5YR4/4

7.5YR4/5

7.5YR4/4

10YR5/4

7.5YR4/4

5YR4/4

5YR4/6

5YR5/6,

4/4

5YR5/6,

4/4

7.5YR4/4

5YR3/4

2.5YR3/6

7.5YR5/6,

2.5YR3/6

2.5YR5/8,

5YR5/6

10YR3/4

10YR3/4

5YR3/6

2.5YR3/6

2.5-5YR,

3/4

and 30*

10YR5/4

10YR3/2

10YR3/3

5YR4/4,

7.5YR4/4

2.5YR3/6

2.5YR4/4,

3/6

2.5YR4/4

5YR4/4,

2.5YR4/4

5YR4/4,

5YR5/6

5YR4/6

7.5YR4/5

10YR6/3

10YR6/4

7.5YR6/6

7.5YR6/6

10YR6/6,

7.5YR4/4

10YR5/4

10YR6/3

10YR6/3

10YR6/3,

7.5YR5/4

7.5YR5/4

7.5YR5/4

7.5YR5/4

10YR6/3

7.5YR5/6

5YR5/6

5YR5/6

7.5YR7/6

7.5YR6/6

10YR4/4

10YR5/3

5YR4/8

2.5YR3/4,

3/6

2.5YR3/6,

4/6

10YR6/4

10YR5/2

10YR5/3

7.5YR5/4,

10YR6/3

5YR4/6

5YR5/6,

4/6

5YR5/6

5YR6/6

5YR6/6

7.5YR6/6

SL

SL+

SL+

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL+

SCL

SL+

SL

S+

Riverba

SL

SL+

SCL

SCL

SL

SL+

Ti

coSL

CL

SL

S

LS

LS

LS

SCL

coSL

SL

SL

SCL

SCL

SCL

SCL

SL+

SLSLLS

2 co sbk sh

2 co pr vh

3 v co sbk eh

3 v co sbk eh

3 v co sbk eh

sg vh

m, 1 f sbk sh

m, 2 m sbk sh

m, 2 f sbk h

1 m sbk h

1 co sbk vh

m,l co sbk h

sg

sg

m sh

m,l co abk h

2 co sbk vh

2 co abk vh

m

m sh

jrlock Lake Formati<

m sbk

co abk

m-co abk

1 m sbk

sh

2 med pr h

h

sg sh

sh

h

h

2 co abk h

2 m sbk vh

m

m

m

m

sg

so.po 1m

ss.ps 1m

s,p

s,p

ss.po

so.po

fr so.ps If,

Ivf

fr ss.po If,

Ivf

fr ss.po If

fi s,ps

fi s,ps

fi s.ps

vfr ss.po

lo so.po

 member, 330 Ka

vfr so.po

fi ss.ps

fi s,ps

fi s,p

fr ss.po

vfr so.po

)n, 600 Ka

vfi

vfi

vfi

fr so.po 3f

fr so.po 2f

fi s,ps

vfi vs,p

fi ss.po

fr so.po

fr so.po

fi ss.ps

fi s,p

vfi vs.pv

fi s,p

fr s.p

vfr ss.ps

vfr ss.ps

so.po

3m,2co

tub

2m,lco

tub

lco,3m

tub

3m,lco

tub

3fir,lvf

tub

2m,2f,

3vftub

lm,2f,

3vftub

3vf,2f

tub

2vf,lf

tub

If, Ivf

tub

2vftub

"

3vf,2fir

Ivfir

2fir

2f1r

2fir

3mir

3m,3co

tub

2 m

2cotub

2co,lf

tub

2f,2vfir

2f,vf

tub

3vfir

3vf,3f

ir

2fir

2fir

Iftub

0

3nbr

3mkbr,

3mkpo

3mkbr,

Ikpo,

2mkpf

2mkbr,

2mkpo

2mkbr,

2mkpo

0

0

0

Inbr

4nbr,

Ikpf,

3mkbrw

3nbr,

Imkbrw

Inbrw,

Imkbrw

v :nbr

0

2nbr

3nbr,

2npf

Ikpf,

4mkbr

3nbr,

Ikbr

2nbr,

Imkbrw

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Smkpo,

3mkbr,

2mkpf

2kpf,

3mkpo,

3mkbr

2mkpo,

2mkbr

0

0

0

4nbr

4mkbr,

3mkpo,

3kpow

4mkbr,

3mkpf

2mkpf,

4nbr

3nbr

3nbr

0

6.20

6.83

7.17

7.47

7.47

6.41

6.28

6.26

6.18

6.56

6.45

6.00

5.75

5.90

6.45

6.95

6.58

5.82

6.52

6.48

6.50

6.00

7.00

6.20

6.60

6.82

6.95

6.85

6.70

6.60

6.90

7.10

6.95

7.00

7.15

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

S

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

S

LS

LS

LS

LS

coSL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

LS

LS

so.po

so,po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so,po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

--

--

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so,po

so.po

so.po

so,po

so po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so,po

A32 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 1. Field descriptions Continued

No. Sample Horizon

Basal Lower 

depth bounda 

(cm)

Moist 

ry color

Dry 

color Texture Structure

Consistence

Dry Moist Wet Roots Pores

Assumed Parent 

Material

Clay 

films PH Texture

Wet 

consistence

China Hat gravel member of Laguna Formation, 3,000 Ka

133 CH1

134

135

136

137

138

139

140 CH2

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

CH3

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

01

Al

AB

IIB2H

IIB22t

IIB3H

IIB32t

Al

A3

A+B

IIB2H

IIB22

IIB23

IIB24

IIB3

8+C or

Cox

Ao

Al

A3

A+B

IIB2t

IIIB221

IVB23

VB24

VIB31

VI32

1-0 a,s

0-12 g,w

12-53 a.w

53-140 g,w

140-234 g,i

234-310 g,i

310-350+ --

0-8 c,w

8-30 g,w

30-50 a.s

50-110 g,w

110-170 c,w

170-200 g,w

200-290 g,w

290-350

750-1000 d

1.5-0

0-9 c,w

9-35 g,w

35-68 a,w

68-105 g.w

105-153 g,w

153-173 c,w

173-260 g,w

260-340 g,w

340-750+ --

10YR5/4,

7.5YR4/4

7.5YR4/4,

kroto.

2.5YR4/4

2.5YR3/6,

4/6

10YR4/7,

cr. coats

2.5YR4/8,

skins

10R3/6,

10R4/8,

5Y-5GY4/1

10R3/6,

4/8

7.5YR4/4

7.5YR4/6

5YR4/4

2.5YR4/6,

2.5YR4/6

2.5YR4/6,

somelOYR

8/8

2.5YR3/6,

2.5YR4/6

2.5YR4/8,

10R4/6

7.5YR6/6,

clay

2.5YR4/6

7.5YR4/4

7.5YR3/4

5YR4/4

2.5YR4/6

10R3/6,

2.5YR5/8

2.5YR4/8,

5Y6/1

10R4/8,

7.5YR6/6

10R3/6

10R3/6

7.5YR6/6,

7.5YR6/6,

kroto.

2.5YR4/4

5YR4/8,

2.5YR3/6,

4/8,

skinslOR

3/6, 4/8

2.5YR4/8,

skins

10R4/8,

1DR3/6

2.5YR4/8,

gr. stains

10R4/8

2.5YR3/6,

5YR6/8,

stains

10R4/8,gley

10YR8/2

10YR6/4

10YR6/4

7.5YR6/4

5YR5/6

2.5YR4/6

2.5YR4/6,

2.5YR4/B,

5Y8/2

10R4/6,

2.5YR4/8

10YR7/6

7.5YR6/4

7.5YR6/4

5YR6/4

5YR5/6

2.5YR4/8

2.5YR4/8

10YR4/6,

7.5YR4/6

10R3/6

10R3/6

slgr If sbk

L

slgr If sbk

SiL

grC 2 m sbk

grC 2 m sbk

grco 1 m sbk

C

grco 1 m sbk

Cslgr 2 f sbk

L

slgr 2 f sbk

L

slgr 1 f sbk

CL

grC m

grC m

grCL m

grC m

grC m

grLS sg

slgr 2 m sbk

L

slgr 2 m sbk

L

slgr 1 m sbk

L+

grC m

grC m

grC m

slgr m

L

grSCL m

grCL m

sh -- ss.ps 2f, 2m,2co

2m tub

sh -- ss.ps 2f, 2m, 2co

2m tub

exh -- vs.pv 1m 2mtub

exh -- vs.ps -- 2mtub

vs.pv -- Imtub

vs.pv

h fr ss.po 2f, 2co,3f

2vf tub

h fr s,po 2f 3m,3f,

2vftub

h fr s.ps If 2m, 3f

tub

vh fi vs,p -- 2f,3vf

tub

eh fi vs,pv -- Ivftub

eh fi vs.pv -- Ivftub

eh fi vs.pv -- Ivftub

eh fi vs.pv

lo lo ss.po

4kco

h fr ss.po 3f, 3f,lm

1m tub

sh fr ss.po 3f 3f,2m,

2vftub

h fr ss.ps 3f 2f,3m,

2vftub

h fr so.po 2f, 2f,3m,

2vf 2vftub

h fr s.ps 2f 3f,3vf

tub

vh fi vs.pv -- 3vftub

eh fi vs.pv

fr s,ps

0

2npo,

2nbr

3k po,

3kbr,

3kpf

4kpo,

4kbr,

4kpf

2mkbr,

2mkpo,

2mkco

Imkbr,

Imkco

0

2n-mkpo

2mkpo-br,

2npo-br

2mkbr,

3mkpo

4kbr,

4kco

4kbr,

4kco

4kbr,

4kco

4kbr,

4kco

Inbr,

0

0

2mkpo

3mk-kpo,

3mkco

4kbr,

4kco

4kbr,

4kco

4kbr,

4kco

3mkbr

3mkbr

4.84

4.93

4.55

4.40

4.00

4.06

4.71

4.55

4.17

4.36

4.20

4.12

4.14

4.14

5.84

5.44

5.01

4.62

4.48

4.06

4.33

4.20

4.10

L

L

L

L

L

L

L

L

L

L

LS

LS

LS

LS

LS

L

L

L

L

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

ss.ps

ss.ps

ss.ps

so.po

so, po

so.po

ss.po

ss.po

ss.po

ss.po

ss.po

ss.po

ss.po

ss.po

so.po

ss.po

ss.po

ss.po

so,po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so.po

so, po

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A33
Supplementary Table 2. Physical properties

[Analysts: A.J. Busacca, Peter Janitsky, and R. Meixner, University of California, DavisJ

Percentage of <2-mm fraction

No. Sample Horizon

Basal

depth

(cm)

Total vco co

>2-mm sand sand sand

m

sand

fi+vfi

sand Silt

<2-jj

clay

<l-ji

clay

Bulk

density

(g/cm3 )

Modern River Alluvium

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

£O9Q

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

MRA1

MRA2

MRA3

MRA4

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM8

PM8

PM8

PM8

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM18

PM18

PM18

PM18

PM18

Al

2Clox

3C2ox

4C3ox

5C4ox

6C5ox

All

2A12

3Clox

4C2ox

5C35C3ox

6C4n

7C5n

8C6n

Al

2C1

3C2

4C3

All

A12

2Clox

3C2ox

4C3ox

5C4ox

6C5n

All

2A12

3Clox

4C2ox

5C3ox

6C4ox

7C5n

A

Clox

2C2ox

3C3ox

4C4ox

5C5ox

r p /" bC6n

A

2Clox

2C2ox

2C3ox

3C4n

A

2Clox

2C2ox

3C3ox

4C4ox

4

19

42

47

51

51+

7

12

23

43

49

55

66

80+

32

55

66

76+

5

35

86

112

136

200

720

3

33

99

130

175

200

230+

2

25

35

65

90

116

ooc £00

6

45

63

74

120+

6

65

115

164

175+

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

10

Post-Modesto deposits,

87.1 0.1 11.1

80.5 0.4 2.6

92.4 0.1 5.2

87.3 0.0 3.0

95.4 0.2 19.4

90.0 0.0 2.1

71.1 0.1 2.5

68.6 0.1 2.3

75.5 0.2 2.6

46.3 0.3 1.9

85.9 0.0 0.1

63.4 0.6 9.7

89.9 0.2 17.9

30.4 0.0 0.4

Post-Modesto deposits,

36.4 0.2 2.6

55.4 0.0 0.2

81.5 0.1 1.8

92.9 0.0 3.7

38.5 0.0 0.0

44.8 0.1 2.0

72.9 0.1 2.3

81.7 0.0 0.6

50.1 0.0 0.9

39.1 0.1 1.3

71.1 0.0 4.2

80.3 0.1 2.3

71.7 0.4 3.2

85.7 0.4 6.0

96.5 4.5 58.6

73.7 0.1 0.2

74.9 0.0 0.3

75.1 0.0 0.2

83.3 0.0 0.5

92.5 0.0 1.7

82.9 0.0 0.2

74.6 0.2 2.3

74.1 0.1 1.7

73.0 0.0 0.4

64.2 0.0 0.1

85.9 0.0 0.3

70.1 0.5 5.1

77.7 1.0 6.5

83.0 1.3 8.5

90.4 1.1 11.4

88.7 0.7 9.6

.2 Ka

21.8

7.4

18.2

7.7

41.7

11.7

12.4

11.9

13.1

4.8

1.6

14.1

45.4

1.7

3 Ka

2.6

1.2

14.6

27.4

0.9

3.8

6.2

4.4

1.8

2.3

7.3

5.7

2.9

9.0

24.3

4.7

3.7

3.7

6.6

21.8

4.3

7.0

6.6

1.3

1.5

6.0

13.7

13.4

18.5

28.1

31.1

54.1

70.3

68.9

76.5

34.1

76.1

56.1

54.3

59.6

39.3

84.1

39.0

26.4

28.3

33.7

50.4

65.0

61.4

37.0

39.0

64.2

76.6

47.4

35.4

59.2

72.2

65.3

70.3

9.1

68.3

70.9

71.1

76.1

69.1

78.5

65.0

65.8

71.3

62.5

79.6

50.9

57.0

54.5

49.8

47.3

10.0

15.4

4.9

9.1

3.2

6.7

27.0

71.3

19.3

43.9

11.4

31.0

7.7

59.9

52.8

41.1

12.5

3.8

49.9

37.8

23.2

15.6

39.1

49.7

23.4

15.4

22.6

10.6

2.8

19.9

18.9

19.5

12.4

5.6

13.9

22.5

21.0

21.3

28.9

10.9

21.3

18.2

13.3

7.0

9.0

2.9

4.1

2.7

3.6

1.4

3.3

6.9

7.0

5.2

9.8

2.7

5.6

2.4

9.7

13.5

5.9

4.2

2.7

12.1

10.2

3.9

2.8

10.8

11.2

5.5

4.3

5.7

3.7

0.7

6.4

6.2

5.4

4.3

1.9

3.2

2.9

5.0

5.7

6.9

3.2

8.6

4.1

3.7

2.6

2.3

2.3

3.4

2.5

2.3

1.0

2.4

5.1

5.4

4.2

7.2

2.4

4.6

1.8

6.7

10.0

3.8

3.0

1.2

9.5

7.2

2.2

2.0

7.2

7.8

3.9

3.0

3.9

2.8

0.6

4.8

4.5

4.6

3.8

1.8

2.3

1.2

3.9

4.4

4.8

2.6

6.8

2.9

2.6

2.3

1.7

1.43

__

1.41

1.37

1.29

1.47

1.32

1.42

1.40

1.39

1.36

1.24

1.21

1.30

1.17

1.27

1.39

1.31

1.28

1.39

1.41

1.40

1.38

* 

1.38

1.40

1.35

1.37

1.34

1.24

1.22

1.34

__

1.53

1.53

1.52

A34 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 2. Physical properties Continued

Percentage of <2-mm fraction

No. Sample Horizon

Basal 

depth >2-mm 

(cm)

Total 

sand

VCO CO

sand sand

m fi+vfi 

sand sand Silt

<2-j, 

clay

<1-JJ 

clay

Bulk 

density 

(g/cm3 )

Modesto Formation, upper member, 10 Ka

54 M31 

55 M31 

56 M31 

57 M31 

58 M31

59 M46 

60 M46 

61 M46 

62 M46 

63 M46

64 M12 

65 M12 

66 M12 

67 M12 

68 M12 

69 M12 

70 M12

71 R9 

72 R9 

73 R9 

74 R9 

75 R9 

76 R9 

77 R9

78 R33 

79 R33 

80 R33 

81 R33 

82 R33 

83 R33 

84 R33 

85 R33 

86 R33 

87 R33

88 R2 

89 R2 

90 R2 

91 R2 

92 R2 

93 R2

94 RIO 

95 RIO 

96 RIO 

97 RIO 

98 RIO 

99 RIO

100 R32 

101 R32 

102 R32 

103 R32 

104 R32 

105 R32 

106 R32 

107 R32

All 

A12 

AC 

2C1 

3C2

Allp 

A12p 

2A13p 

3AC 

4Cox

All 

A12 

2B21t 

3B22t 

4B3 

5C1 

6C2

Allp 

Al2p 

Bl 

2B21 

2B22 

3B3 

4C

All 

2A12 

3A3 

3B21t 

3B22t 

3B23t 

3B31 

3B32 

4B33 

5Cox

Ap 

B21 

B22t 

B3 

Cl 

C2

A 

2B1 

2B21t 

2B22t 

3B3t 

3Cox

All 

A12 

A3 

B21t 

B22t 

B31t 

2B32 

3Cox

20 

63 

150 

200 

254

5 

14 

32 

66 

250

15 

81 

102 

170 

201 

231 

413+

30 

60 

105 

180 

235 

350 

400+

4 

19 

39 

62 

83 

122 

151 

210 

260 

300+

25 

81 

185 

386 

500 

500+

46 

70 

140 

210 

386 

500

26 

50 

70 

105 

150 

220 

354 

360+

0.0 

0.0 

0.0 

0.0 

0.0

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

Modesto

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

Riverbank

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

20

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

0

Riverbank

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

53.6 

61.5 

67.7 

62.2 

83.0

68.6 

63.7 

65.3 

58.2 

60.1

0.0 0.7 

0.1 0.6

0.0 0.4 

0.0 1.3

0.8 9.7 

0.9 10.9 

0.7 10.4 

0.5 7.0 

0.1 4.5

4.0 

4.1

2.5 

10.1

13.4 

13.5 

13.9 

12.4 

12.8

48.5 

54.8

55.7 

68.7

44.7 

38.3 

40.4 

38.7 

42.7

36.8 

31.9 

28.1 

27.7 

11.6

25.8 

30.0 

28.9 

33.6 

31.2

8.8 

4.8 

4.2 

6.5 

3.6

5.6 

6.9 

5.8 

8.2 

8.7

6.1 

2.2 

1.7 

4.1 

2.1

4.4 

4.7 

4.6 

6.0 

6.4

1.26 

1.28 

1.43 

1.52 

1.42

1.61 

1.66 

1.65 

1.62

Formation, lower member, 40 Ka

80.5 

87.4 

78.9 

85.9 

90.6 

97.0

2.3 24.4 

1.1 21.3 

2.7 22.7 

2.6 27.0 

3.9 39.2

17.2 

15.7 

15.5 

17.6 

19.0

Formation, upper member, 130

73.2 

71.4 

68.0 

64.0 

73.5 

72.8 

87.9

70.3 

58.2 

67.8 

60.4 

57.0 

59.2 

69.8 

71.9 

79.4 

90.7

2.8 24.5 

2.4 24.0 

2.2 22.5 

1.8 18.8 

4.3 29.8 

6.4 36.4 

16.5 32.6

4.4 24.3 

3.4 18.5 

4.6 22.5 

3.1 19.1 

2.9 17.7 

2.7 18.0 

3.5 22.7 

4.3 24.1 

19.5 31.5 

8.9 40.7

16.0 

16.4 

16.4 

15.9 

17.4 

17.7 

18.6

14.6 

11.8 

13.7 

12.3 

11.8 

12.6 

16.3 

16.0 

13.1 

20.7

36.6 

34.9 

31.3 

33.5 

27.0

Ka

17.6 

26.7 

26.7 

26.9 

20.7 

15.6 

19.6

51.7

13.5 

1.4 

4.0 

7.8 

6.1 

2.2

19.6 

21.3 

19.4 

15.2 

12.8 

14.2 

5.8

23.2 

36.1 

23.0 

21.9 

18.0 

15.6 

12.3 

15.6 

7.5 

2.1

6.0 

11.2 

16.8 

6.3 

3.3 

0.8

7.2 

7.3 

12.6 

20.8 

13.7 

13.0 

6.8

6.5 

5.7 

9.2 

17.7 

25.0 

25.2 

17.9 

12.5 

13.1 

7.2

3.3 

7.6 

15.8 

4.2 

1.6 

0.4

4.5 

4.3 

10.0 

18.2 

11.8 

11.6 

6.2

4.4 

3.5 

6.8 

14.8 

21.9 

22.4 

16.0 

11.0 

12.6 

6.6

1.68 

1.68 

1.89 

1.85

1.75 

1.75 

1.84 

1.93 

1.84 

1.88 

1.42

1.57 

1.73 

1.77 

2.03 

2.04 

2.01 

1.89 

1.97 

1.94

Formation, middle member, 250 Ka

73.4 

68.1 

68.4 

72.9 

77.6

72.4 

73.0 

69.4 

64.7 

63.7 

69.1 

76.7 

88.0

3.8 24.1 

5.7 30.4 

5.6 30.0 

6.1 33.3 

10.2 39.8

2.6 19.0 

2.4 19.7 

2.2 18.2 

2.1 16.7 

1.8 17.0 

1.7 17.9 

2.1 24.1 

7.9 42.8

14.4 

12.4 

12.9 

13.7 

7.9

16.1 

16.0 

15.2 

14.5 

14.8 

16.4 

20.4 

17.7

32.3 

22.9 

22.5 

22.9 

19.4

34.7 

35.0 

43.8 

31.3 

30.2 

33.1 

30.1 

19.6

19.3 

18.8 

18.0 

14.9 

9.8

20.6 

19.2 

19.9 

19.2 

16.7 

13.7 

8.5 

4.2

7.3 

13.1 

13.6 

12.2 

11.6

7.0 

7.8 

10.7 

16.1 

19.6 

17.2 

14.8 

8.0

5.2 

11.5 

11.1 

10.2 

9.8

4.4 

5.2 

7.6 

13.2 

16.7 

14.7 

14.5 

7.6

1.43 

1.57 

2.01 

1.86 

1.72

1.80 

1.86 

1.92 

1.93 

1.85

1.67 

1.63 

1.86 

2.05 

2.06 

1.96 

1.82

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A35
Supplementary Table 2. Physical properties Continued

Percentage of <2-mm fraction

No. Sample Horizon 

Basal

depth

(cm)

Total

>2-mm sand

VCO CO

sand sand

m

sand

Riverbank Formation, lower member, 330

108

109

110

111

112

113

R30

R30

R30

R30

R30

R30

Ap

BIO

B21t

2B22t

3B3t

SClox

65

78

127

179

197

220

0 75.0

0 66.7

0 63.5

0 69.8

0 78.2

0 77.5

2.0 21.4

1.4 19.9

1.4 17.7

5.7 29.8

5.9 37.6

4.6 34.1

Turlock Lake Formation,

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

T2

T2

T2

T2

T6

T6

T6

T6

T6

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

A

B21

2B22

3C

All

A12

2B2H

2B22t

3B+C

Allp

2A12p

2A+B

2BH

2B2t

3B31t

4B32t

5B+C

5Clox

6C2ox

31

173

386

417

20

40

90

190

370

5

11

20

33

80

191

256

292

375

375+

0 67.9

0 44.1

0 70.6

0 89.3

0 85.6

0 83.3

0 83.3

0 68.1

0 79.9

0 79.1

0 74.4

0 63.1

0 58.0

0 64.3

0 76.0

0 79.2

0 84.5

0 84.2

0 86.4

China Hat gravel member

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH3

CH3

CH3

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CH4

CH4

Al

2AB

2B2H

2B22t

2B31

2B32

3B33

Al

A3

2A+B

2B21t

2B22

2B23

3B24

3B3

Al

A3

A+B

B2t

B22t

2B23

3B24

4B31

5B32

2B31

4Clox

12

53

88

140

234

310

350

8

30

50

110

170

200

290

350

9

35

68

105

153

173

260

340

750+

750

1000

20 37.7

20 34.1

30 24.9

20 24.9

30.7

24.2

41.0

20 48.9

10 40.3

10 35.6

30 25.6

20 34.2

10 37.8

20 29.3

30 30.9

20 44.0

10 41.9

10 39.1

50 26.4

40 21.4

20 30.3

10 47.5

30 60.8

30 29.9

50.5

63.1

4.1 21.4

2.8 15.3

4.0 14.1

20.2 42.3

19.1 31.7

15.2 29.2

29.6 37.6

19.8 33.1

12.3 43.6

6.6 26.4

10.2 25.0

8.0 19.7

6.9 19.1

7.4 21.8

13.2 22.3

5.6 19.1

10.5 38.9

9.2 33.6

15.7 41.7

18.7

16.0

15.2

15.2

18.5

19.9

600 Ka

13.4

8.7

6.7

10.5

17.5

18.1

10.9

8.8

16.0

18.6

14.5

13.2

11.3

13.8

17.8

24.8

19.7

21.9

18.3

of Laguna Formation,

9.8 7.4

5.2 6.3

4.5 3.5

4.5 3.5

9.2 6.0

6.0 4.3

12.6 15.4

6.2 8.1

5.6 6.6

3.1 6.0

3.4 4.2

6.2 8.7

5.9 10.2

6.5 10.3

7.0 10.2

6.2 7.8

4.5 7.5

3.5 7.5

3.0 4.5

2.8 4.6

1.9 5.0

10.5 15.6

5.9 18.0

7.2 9.2

8.0 25.4

2.9 25.0

3.3

3.5

2.0

2.0

3.2

2.6

3.0

4.3

3.8

3.7

2.4

3.9

4.6

3.0

3.8

5.1

5.1

4.8

3.1

3.0

10.0

6.1

16.8

3.7

5.6

17.3

fi+vfi

sand

Ka

32.9

29.4

29.2

19.1

16.2

18.9

25.9

16.1

42.1

14.2

17.3

20.8

5.2

6.4

8.0

27.5

24.7

22.2

20.7

21.3

22.7

29.7

15.4

19.5

10.7

3,000

17.4

19.1

14.5

14.5

14.8

11.6

7.6

30.3

24.3

22.8

15.7

15.3

17.0

9.4

9.8

24.8

24.9

23.3

15.8

10.9

13.2

15.2

20.2

9.8

11.6

17.9

Silt

19.0

14.2

11.1

5.0

3.3

2.5

26.6

18.2

17.0

4.5

10.1

11.5

7.4

4.8

7.9

14.1

16.4

15.1

12.0

8.6

3.0

2.5

1.0

0.8

1.7

Ka

46.0

43.3

31.8

20.4

26.4

20.6

18.4

38.8

35.6

33.7

21.5

18.6

23.0

24.8

24.3

41.7

38.0

35.6

26.2

16.1

12.0

29.0

10.1

30.5

23.0

18.0

<2-^

clay

8.0

19.1

25.4

25.2

18.5

20.0

5.5

37.7

12.4

6.2

4.3

5.3

9.3

27.1

12.2

5.4

7.1

20.9

28.9

26.0

20.0

18.3

13.9

14.2

11.8

16.5

22.7

43.3

55.8

42.9

55.2

40.6

12.5

24.0

30.7

52.9

46.9

39.2

45.9

44.8

14.3

20.0

25.2

47.5

62.6

57.7

23.5

29.1

39.6

26.5

18.9

<!-) 

clay

6.6

17.0

24.6

25.1

18.4

18.8

2.4

35.0

11.1

5.6

3.4

4.3

7.2

27.1

2.2

3.5

4.4

17.3

24.5

23.8

18.3

18.0

12.6

13.5

11.2

13.6

19.0

39.7

52.8

36.7

49.7

34.3

8.6

20.0

26.7

49.8

43.3

35.1

40.9

40.0

10.4

15.7

20.1

43.0

60.2

54.7

20.5

24.6

32.5

21.3

14.8

Bulk

density

(g/cm3 )

1.71

1.97

1.95

1.93

1.85

 _

1.90

^ _

_

~

1.49

1.85

1.91

1.88

1.95

1.81

1.81

1.76

_

1.64

1,60

1.49

1.65

1.84

1.92

1.54

1.68

1.67

1.66

1.74

1.82

1.75

--

1.53

1.67

1.72

1.67

1.73

1.84

1.81

1.75

1.82

1.71

1.61

A36 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 3, Part 1. Extractive chemical analyses

[CEC, cation-exchange capacity; m, with magnetic minerals; w, without magnetic minerals. Analysts: A. L. Walker, U.S. Geological Survey, 

and A.J. Busacca, Peter Janitsky, and R. Meixner, University of California, Davis]

No. Sample Horizon

Basal

depth

(cm)

Percentage of <2-mm

Total

N

Organic

C

mg/100 g soil

Exchange Exchange

Na K

Exchange

Ca

Exchange

Mg

Exchange

N CEC

PH

1:1H2 0

pH

1:1KC1

pH

Saturated

Modern River Alluvium

1 MRA1

2 MRA2

3 MR A3

4 MRA4

5 PM15

6 PM15

7 PM15

8 PM15

9 PM15

10 PM15

11 PM19

12 PM19

13 PM19

14 PM19

15 PM19

16 PM19

17 PM19

18 PM19

19 PM8

20 PM8

21 PM8

22 PM8

23 PM13

24 PM13

25 PM13

26 PM13

27 PM13

28 PM13

29 PM13

30 PM14

31 PM14

32 PM14

33 PM14

34 PM14

35 PM14

36 PM14

37 PM16

38 PM16

39 PM16

40 PM16

41 PM16

42 PM16

43 PM16

44 PM17

45 PM17

46 PM17

47 PM17

48 PM17

49 PM18

50 PM18

51 PM18

52 PM18

53 PM18

--

~

--

--

Al

2Clox

3C2ox

4C3ox

5C4ox

6C5ox

All

2A12

3Clox

4C2ox

5C3ox

6C4n

7C5n

8C6n

Al

2C1

3C2

4C3

All

A12

2Clox

3C2ox

4C3ox

5C4ox

6C5n

All

2A12

3Clox

4C2ox

5C3ox

6C4ox

7C5n

A

Clox

2C2ox

3C3ox

4C4ox

5C5ox

5C6n

A

2C2ox

2C2ox

2C3ox

3C4n

A

2Clox

2C2ox

3C3ox

4C4ox

--

~

-

-

4

19

42

47

51

51+

7

12

23

43

49

55

66

80+

32

55

66

76+

5

35

86

112

136

200

720

3

33

99

130

175

200

239+

2

25

35

65

90

116

236

6

45

63

74

120+

6

65

115

164

175+

--

-

-

--

0.0371

0.0428

0.0255

0.0226

0.0097

0.0205

0.2790

0.1443

0.0983

0.0635

0.0185

0.0322

0.0121

0.199

0.049

0.038

0.018

0.2609

0.0877

0.0278

0.0187

0.2429

0.0942

0.0301

0.0153

0.0242

0.0146

0.0077

0.2215

0.0670

0.0404

0.0273

0.0124

0.0169

0.2098

0.0594

0.0378

0.0439

0.0175

0.3966

0.0358

0.0245

0.0260

0.0145

--

--

--

--

0.54

0.44

0.14

0.20

0.08

0.14

3.81

1.62

1.10

0.60

0.52

0.31

0.08

2.26

0.66

0.41

0.13

3.26

0.99

0.32

0.30

--

2.91

1.21

1.00

0.30

0.25

0.11

0.04

2.64

0.58

0.48

0.34

0.12

0.16

~

2.14

0.62

0.44

0.50

0.18

3.69

0.37

0.25

0.10

0.12

--

--

. 

--

0.39

0.41

0.41

0.42

0.39

0.41

__

..

0.18

0.13

0.22

0.04

._

__

0.49

0.53

0.53

0.53

0.49

0.23

0.79

__

--

__

--

-

--

--

Post-Modesto

0.23

0.14

0.09

0.11

0.05

0.07

__

--

Post-Modesto

1.76

0.17

0.22

0.15

..

--

._

0.88

0.63

0.14

0.14

0.07

0.07

0.07

__

__

--

--

--

-

Deposits, .2

3.84

4.04

3.13

4.54

2.83

4.34

-_

._

--

Deposits, 3

15.30

11.01

5.25

3.84

__

--

._

8.79

6.26

7.58

6.46

4.14

6.06

6.87

_

--

__

--

--

--

--

Ka

2.93

3.23

1.92

2.63

1.82

3.03

__

Ka

2.53

2.52

3.13

1.61

._

--

2.94

3.13

3.03

3.12

2.83

5.56

6.26

_

~

__

--

-

--

--

1.29

1.69

1.33

1.08

0.64

1.04

4.99

2.57

1.85

1.53

0.72

1.33

0.64

1.41

4.66

1.25

0.76

0.84

4.10

1.04

0.84

1.45

~

2.65

0.32

0.48

1.21

1.45

1.13

0.24

2.29

1.53

0.96

0.48

0.32

1.45

0.64

2.05

1.04

0.36

0.36

0.16

2.21

1.29

1.57

1.04

0.84

--

--

--

--

4.83

6.66

3.25

5.99

1.66

4.91

__

22.73

13.82

7.08

3.66

__

__

~

12.57

9.07

9.41

7.57

3.50

5.83

8.91

__

__

--

--

--

--

5.84

5.69

5.56

5.55

5.72

5.82

5.56

6.25

6.32

6.91

6.79

6.98

6.54

6.33

7.20

7.33

7.48

6.30

7.71

7.85

7.35

~

6.42

7.83

7.83

6.88

6.54

6.66

6.92

6.50

6.48

6.86

7.29

7.29

7.22

7.42

6.61

6.99

7.18

8.03

7.83

7.26

5.69

5.75

5.98

6.18

--

--

--

--

5.25

4.68

4.37

4.75

5.01

5.03

5.12

5.85

5.87

6.30

6.33

6.36

6.22

5.72

6.36

7.13

6.72

5.89

6.93

6.67

5.90

--

5.99

7.12

6.62

5.42

5.11

5.32

5.52

6.00

5.68

6.33

6.70

6.89

6.95

~

6.25

6.32

6.65

7.42

7.36

6.92

5.54

4.64

4.77

5.10

--

--

--

-

__

~

_

--

. _

--

--

__

--

_

_

--

__

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A37
Supplementary Table 3, Part 1. Extractive chemical analyses Continued

No.

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

Sample

M31

M31

M31

M31

M31

M46

M46

M46

M46

M46

Ml 2

Ml 2

Ml 2

Ml 2

Ml 2

M12

Ml 2

R9

R9

R9

R9

R9

R9

R9

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R2

R2

R2

R2

R2

R2

RIO

RIO

RIO

RIO

RIO

RIO

R32

R32

R32

R32

R32

R32

R32

R32

R30

R30

R30

R30

R30

R30

Horizon

All

A12

AC

2C1

3C2

Allp

Al2p

2Al3p

SAC

4Cox

All

A12

2B21t

3B22t

4B3

5C1

6C2

Allp

Al2p

Bl

2B21

2B22

3B3

4C

All

2A12

3A3

3B21t

3B22t

3B23t

3B31

3B32

4B33

5Cox

Ap

B21

B22t

B3

Cl

C2n

A

2B1

2B21t

2B22t

3B3t

3Cox

All

A12

A3

B21t

B22t

B31t

2B32

3Cox

Ap

BIO

B21t

2B22t

3B3t

3Clox

Basal

depth

(cm)

20

63

150

200

254

5

14

32

66

250

15

81

102

170

201

231

413+

30

60

105

180

235

350

400+

4

19

39

62

83

122

151

210

260

300+

25

81

185

386

500

500+

46

70

140

210

386

500

26

50

70

105

150

220

354

360+

65

78

127

179

197

220

Percentage of <2-mm

Total

N

0.101

0.041

0.022

0.018

0.011

0.1881

0.0959

0.0544

0.0331

0.0206

_

0.025

0.019

0.020

0.012

0.006

0.044

0.040

--

-_

0.1261

0.0492

0.0248

0.0229

0.0240

-.

--

_

--

--

0.023

--

0.0351

0.0278

0.0195

0.0200

0.0180

-.

0.019

__

-~

Organic

C

1.23

0.45

0.21

0.13

0.06

2.24

1.00

0.52

0.26

0.11

0.23

0.16

0.10

0.40

0.40

0.02

0.36

0.29

0.15

0.08

0.04

0.03

0.03

1.53

0.47

0.16

0.06

0.06

_

--

0.16

0.07

0.03

0.03

0.03

~

0.31

0.15

0.10

0.08

0.04

0.18

~~

mgyiOO g soil

Exchange Exchange

Na K

Modesto Formation,

0.32 1.83

7.42 1.13

8.38 0.97

8.68 0.22

2.99 0.10

0.53 0.76

0.44 0.53

0.25 0.48

0.26 0.54

0.26 0.28

Modesto Formation,

--

0.13 0.24

0.28 0.13

0.19 0.10

0.14 0.08

0.65 0.06

Riverbank Formation,

0.13 0.22

0.09 0.11

0.11 0.08

0.04 0.09

0.09 0.09

0.13 0.10

0.13 0.08

..

-.

Riverbank Formation,

--

-_

-.

--

0.13 0.22

0.06 0.23

0.19 0.10

0.15 0.08

0.19 0.08

0.17 0.32

0.26 0.23

0.25 0.22

0.22 0.24

0.25 0.23

0.25 0.20

0.31 0.22

0.36 0.14

Riverbank Formation,

0.09 0.18

0.15 0.23

0.19 0.18

0.63 0.26

0.28 0.14

0.19 0.16

Exchange Exchange

Ca Mg

upper member, 10 Ka

11.82 1.81

5.45 1.32

2.42 0.51

1.62 0.80

1.92 1.11

7.37 2.22

5.86 1.31

4.65 1.11

4.95 1.41

6.16 1.52

lower member, 40 Ka

3.43 0.11

3.74 1.21

6.67 2.12

4.95 2.37

3.74 1.21

--

upper member, 130 Ka

2.73 0.40

3.23 0.00

3.84 0.26

4.44 1.82

4.34 1.11

5.35 1.72

5.25 1.01

._

..

_.

__

--

middle member, 250 Ka

_

..

__

--

3.53 0.01

3.43 0.81

4.65 2.11

3.64 2.72

4.75 1.82

3.54 0.50

3.03 0.61

3.23 0.71

3.33 1.32

4.54 1.01

3.94 1.41

4.34 1.52

3.84 1.51

lower member, 330 Ka

2.52 0.00

4.34 0.61

4.95 1.92

8.69 2.72

9.90 2.93

9.09 2.42

Exchange

N

1.37

0.04

0.00

0.68

0.80

2.01

1.37

1.00

0.92

0.76

_

1.42

2.11

2.35

1.26

1.22

2.73

2.45

2.49

4.66

4.58

2.10

1.87

1.85

1.33

1.29

1.61

1.61

2.81

1.22

1.10

1.08

0.64

_

~

1.74

1.71

2.47

1.46

1.10

--

1.29

1.00

1.13

1.53

1.93

1.21

0.48

0.48

1.10

2.23

2.47

2.63

1.58

1.46

CEC

15.23

9.32

6.83

7.24

3.58

10.57

8.74

6.65

7.33

8.41

__

2.91

4.33

7.99

5.83

3.91

3.83

4.24

4.66

6.83

4.49

7.08

6.08

__

_

3.00

4.33

6.49

5.91

5.58

4.83

3.83

3.91

4.74

6.08

4.99

5.49

3.66

2.75

6.49

8.24

12.90

12.90

11.41

PH

1:1H20

7.62

9.64

10.00

10.01

9.64

6.29

6.76

6.80

7.01

7.04

_

6.45

6.87

6.67

6.98

7.34

5.83

5.77

5.77

6.13

6.05

6.15

6.13

6.26

6.11

5.56

5.94

6.21

._

~

6.20

6.82

7.17

7.47

7.47

--

6.41

6.28

6.26

6.18

6.56

6.45

6.00

5.75

5.90

6.45

6.95

pH

1:1KC1

6.83

7.88

8.78

8.36

7.45

5.87

6.06

6.23

6.23

5.80

_

5.59

5.48

5.32

5.40

5.22

4.87

4.88

4.70

4.56

4.38

4.44

4.28

5.69

5.54

5.11

4.60

4.86

_

5.12

5.08

4.98

4.98

5.32

~

5.57

5.41

4.99

4.77

4.85

4.73

4.49

4.21

4.11

4.62

4.90

pH

Saturated

_

~

_

~~

~

_

_.

--

_

--

_

--

6.6

6.1

5.8

6.0

6.8

7.0

A3 8 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 3, Part 1. Extractive chemical analyses Continued

Basal Percentage of <2-mm

No. Sample Horizon depth Total Organic 

(cm) N C

Exchange 

Na

mg/100 g soil

Exchange

K

Exchange 

Ca

Exchange Exchange 

Mg N CEC

pH 

1:1H2 0

PH 

IrlKCl

PH 

Saturated

Turlock Lake Formation, 600 Ka

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

135

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

T2

T2

T2

T2

T6

T6

T6

T6

T6

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

cm

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH3

CH3

CH3

CH3

CH3

CH3

CH3

CH3

CH3

CH4

CH4

A

B21

82 2

3C

All

A12

2B21t

2B22t

3B+C

Allp

2A12p

2A+B

2Blt

2B2t

B31t

4B32t

5B+C

SClox

6IC2ox

Al

2AB

2B21t

2B22t

2B31

2B32

3IB33

Al

A3

2A+B

2B21t

2B22

2B23

3B24

3IIB3

Al

A3

A+B

B2t

B22t

2B23

3IIB24

4VB31

5B32

2B31

4Clox

31 0.037

173

386

417

20 0.0364

40 0.0214

90 0.0091

190

370

5

11 0.032

20

33

80

191

256

292

375

375+

12 0.053

53 0.046

88

140

234

310

350

8

30

50

110

170

200

290

350+ 

9

35

68

105

153

173

260

340

750+ 

750

1000

0.38

0.17

0.05

0.04

--

_

0.64

--

China

0.34

0.28

0.12

0.26

0.21

0.22

0.21

0.80

0.29

0.23

0.12

0.08

0.06

0.05

0.04

2.01

0.34

0.26

0.11

0.11

0.09

0.03

0.03

0.03

0.02

0.02

0.08

0.11

0.26

0.06

0.27

0.25

0.29

0.26

0.36

0.09

0.04

0.06

0.17

0.18

0.21

0.23

0.21

0.19

0.19

Hat gravel

0.11

0.11

0.19

0.15

0.24

0.39

0.37

1.06

1.50

1.62

1.42

1.34

0.83

0.98

1.34

0.88

1.62

0.67

0.70

1.52

1.24

1.06

0.88

1.26

1.16

1.68

0.27

0.26

0.11

0.07

0.28

0.31

0.42

0.35

0.17

0.81

0.34

0.34

0.27

0.11

0.12

0.12

0.13

0.14

0.19

member of

0.26

0.27

0.22

0.06

0.05

0.10

0.09

0.33

0.32

0.26

0.24

0.20

0.10

0.17

0.19

0.50

0.43

0.40

0.31

0.27

0.24

0.17

0.15

0.24

0.18

0.31

2.73

4.65

5.96

3.28

3.33

3.33

8.69

8.08

5.05

8.58

3.94

4.65

5.35

5.66

7.27

5.81

5.05

5.35

5.86

0.50

1.81

2.12

0.20

0.00

0.21

1.71

1.62

1.41

0.41

0.00

0.60

2.22

2.12

2.51

1.41

0.51

1.21

1.31

Laguna Formation, 3,000

1.92

2.52

2.83

4.44

5.65

6.56

5.85

2.83

1.62

1.48

2.91

4.12

5.02

7.60

6.28

10.21

4.25

3.19

4.28

5.38

6.11

6.87

6.07

6.92

2.96

3.78

0.60

0.36

0.30

0.21

0.71

2.73

2.94

0.71

0.45

0.36

0.71

1.41

2.08

3.10

3.71

1.13

1.03

0.81

0.96

1.32

2.45

3.64

3.74

4.81

3.25

4.60

1.87

4.16

1.74

0.86

_

~

1.95

1.18

1.91

2.87

2.59

1.58

1.50

1.38

1.26

1.22

Ka

4.80

5.16

9.15

8.98

6.81

7.66

6.61

5.79

7.52

8.20

11.26

11.78

11.42

12.63

12.71

4.83

4.50

5.71

9.49

10.06

10.86

11.02

11.26

12.63

6.52

3.38

3.50

8.91

8.41

3.17

3.08

2.66

8.99

10.41

7.41

11.07

4.00

6.66

9.65

9.57

8.99

7.41

7.16

6.91

6.91

6.58

7.08

11.57

12.15

11.90

15.73

15.32

7.76

7.82

8.66

11.87

12.32

14.23

16.76

18.28

11.19

7.87

8.04

11.25

12.15

14.74

15.30

15.86

21.09

10.57

10.29

6.58

5.82

6.52

6.48

6.50

6.00

7.00

6.20

6.60

6.82

6.95

6.85

6.70

6.60

6.90

7.10

6.95

7.00

7.15

4.84

4.93

4.55

4.40

4.00

3.96

4.06

4.71

4.55

4.17

4.36

4.20

4.12

4.14

4.14

5.84

5.44

5.01

4.62

4.48

4.06

4.33

4.20

4.10

3.92

4.41

5.20

4.30

4.65

4.46

_

~

6.44

5.99

5.51

4.96

4.61

5.21

5.03

4.90

4.88

4.96

3.66

3.56

3.19

3.05

2.84

2.77

2.94

__

~

_

_

~~

__

--

--

_

6.9

7.1

6.8

6.5

6.4

6.6

6.5

6.4

6.5

6.5

_

--

__

_

--

--

_

 *

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A39
Supplementary Table 3, Part 2. Extractive chemical analyses

[CEC, cation-exchange capacity; m, with magnetic minerals; w, without magnetic minerals. 

Analysts: A. L. Walker, U.S. Geological Survey, and A.J. Busacca, Peter Janitsky, and 

R. Meixner, University of California, Davis]

No.

1

2

3

4

Sample

MRAl

MRA2

MR A3

MRA4

Horizon

Basal 

depth

(cm)

Fe d (m)

Modern

percentage of <2-mm

Fe d (w) ,Md (w) mags Fe o AT

River Al luvi urn

Post-Modesto Deposits,

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

Al

2Clox

3C2ox

4C3ox

5C4ox

6C5ox

All

2A12

3Clox

4C2ox

5C3ox

6C4n

7C5n

8C6n

4

19

42

47

51

51+

7

12

23

43

49

55

66

80+

1.18

0.65

0.98

1.19

1.09

0.68

1.15

0.81

1.25

1.10

0.95

1.22

1.20

--

0.52

0.59

0.53

0.71

0.41

0.65

0.70

0.76

0.73

1.07

0.67

0.82

1.22

0.56

Post-Modesto Deposits,

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26 

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

PM8

PM8

PM8

PM8

PH13

PH13

PM13

PM13 

PM13

PM13

DMl rni 1J

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM16

PH16

PM16

PM16

PH16

PM16

PM16

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM18

PM18

PM18

PM18

PM18

H31

H31

H31

M31

M31

M46

M46

M46

M46

H46

Al

2C1

3C2

4C3

All

A12

2Clox

3C2ox 

4C3ox

5C4ox

6C5n

All

2A12

3Clox

4C2ox

5C3ox

6C4ox

7C5n

A

Clox

2C2ox

3C3ox

4C4ox

5C5ox

5C6n

A

2C2ox

2C2ox

2C3ox

3C4n

A

2Clox

2C2ox

3C3ox

4C4ox

All

A12

AC

2C1

3C2

Allp

A12p

2A13p

3AC

4Cox

32

55

66

76+

5

35

86

112 

136

200

720

3

33

99

130

175

200

239+

2

25

35

65

90

116

236

6

45

63

74

120+

6

65

115

164

175 +

Modesto

20

63

150

200

254

5

14

32

66

250

1.13

0.97

0.68

0.53

1.14

1.18

0.99

0.83

0.93

0.71

0.96

1.03

0.56

0.08

1.15

1.30

1.37

1.19

0.99

1.06

1.00

0.80

1.20

1.47

1.47

1.31

0.91

0.97

1.33

1.06

0.73

Formatio

0.92

0.81

0.76

0.78

0.46

0.78

0.53

0.96

0.67

0.70

_

--

1.09

1.03

0.78

0.83

0.94

1.12

0.78

0.79

0.87

0.60

0.26

0.76

0.85

0.84

0.73

0.56

0.73

0.86

0.70

0.80

0.88

0.94

0.66

0.79

0.85

0.78

0.68

0.65

.2 Ka

0.05

0.06

0.03

0.08

0.05

0.05

0.08

0.08

0.06

0.11

0.07

0.09

0.12

0.06

3 Ka

_

0.12

0.11

0.07

0.05

0.11

0.12

0.08

0.07

0.09

0.06

0.05

0.07

0.07

0.09

0.05

0.04

0.07

0.08

0.06

0.07

0.08

0.08

0.08

0.09

0.09

0.09

0.08

0.08

n, upper member, 10

0.96

0.87

0.81

0.82

0.56

0.44

0.51

0.54

0.60

0.60

0.10

0.09

0.08

0.10

0.07

0.06

0.06

0.06

0.07

0.07

0.72

0.99

0.58

0.34

1.03

0.39

0.21

0.43

0.23

0.25

0.27

0.07

0.19

_

0.09

0.03

0.16

0.07

0.02

0.05

0.24

0.13

0.03

0.15

0.20

0.19

0.18

0.18

0.27

0.40

0.37

~

0.34

0.27

0.18

0.16

0.49

0.31

0.37

0.21

0.28

0.32

Ka

"

0.46

0.74

0.52

0.69

0.60

0.22

0.22

0.19

0.24

0.13

0.20

0.23

0.24

0.24

0.34

0.22

0.25

0.42

0.18

_

0.25

0.26

0.28

0.31

0.31

0.32

0.28

0.29

0.36

0.24

0.09

0.18

0.23

0.24

0.19

0.15

0.19

0.20

0.18

0.20

0.22

0.23

0.19

0.26

0.16

0.16

0.14

0.13

0.27

0.20

0.20

0.18

0.15

0.10

0.12

0.10

0.11

0.07

0.04

0.04

0.04

0.04

0.03

0.03

0.05

0.05

0.05

0.07

0.04

0.06

0.09

0.04

_

--

0.06

0.06

0.05

0.05

0.06

0.08

0.05

0.04

0.05

0.04

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.05

0.04

0.04

0.04

0.05

0.04

0.04

0.05

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.06

0.05

0.05

0.04

0.07

0.07

0.07

0.07

0.04

0.03

0.03

0.03

0.03

0.04

A40 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 3, Part 2. Extractive chemical analyses Continued

No. Sample Horizon

Basal 

depth

(cm)

percentage of <2-mm

Fe d (m) Fe d (w)

Modesto Formation, lower

64 

65 

66 

67 

68 

69 

70

71 

72 

73 

74 

75 

76 

77

78 

79 

80 

81 

82 

83 

84 

85 

86 

87

88 

89 

90 

91 

92 

93

94 

95 

96 

97 

98 

99

100 

101 

102 

103 

104 

105 

106 

107

Ml 2 

Ml 2 

Ml 2 

M12 

Ml 2 

Ml 2 

Ml 2

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33

R2 

R2 

R2 

R2 

R2 

R2

RIO 

RIO

RlO 

RIO 

RlO 

RlO

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32

All 

A12 

2B2H 

3B22t 

4B3 

5C1 

6C2

Allp 

A12p 

Bl 

2B21 

2B22 

3B3 

4C

All 

2A12 

3A3 

3B21t 

3B22t 

3B23t 

3B31 

3B32 

4B33 

5Cox

R

Ap 

B21 

B22t 

B3 

Cl 

C2n

A 

2B1 

2B2H 

2B22t 

3B3t 

3Cox

All 

A12 

A3 

B21t 

B22t 

B3H 

2B32 

3Cox

15 

81 

102 

170 

201 

231 

413+

Riverbank

30 

60 

105 

180 

235 

350 

400+

4 

19 

39 

62 

83 

122 

151 

210 

260 

300+

liverbank

25 

81 

185 

386 

500 

500+

46 

70 

140 

210 

386 

500

26 

50 

70 

105 

150 

220 

354 

360+

Riverbank

108 

109 

110 

111 

112 

113

R30 

R30 

R30 

R30 

R30 

R30

Ap 

BIO 

B21t 

2B22t 

3B3t 

3Clox

65 

78 

127 

179 

197 

220

0.34 

0.44 

0.49 

0.40 

0.42

Formati o

0.48 

0.50 

0.59 

0.70 

0.46 

0.48 

0.42

0.46 

1.07 

0.87 . 

1.32 

1.38

1.19 

1.05 

1.29

Formation

0.45 

0.56 

0.60 

0.57 

0.50

0.52 

0.97 

1.07 

1.20 

0.70 

1.22 

1.25

Formatior

0.60 

0.84 

0.82 

0.75 

0.70 

0.64

0.27

0.34 

0.45 

0.33

0.24

n, upper

0.40 

0.38 

0.49 

0.57 

0.36 

0.45 

0.34

0.37 

0.40 

0.49 

0.62 

0.71 

0.65 

0.47 

0.50 

0.57 

0.31

Al d (w)

member,

0.03 

0.05 

0.06 

0.08

0.05

member,

0.05 

0.06 

0.08 

0.09 

0.06 

0.08 

0.06

0.05 

0.05 

0.05 

0.08 

0.10 

0.09 

0.08 

0.06 

0.08 

0.06

, middle member,

0.33 

0.42 

0.51 

0.43 

0.37

0.38 

0.45 

0.46 

0.54 

0.60 

0.57 

0.40 

0.40

i, upper

0.37 

0.59 

0.68 

0.58 

0.53 

0.51

Turlock Lake Formation

114

115 

116 

117

118 

119 

120 

121 

122

123 

124 

125 

126 

127 

128 

129 

130 

131 

132

T2 

T2 

T2

T2

T6 

T6 

T6 

T6 

T6

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til

A 

B21 

2B22 

3C

All 

A12 

2B2H 

2B22t 

3B+C

Allp 

2A12p 

2A+B 

2BH 

2B2t 

3B3H 

4B32t 

5B+C 

5Clox 

6IC2ox

31 

173 

386 

417

20 

40 

90 

190 

370

5 

11 

20 

33 

80 

191 

256 

292 

375 

375 +

1.03 

2.19 

1.11 

0.62

0.39 

0.49 

0.23

0.42 

0.64 

1.08 

1.06 

0.90 

0.82 

0.85 

0.53 

0.53 

0.58

0.74 

1.70 

1.04 

0.44

0.26 

0.28 

0.48 

0.64 

0.36

0.30 

0.46 

0.82 

0.98 

0.74 

0.43 

0.55 

0.42 

0.37 

0.40

0.06 

0.06 

0.08 

0.08 

0.06

0.05 

0.06 

0.06 

0.09 

0.09 

0.09 

0.07 

0.07

member,

0.06 

0.09 

0.09 

0.10 

0.09 

0.08

, 600 Ka

0.05 

0.13 

0.07 

0.05

0.02 

0.04 

0.08 

0.10 

0.07

0.04 

0.02 

0.07 

0.08 

0.08 

0.08 

0.08 

0.08 

0.08 

0.07

mags

40 Ka

3.77

130 Ka

0.92 

0.04 

0.47 

0.10 

0.14

0.22 

0.21

250 Ka

--

1.49 

0.10 

0.21 

0.31 

1.36 

0.19 

0.39

330 Ka

--

"

Feo

0.06 

0.06 

0.06 

0.03

0.03

0.13 

0.09 

0.10 

0.09 

0.03 

0.03 

0.05

0.06 

0.07 

0.09 

0.12 

0.13 

0.10 

0.07 

0.05 

0.05 

0.04

0.06 

0.07 

0.04 

0.04 

0.03

0.07 

0.06 

0.07 

0.09 

0.09 

0.09 

0.05 

0.07

0.12 

0.06 

0.07 

0.05 

0.04 

0.05

0.04 

0.11 

0.03 

0.02

0.04 

0.04 

0.04 

0.05 

0.03

0.04 

0.03 

0.04 

0.07 

0.04 

0.03 

0.03 

0.03 

0.05 

0.03

0.04 

0.04 

0.06

0.05

0.04

0.04 

0.04 

0.04 

0.07 

0.04 

0.05 

0.05

0.04 

0.04 

0.04 

0.06 

0.06 

0.06 

0.05 

0.04 

0.07 

0.05

0.04 

0.05 

0.03 

0.04 

0.04

0.03 

0.03 

0.04 

0.05 

0.05 

0.05 

0.05 

0.05

0.03 

0.06 

0.06 

0.06 

0.07 

0.06

0.04 

0.09 

0.04 

0.04

0.03 

0.03 

0.06 

0.06 

0.05

0.03 

0.03 

0.06 

0.08 

0.06 

0.06 

0.06 

0.06 

0.05 

0.05

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A41
Supplementary Table 3, Part 2.

cal analyses Continued

Extractive chemiNo. Sample Horizon

Basal

Urn)'' FedW

China Hat gravel member

133 

134 

135 

135 

137 

138 

139

140 

141 

142 

143 

144 

145 

146 

147

148 

149 

150 

151 

152 

153 

154 

155 

156

157 

158

CH1 

CH1 

CH1 

CH1 

CH1 

CH1 

CH1

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2

CH3 

CH3 

CH3 

CH3 

CH3 

CH3 

CH3 

CH3 

CH3

CH4 

CH4

Al 

2AB 

2B21t 

2B22t 

2B31 

2B32 

3IB33

Al 

A3 

2A+B 

2B21t 

2B22 

2B23 

3B24 

3IIB3

Al 

A3 

A+B 

B2t 

B22t 

2B23 

3IIB24 

4VB31 

5B32

2B31 

4Clox

12 1.41 

53 1.63 

88 2.41 

140 3.31 

234 3.31 

310 2.06 

350 2.61

percentage of <2-mm

Fed (w) Al d (w) mags Fe Q

of Laguna Formation, 3,000 Ka

1.42 0.13 0.10 

1.66 0.14 - 0.10 

2.43 0.21 - 0.16 

3.33 0.22 0.13 

3.35 0.13 0.06 

2.27 0.13 0.03 

2.35 0.14 - 0.06

A1 o

0.05 

0.06 

0.11 

0.08 

0.06 

0.06 

0.06

Supplementary Table 4, Part 1. Mineralogy

[Percentaqes of very fine sand are based on approximately 200 qrain counts per slide of each heavy (sp gr, greater than 3,08) and medium (sp gr, 2.58-3.0"?) mineral 

isolate. Etching scales, which range from 0 to 5, express average deqree of etching of all grains observed in grain counts (after Gillam and others, 1977). Analyst, 

J.W. Harden]

Percentages of very fine sand for selected heavy-mineral groups

No.

1

2

3

4

5 

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

Soil age 

(Ka)

.2

.2

.2

3

3

3

10

10

10

10

10

40

130

130

130

130

130

250

600

600

600

Profile

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM17

PM17

PM17

M31

M31

M46

M46

M46

M12

R9

R9

R33

R33

R33

RIO

Til

Til

Til

Horizon

Al

IIClox

VIC5ox

A

IIC2ox

IIIC4n

A12

IIIC2

A12

AC

IVCdx

VC1

IIIB3

IVC

IIA12

IIIB23t

VCox

A

IIA12p

UB2t

VClox

Hornblende

3.05

6.26

3.63

3.81

4.91

5.41

5.26

5.68

3.82

4.14

5.06

4.62

--

5.08

3.26

2.44

6.00

3.52

0.55

0.35

"

OrthoPyroxene

0.05

0.76

0.36

0.21

0.35

0.86

0.02

0.33

0.001

0.18

0.17

0.08

--

0.17

0.06

0.11

0.19

0.15

0.04

0.04

"

Clinopyroxene

0.05

1.22

0.70

0.31

0.72

1.85

0.15

0.70

0.30

0.20

0.46

0.05

--

0.41

0.34

0.11

0.04

0.15

0.07

0.0

--

Zircon

0.29

0.92

0.18

0.18

0.42

0.30

0.07

0.16

0.22

0.11

0.18

0.15

--

0.12

0.06

0.20

0.15

0.23

0.15

0.14

--

Epidote 

sphene

5.78

5.01

8.79

5.25

4.12

8.98

9.77

5.06

2.13

1.35

1.67

1.2

..

3.04

1.54

1.49

1.03

1.15

0.62

0.43

"

Apatite

2.20

0.65

0.24

0.23

0.20

0.05

0.0

0.34

0.18

0.47

0.10

0.04

.,

0.0

0.09

0.0

0.16

0.0

0.0

0.0

 

Opaque 

minerals

2.97

4.54

2.52

2.42

1.71

2.11

1.35

1.58

2.16

2.75

2.19

1.76

..

2.82

2.30

1.38

7.85

2.30

2.09

4.54

"

Unknown

9.89

13.35

6.65

1.76

2.06

5.14

6.90

2.80

2.53

1.80

1.63

1.94

--

2.46

1.56

0.34

1.64

0.23

0.50

0.25

"

Etching scales for selected heavy-mineral 

groups in the very fine sand fraction

Horn- Orthoblende pyroxene

2.2 3.0

2.1 2.0

2.9 4.0

2.6 3.6

2.5 2.9

1.8

1.9 3.0

3.0 3.3

2.3

2.4 3.2

2.1 2.8

3.3

3.1 3.8

2.9 3.3

2.7 3.0

3.0 3.6

3.4 3.0

2.9 3.5

3.3 4.0

3.3 4.5

3.7 4.5

Clinopyroxene

3.0

3.9

3.5

2.5

2.8

3.0

3.1

2.7

2.6

3.3

2.8

3.0

3.6

4.0

3.0

3.3

..

3.0

3.8

..

--

Zircon

1.3

1.0

1.7

1.6

1.0

..

1.6

1.6

1.4

1.2

1.2

2.0

1.3

2.0

1.6

1.3

1.8

1.8

1.9

2.0

--

Epidote

2.5

2.9

3.0

2.8

2.5

2.5

3.1

3.4

2.6

2.9

2.8

3.1

2.9

2.9

3.0

3.0

3.2

3.0

3.0

3.1

3.6

Sphene

_

2.1

2.0

2.3

_

2.4

3.7

1.8

2.3

1.6

3.1

3.3

2.7

2.6

2.5

2.8

3.0

3.1

3.4

3.3

A4Z Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 4, Part 2. Mineralogy

No. Sample Horizon

Basal

depth

(cm)

Chloritized Mica Mica

Kaolinite Chlorite Vermiculite Vermiculite Vermiculite Mica chloritized Smectite Quartz Feldspar

Modern River Alluvium

1

2

3

4

MRA1

MRA2

MR A3

MRA4

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

.,

-.

-

Post-Modesto Deposits, .2 Ka

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

Al

2Clox

3C2ox

4C3ox

5C4ox

6C5ox

All

2A12

3Clox

4C2ox

5C3ox

6C4n

7C5n

8C6n

4

19

42

47

51

51+

7

12

23

43

49

55

66

80+

..

-.

-_

-.

--

__

..

-.

-.

Post-Modesto Deposits, 3 Ka

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

PM8

PM8

PM8

PM8

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM18

PM18

PM18

PM18

PM18

Al

2C1

3C2

4C3

All

A12

2Clox

3C2ox

4C3ox

5C4ox

6C5n

All

2A12

3Clox

4C2ox

5C3ox

6C4ox

7C5n

A

Clox

2C2ox

3C3ox

4C4ox

5C5ox

5C6n

A

2C2ox

2C2ox

2C3ox

3C4n

A

2Clox

2C2ox

3C3ox

4C40X

32

55

86

76+

5

35

86

112

136

200

720

3

33

99

130

175

200

230+

2

25

35

65

90

116

236

6

45

63

74

120+

6

65

115

164

175+

+++ + + ++ +++ ++ X X

..

..

++ ++ + X XX

__

--

-_

..

-.

__

--

-.

-,

--

--

__

--

-.

_.

--

--

--

--

-.

-.

_.

--

--

--

Modesto Formation, upper member, 10 Ka

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

M31

M31

M31

M31

M31

M46

M46

M46

M46

M46

All

A12

AC

2C1

3C2

Allp

A12p

2Al3p

SAC

4Cox

20

63

150

200

254

5

14

32

66

250

+++ + -- ++ -- +++ + X X

..

+++ + + +++ ++ X X

+++ + ++ -- +++ -- ++ X X

--

_.

..

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A43
Supplementary Table 4, Part 2. Mineralogy Continued

No. Sample Horizon

Basal

depth

(cm)

Chloritized Mica Mica

Kaolinite Chlorite Vermiculite Vermiculite Vermiculite Mica chloritized Smectite Quartz Feldspar

Modesto Formation, lower member, 40 Ka

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

M12

Ml 2

M12

Ml 2

Ml 2

Ml 2

M12

All

A12

2B21t

3B22t

4B3

5C1

6C2

85

81

102

170

201

231

413+

_

+++ -- ++++ XX

..

+++ + +++ + ++ X

--

++ -- +++ + + X

--

_

X

X

X

Riverbank Formation, upper member, 130 Ka

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

R9

R9

R9

R9

R9

R9

R9

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

Allp

A12p

Bl

2B21

2B22

3B3

4C

All

2A12

3A3

3B2H

3B22t

3B23t

3B31

3B32

4B33

5Cox

30

60

105

180

235

350

400+

4

19

39

62

83

122

151

210

260

300+

+++ -- ++ XX

_-

..

+++ ++ + + X

+++ ++ + + X

_

._

-_

--

XX

--

--

X

--

XX

--

--

--

--

Riverbank Formation, middle member, 250 Ka

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

R2

R2

R2

R2

R2

R2

RIO

RIO

RIO

RIO

RIO

RIO

R32

R32

R32

R32

R32

R32

R32

R32

Ap

B21

B22t

B3

Cl

C2n

A

2B10

2B2H

2B22t

3B3t

3Cox

All

A12

A3

B21t

B22t

B31t

2B32

3Cox

25

81

185

386

500

500+

46

70

140

210

386

500

26

50

70

105

150

220

354

360+

--

+++ -. ._ -- +++ + x

_

++++ -- ++ -- + X

_

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

X

--

--

X

--

--

--

--

--

--

"~

Riverbank Formation, lower member, 330 Ka

108

109

110

111

112

113

R30

R30

R30

R30

R30

R30

Ap

BIO

B21t

2B22t

3B3t

3Clox

65

78

127

179

197

220

+ +++ -- -- -- ++

_

+++ ++ + X

++ + ++ -- X

XXX

--

--

X

--

"

Turlock Lake Formation, 600 Ka

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

T2

T2

T2

T2

T6

T6

T6

T6

T6

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

A

B21

2B22

3C

All

A12

2B21t

2B22t

3B+C

Allp

2A12p

2A+B

2Blt

2B2t

3B31t

4B32t

5B+C

5Clox

6C2ox

31

173

386

417

20

40

90

190

370

5

11

20

33

80

191

256

292

375

375+

+++ ++ XX

++++ + + + + X

+++ + ++ + + X

..

--

--

__

+++ + ++ ++ + + X

_

++++ -_ ++ ++ + X

_.

++++ -- -- ++ -- ++ -- X

X

--

X

X

--

--

--

X

--

X

--

--

X

A44 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 4, Part Z. Mineralogy Continued

Basal Chloritized Mica Mica

No. Sample Horizon depth Kaolinite Chlorite Vermiculite Vermiculite Vermiculite Mica chloritized Smectite Quartz Feldspar 

(cm)

China Hat gravel member of Laguna Formation, 3,000 Ka

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH3

CH3

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CH3

CHS

CH4

CH4

Al

2AB

2B21t

2B22t

2B31

2B32

3B33

Al

A3

2A+B

2B21t

2B22

2823

3B24

383

Al

A3

A+B

B2t

B22t

2B23

3824

4B31

5B32

2B31

4Clox

12 ++++

53

ftft -- -- ~-

HO ++++

234

310 ++++

350

8

30

50

110

170

200

290

350

9

35

68

105

153

173

260

340

750+

750

1000

+ + + XX X

..

+ -_ + ++ X X

._

++++ X X

--

..

..

-_

..

._

_.

_

~"

Trace

Moderate amount present

Large amount present

Dominant

Supplementary Table 5. Total chemical analyses of the fine (less than 47 pm) fraction by X-ray fluorescence

[All analyses in weight percent. Analysts: J. Baker, A. Bartel, 0. Carr, D. Hopping, V.G. Mossotti, 

0. Taggart, and J.S. Wahlberg]

No.

1

2

3

4

Basal

Sample Horizon Depth 

(cm)

MRA1

MRA2

MRA3

MRA4

Si02

60.4

61.4

58.6

58.7

A1 20 3

14.3

14.6

14.3

16.0

Fe20 3

Modern

7.83

6.59

7.31

6.54

MgO

River

2.1

2.1

1.9

2.4

CaO

Alluvium

2.49

2.47

2.33

2.30

Na2 0

1.6

1.7

2.2

1.4

K2 0

1.82

1.86

1.86

1.41

Ti02 P 2 05

0

0

0

0

.86 0.3

.77 0.2

.74 0.3

.77 0.3

MnO Zr02

0.14

0.16

0.38

0.24

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A45
Supplementary Table 5. Total chemical analyses of the fine (less than 47 ym) fraction by X-ray fluorescenceContinued

No.

5 

6 

7

9

10 

11

12 

13

14 

15

16

17

18

19 

20 

21

22 

23

24

27

OQ

29

30

31 

32 

33

35 

36

37

40

41

42

44

45

46

47

48

49 

50 

51

52

53

Sample

PM15 

PM15

PM15 

PM19

PM19 

PM19

PM19 

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM8 

PM8 

PM8

PM8 

PM13

PM13

PM13

HM 1 O

PM14

PM14 

PM14 

PM14

PM14

PM14 

PM14

PM16

DM1 C

PM16

DM1 C

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM18 

PM18 

PM18

PM18

PM18

Horizon

Al 

2Clox 

3C2ox

4C3ox

 J V/"U A

6C5ox

2A12

3Clox 

4C2ox

6C4n

7C5n

8C6n

Al 

2C1

4C3

fli t2Clox

3C2ox

4C3ox

6C5n

2A12 

3Clox 

4C2ox

5C3ox

6C4ox 

7C5n

n

Clox

2C2ox

3C3ox

"U"U A

fc/Vi J\J A

5C6n

2C2ox

2C2ox

2C3ox

3C4n

A 

2Clox 

2C2ox

3C3ox

4C4ox

Basal 

Depth 

(cm)

4 

19 

42

47

51

51+ 

7

12

L. sJ

43 

49

55

66

80+

32 

55 

66

76+ 

5

35

oc

112

1 QC

200

720

3

33 

99 

130

175

200 

230+

2

25

*J+s

65

90

116

ooc

6

45

63

74

120+

6 

65 

115

164

175+

Si02

67.30 

66.69

65.37

61.82

63.50

63.56

62.20 

64.65

65.41

61.35 

65.32

66.90

53.14 

66.02

64.84

A1 2 03 Fe2 03

Post-Modesto

12.82 5.53 

13.11 5.88

13.39 6.29

13.63 6.05

14.45 6.45

14.28 6.34

Post-Modesto

14.65 6.17 

14.24 6.26

13.31 6.05

14.40 6.43 

13.52 5.80

13.47 5.68

11.67 6.16 

13.08 6.31

13.55 6.30

MgO CaO Na2 0

Deposits, .2 Ka

1.72 3.31 2.07 

1.80 3.14 1.99

1.85 3.13 1.95

1.80 2.63 1.75

1.95 2.47 1.84

1.82 2.51 1.62

Deposits, 3 Ka

1.82 2.52 1.67 

2.15 2.81 1.42

2.03 3.05 1.45

1.96 2.68 1.65 

1.82 2.85 2.03

1.72 2.92 1.86

2.06 3.38 1.47 

1.88 2.82 1.52

1.93 2.81 1.66

K2 0 Ti02 P 2 0 5 MnO Zr02

1.74 0.86 0.17 0.123 0.104 

1.72 0.88 0.17 0.109 0.1

1.76 0.89 0.18 0.154 0.1

2.14 0.77 0.28 0.119 0.04

2.20 0.79 0.20 0.124 0.036

2.02 0.77 0.15 0.112 0.03

2.08 0.77 0.27 0.124 0.033 

1.79 0.81 0.12 0.104 0.037

1.77 0.88 0.15 0.120 0.081

2.00 0.78 0.16 0.125 0.031 

1.80 0.80 0.14 0.107 0.053

1.75 0.82 0.15 0.107 0.072

2.18 0.79 0.29 0.137 0.039 

1.75 0.87 0.16 0.112 0.055

1.83 0.85 0.17 0.109 0.053

A46 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 5.

Continued

Total chemical analyses of the fine (less than 47 pm) fraction by X-ray fluorescenceBasal

No. Sample Horizon Depth Si02 A1 2 0 3 Fe 2 0 3 MgO CaO Na2 0 K 2 0 Ti02 P 2 0 5 MnO ZrO; 

(cm)

Modesto Formation,

54 

55 

56 

57 

58

59 

60 

61 

62 

63

M31 

M31 

M31 

M31 

M31

M46 

M46 

M46 

M46 

M46

All 

A12 

AC 

2C1 

3C2

Allp 

A12p 

2A13p 

3AC 

4Cox

20 

63 

150 

200 

254

5 

14 

32 

66 

250

62.55

64.39 

65.80

57.8 

63.32 

60.5 

63.43 

64.12

14.01

14.74 

14.06

14.6 

14.66 

15.6 

15.93 

14.93

6.04

6.24 

5.87

6.09 

5.21 

6.29 

5.90 

5.57

Modesto Formation,

64 

65 

66 

67 

68 

69 

70

M12 

M12 

M12 

M12 

M12 

M12 

M12

All 

A12 

2B21t 

3B22t 

4B3 

5C1 

6C2

15 

81 

102 

170 

201 

231 

413+

57.10 

65.13

56.31

63.38 

59.30

15.80 

15.74

19.81

15.99 

16.20

7.78 

4.77

6.74

5.32 

7.66

Riverbank Formation

71 

72 

73 

74 

75 

76 

77

78 

79 

80 

81 

82 

83 

84 

85 

86 

87

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33

Allp 

A12p 

Bl 

2B21 

2B22 

3B3 

4C

All 

2A12 

3A3 

3B21t 

3B22t 

3B23t 

3B31 

3B32 

4B33 

5Cox

30 

60 

105 

180 

235 

350 

400+

4 

19 

39 

62 

83 

122 

151 

210 

260 

300+

65.80 

61.9 

59.1 

54.0 

56.59 

55.8 

57.71

63.30

55.53 

51.30

16.31 

17.1 

19.5 

22.9 

22.48 

20.0 

18.94

15.69

21.22

20.60

4.46 

4.92 

5.65 

6.16 

6.19 

6.82 

6.51

4.33

6.28

7.70

upper member,

1.85 2.79

1.89 2.42 

1.90 2.70

2.00 2.60 

1.61 2.86 

2.02 2.65 

1.56 2.68 

1.73 2.83

lower member,

1.90 1.32 

1.17 2.90

1.52 2.37

1.51 3.17 

1.70 1.48

, upper member

0.84 2.30 

1.11 2.11 

1.21 1.76 

1.22 1.38 

1.02 1.42 

1.96 1.77 

1.88 2.79

1.00 2.27

0.87 1.31

1.63 1.90

10 Ka

1.72

2.02 

2.04

2.05 

2.56 

2.21 

2.12 

2.37

40 Ka

1.30 

2.95

2.12

2.59 

1.40

, 130 Ka

2.64 

2.33 

2.06 

1.57 

1.58 

1.63 

1.97

2.66

1.55

1.05

2.13 0.77

2.11 0.81 

2.05 0.85

2.51 0.75 

2.62 0.73 

2.63 0.79 

2.61 0.79 

2.43 0.76

1.38 0.76 

2.57 0.80

1.88 0.80

2.17 0.81 

1.23 0.81

2.43 0.84 

2.39 0.80 

2.35 0.85 

1.78 0.81 

1.93 0.86 

2.32 0.83 

2.19 1.08

2.53 0.81

1.96 0.87

1.68 0.85

0.25

0.18 

0.17

0.28 

0.20 

0.26 

0.19 

0.17

0.10 

0.14

0.14

0.13 

0.10

0.11 

0.12 

0.14 

0.14 

0.13 

0.12 

0.18

0.15

0.16

0.23

0.12

0.103 

0.099

0.09 

0.097 

0.13 

0.118 

0.100

0.13 

0.098

0.097

0.092 

0.13

0.134 

0.16 

0.13 

0.14 

0.115 

0.1 

0.092

0.163

0.092

0.078

.037

0.045 

0.062

0.0317 

0.042 

0.0350 

0.04 

0.04

0.053 

0.037 

0.055

0.046 

0.0346 

0.0335 

0.0265 

0.028 

0.0213 

0.044

0.05

0.029 

0.035

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A47
Supplementary Table 5. Total chemical analyses of the fine (less than 47 ym) fraction by X-ray fluorescenceContinued

No. Sample Horizon

Basal 

Depth 

(cm)

Si02 A1 2 0 3 Fe2 0 3 MgO

Riverbank Formation, middle

88 

89 

90 

91 

92 

93

94 

95 

96 

97 

98 

99

100 

101 

102 

103 

104 

105 

106 

107

R2 

R2 

R2 

R2 

R2 

R2

RIO 

RIO 

RIO 

RIO 

RIO 

RIO

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32

Ap 

B21 

B22t 

B3 

Cl 

C2n

A 

2B10 

2B21t 

2B22t 

3B3t 

3Cox

All 

A12 

A3 

B21t 

B22t 

B31t 

2B32 

3Cox

25 

81 

185 

386 

500 

500+

46 

70 

140 

210 

386 

500

26 

50 

70 

105 

150 

220 

354 

360+

65.01 

6.10 

58.45 

52.4 

49.4 

55.01

65.98 

59.5 

60.07 

55.6 

55.99

64.32

58.02 

54.45

15.57 

18.3 

21.30 

22.2 

21.7 

18.30

15.93 

19.3 

18.92 

21.6 

19.61

15.95

20.29

18.84

4.08 0.74 

5.20 1.18 

6.29 1.06 

7.24 1.85 

9.13 2.81 

6.04 1.59

4.36 1.04 

5.58 1.12 

5.65 0.85 

6.18 1.33 

6.45 1.32

4.54 0.98

6.03 0.95

8.08 1.70

Riverbank Formation, lower

108 

109 

110 

111 

112 

113

114 

115 

116 

117

118 

119 

120 

121 

122

123 

124 

125 

126 

127 

128 

129 

130 

131 

132

R30 

R30 

R30 

R30 

R30 

R30

T2 

T2 

T2 

T2

T6

T6 

T6 

T6 

T6

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til

Ap 

BIO 

B21t 

2B22t 

3B3t 

3Clox

A 

B21 

2B22 

3C

All 

A12 

2B21t 

2B22t 

3B+C

Allp 

2Al2p 

2A+B 

2Blt 

2B2t 

3B31t 

4B32t 

5B+C 

BClox 

6C2ox

65 

78 

127 

179 

197 

220

31 

173 

386 

417

20 

40 

90 

190 

370

5 

11 

20 

33 

80 

191 

256 

292 

375 

375+

65.88 

53.87

49.05

69.07 

53.89 

57.72 

61.93

61.17 

56.5 

47.7 

47.61 

54.45

56.62 

56.35

50.32

16.27

21.75

20.93

Turlock

14.20 

22.40 

21.52 

18.10

16.75 

18.1 

23.0 

23.06 

18.60

15.59

20.88

21.19

4.45 0.99

6.86 0.89

8.98 1.18

CaO

member,

2.85 

1.96 

1.51 

1.64 

1.65 

2.77

2.36 

1.76 

1.84 

1.68 

2.14

2.50

1.66

2.35

member,

2.19

1.39

1.32

Na2 0

250 Ka

3.12 

2.30 

1.68 

1.54 

1.36 

2.04

2.75 

2.13 

2.04 

1.79 

2.03

2.73

1.95

1.59

330 Ka

2.71

1.60

0.77

K 2 0 Ti02

2.55 0.79 

2.62 0.84 

2.28 0.86 

2.01 0.83 

2.34 0.93 

2.70 0.69

2.66 0.83 

2.42 0.84 

2.11 0.87 

1.78 1.78 

1.96 0.85

2.61 0.84

2.19 0.85

2.17 1.01

2.74 0.86

1.89 0.96

1.41 0.95

P 2°5

0.13 

0.16 

0.20 

0.16 

0.19 

0.30

0.12 

0.15 

0.12 

0.13 

0.13

0.13

0.15

0.15

0.08

0.11

0.14

MnO

0.108 

0.12 

0.123 

0.11 

0.16 

0.186

0.085 

0.11 

0.093 

0.10 

0.073

0.102

0.088

0.051

0.072

0.077

0.070

Zr02

0.069 

0.0416 

0.032 

0.0263 

0.0240 

0.047

0.062 

0.0396 

0.04 

0.0297 

0.038

0.05

0.035 

0.051

0.062 

0.03

0.014

Lake Formation, 600 Ka

4.70 0.38 

7.01 0.32 

6.23 0.77 

6.41 0.90

5.07 1.36 

7.00 1.70 

8.80 2.08 

8.83 1.12 

7.50 2.15

4.20 0.47

6.13 0.49

8.35 0.90

0.82 

0.27 

1.66 

1.38

2.77 

2.29 

1.17 

1.14 

4.35

1.64

0.88

1.32

1.56 

0.61 

1.95 

1.59

2.92 

2.18 

0.37 

0.86 

2.37

2.47

1.33

0.88

3.02 1.02 

2.03 1.01 

1.70 0.89 

1.96 0.89

2.51 0.90 

2.75 1.04 

1.64 0.90 

1.84 1.08 

1.95 1.16

3.04 0.81

2.29 0.92

1.51 0.87

0.10 

0.12 

0.09 

0.10

0.15 

0.16 

0.11 

0.13 

0.11

0.12

0.12

0.17

0.151 

0.037 

0.049 

0.055

0.173 

0.15 

0.06 

0.080 

0.280

0.079

0.043

0.038

0.067 

0.035 

0.055 

0.051

0.062 

0.0402 

0.0150 

0.02 

0.061

0.051 

0.035

0.019

A48 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 5. Total chemical analyses of the fine (less than 47 in) fraction by X-ray fluorescenceContinued

No. Sample Horizon

Basal 

depth 

(cm)

Si02

China Hat

133

134

135

136

137

1 "3O

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

CH1

run

CH1

pun

rul

run

CH1

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH3

run

run

CH3

run

run

CH3

CH4

CH4

Al

?AR

2B2H

9D9 94.

9DT1

9DT9

3B33

Al

A3

2A+B

2B2H

2B22

2B23

3B24

3B3

Al

A3

A+B

D94-

D99H2B23

3B24

4B31

5B32

2B31

4Clox

12

53

88

140

234

310

350

8

30

50

110

170

200

290

350

9

35

CO

105

153

173

?fifl

340

750+

750

1000

73.93

62.50

53.54

71.8

64.2

61.2

53.1

49.5

51.3

48.7

48.6

69.8

48.0

49.3

52.3

50.9

A1 203 Fe203 MgO CaO r,2o K20 Ti02 MnO P 2°5 Zr02

gravel member of Laguna Formation, 3,000 Ka

12.55

20.57

23.81

12.5

16.4

18.5

23.6

25.6

25.3

24.5

25.2

13.2

27.2

23.9

24.6

26.4

4.52

6.81

10.34

4.94

6.54

7.18

8.56

10.0

8.58

11.3

10.4

4.95

8.31

9.91

8.09

6.24

0.29

0.36

0.47

0.61

0.65

0.68

0.55

0.49

0.55

0.75

0.80

0.61

0.55

0.98

0.98

1.1

0.41

0.28

0.17

0.18

0.12

0.08

0.05

0.07

0.07

0.11

0.1

0.38

0.12

0.11

0.05

0.11

1.17

0.99

0.51

0.5

0.46

0.41

0.28

0.22

0.2

0.21

0.2

0.7

0.2

0.2

0.4

0.4

2.17

1.55

1.25

2.11

1.83

1.68

1.03

0.41

0.66

0.57

0.55

2.17

0.58

0.66

1.32

1.16

0.94

0.99

0.92

0.98

1.02

1.05

1.02

0.93

0.86

0.98

0.83

1.00

0.84

0.87

0.70

0.71

0.11

0.15

0.15

0.1

0.17

0.18

0.20

0.14

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.1

0.058

0.080

0.024

0.05

0.03

0.03

0.08

0.02

0.02

0.02

0.02

0.1

0.02

0.02

0.02

0.02

0.067

0.044

0.024

 _

0.0513

0.0470

0.0350

0.0261

0.0192

--

__

__

--

__

--

Supplementary Table 6. Total chemical analyses of the less-than-2-mm fraction by X-ray fluorescence

[All analyses in weight percent. Analysts: J. Baker, A. Bartel, J. Lindsay, V.G. Mossotti, S. Ramage, B. Scott, 

J.Taggart, J.S. Wahlberg, and K. Wong]

Basal

No. Sample Horizon depth Si02 A1 2 0 3 Fe 2 0 3 MgO CaO Na2 0 K 2 0 Ti02 MnO P 2 0 5 Zr02 

(cm)

Modern River Alluvium

1 MRA1

2 MRA2

3 MRA3

4 MRA4

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A49
Supplementary Table 6.

Continued

Total chemical analyses of the less-than-2-mm fraction by X-ray fluorescence 

No.

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

Sample

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM8

PM8

PM8

PM8

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM18

PM18

PM18

PM18

PM18

Horizon

Al

2Clox

3C2ox

4C3ox

5C4ox

6C5ox

All

2A12

3Clox

4C2ox

5C3ox

6C4n

7C5n

8C6n

Al

2C1

3C2

4C3

All

A12

2Clox

3C2ox

4C3ox

5C4ox

6C5n

All

2A12

3Clox

4C2ox

5C3ox

6C4ox

7C5n

A

Clox

2C2ox

3C3ox

4C4ox

5C5ox

5C6n

A

2C2ox

2C2ox

2C3ox

3C4n

A

2Clox

2C2ox

3C3ox

4C4ox

Basal

depth SiO,

(cm)

4 70.65

19 68.52

42

47

51

51+ 70.16

7

12

23

43

49

55

66

80+

32 61.32

55 64.48

66

76+ 70.27

5

35

86

112

136

200

720

3

33

99

130

175

200

239+

2

25

35

65

90

116

236

6

45

63

74

120+

6

65

115

164

175+

A1 2 0 3 Fe2 0 3 MgO CaO Na2 0 K2 0 Ti02 MnO P 2 0 5 Zr02

Post-Modesto Deposits, .2 Ka

12.85 4.32 1.37 3.21 2.47 2.30 0.58 0.082 0.09 0.035

13.33 5.14 1.59 3.43 2.63 2.09 0.71 0.107 0.11 0.028

._

..

13.67 4.29 1.49 3.33 2.58 2.27 0.57 0.090 0.09 0.033

..

._

..

._

..

..

Post-Modesto Deposits, 3 Ka

14.41 5.91 2.01 2.87 1.88 2.13 0.71 0.139 0.19 0.033

14.38 5.60 2.00 3.09 2.20 1.98 0.71 0.114 0.09 0.035

..

13.45 3.52 1.27 2.91 2.82 2.46 0.42 0.080 0.04 0.017

..

..

..

..

..

..

--

..

..

..

..

._

--

._

..

..

..

..

..

--

..

._

..

--

..

..

..

A50 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 6.

Continued

Total chemical analyses of the less-than-2-mrn fraction by X-ray fluorescenceNo.

54

56 

57 

58

59 

60 

61 

62 

63

64 

65 

66

67

CO

69 

70

71 

72 

73 

74 

75 

76 

77

78 

79

on

01

oo

83

B/l

OC

Q£

87

Sample

M31

n/m

M31 

M31

M46 

M46 

M46 

M46 

M46

Ml O

M12

Ml O

M12

Ml O

M12

Ml O

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9

R33

DTO

ROO

DOT

poo

R33

poo

ROT

poo

R33

Horizon

All 

A12 r\.L t.

r\V*

2C1 

3C2

Allp 

A12p 

2A13p 

3AC 

4Cox

A12

ODO1 <-

3B22t

/I DQ

5C1 cr*o

Allp 

A12p 

Bl 

2B21 

2B22 

3B3 

4C

All 

?A1? "3A"}

TD91 + 

ODOO4-

3B23t

TDOI

TDTO

4B33

5Cox

Basal 

depth 

(cm)

20 

63

150

200 

254

5 

14 

32 

66 

250

15

81 

102

170 

201

231 

413+

30 

60 

105 

180 

235 

350 

400+

4 

19

39

CO

QT

122 

151

210

ocn

300+

Si02 Al 20-j ^2^3

Modesto Formation,

65.56 14.00 5.23

66.81 14.14 5.00 

70.10 13.57 4.09

66.3 13.4 3.21 

68.5 14.0 3.5L 

69.6 14.0 3.45 

68.2 14.4 4.00 

68.2 14.4 4.01

Modesto Formation,

70.91 13.86 2.79

67.69 16.00 4.08

69.58 14.96 3.22

Riverbank Formation,

71.71 13.43 3.14 

72.7 13.3 2.80 

71.7 14.0 3.12 

68.9 15.4 3.45 

68.96 15.45 3.67 

67.5 16.0 3.20 

64.74 16.52 3.82

71.2 13.1 2.73

68.0 15.9 3.57

72.3 14.0 2.43

MgO

upper

1.69

1.64 

1.45

0.98 

1.07 

0.99 

1.25 

1.26

lower

0.48

0.77

0.66

upper

0.38 

0.55 

0.60 

0.61 

0.45 

0.94 

1.25

0.53

0.65

0.53

CaO

member,

3.10

3.16 

3.20

2.72 

2.75 

2.75 

2.73 

2.82

member,

2.57

2.65

3.02

member,

2.19 

2.10 

1.98 

1.75 

1.78 

2.53 

3.58

2.04

1.53

2.33

Na2 0

10 Ka

2.21

2.69 

2.86

2.68 

2.69 

2.63 

2.49 

2.46

40 Ka

2.98

2.77

3.39

130 Ka

2.95 

2.96 

2.97 

2.77 

2.75 

2.67 

2.63

3.00

2.83

3.06

K 2 0

2.32

2.26 

2.38

2.72 

2.83 

2.84 

2.81 

2.68

2.96

2.51

2.69

2.50 

2.42 

2.25 

1.86 

1.91 

2.71 

3.04

2.35

1.90

2.68

Ti02

0.66

0.65 

0.57

0.41 

0.46 

0.45 

0.50 

0.49

0.38

0.44

0.36

0.45 

0.40 

0.44 

0.44 

0.48 

0.41 

0.52

0.41

0.43

0.25

MnO

0.108

0.094 

0.077

0.04 

0.05 

0.06 

0.07 

0.07

0.080

0.080

0.080

0.080 

0.060 

0.050 

0.060 

0.082 

0.040 

0.080

0.05

0.07

0.02

P 2°5

0.19

0.12 

0.09

0.14 

0.14 

0.12 

0.13 

0.12

0.03

0.04

0.03

0.01 

0.05 

0.06 

0.06 

0.02 

0.05 

0.06

0.07

0.08

0.06

Zr02

0.029

0.036 

0.033

0.0185 

0.0199 

0.0186 

0.0195 

0.0211

0.020

0.021

0.017

0.023 

0.0199 

0.0171 

0.0167 

0.019 

0.0136 

0.017

0.0227

0.0172

0.0082

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A51
Supplementary Table 6.

Continued

Total chemical analyses of the less-than-2-mai fraction by X-ray fluorescenceNo. Sample Horizon

Basal 

depth 

(cm)

Si02 A1 2 0 3 Fe2°3

Riverbank Formation,

88 R2 

89 R2 

90 R2 

91 R2 

92 R2 

93 R2

94 RIO 

95 RIO 

96 RIO 

97 RIO 

98 RIO 

99 RIO

100 R32 

101 R32 

102 R32 

103 R32 

104 R32 

105 R32 

106 R32 

107 R32

Ap 

B21 

B22t 

B3 

Cl 

C2n

A 

2B1 

2B21t 

2B22t 

3B3t 

3Cox

All 

A12 

A3 

B21t 

B22t 

B31t 

2B32 

3Cox

25 

81 

185 

386 

500 

500+

46 

70 

140 

210 

386 

500

26 

50 

70 

105 

150 

220 

354 

360+

74.39 

72.6 

69.68 

69.0 

72.0 

72.89

74.77 

72.2 

71.48 

71.4 

70.09

72.4

68.6 

68.0

12.36 

13.3 

14.86 

15.2 

14.3 

14.76

12.68 

13.5 

14.29 

14.1 

15.04

13.5

15.0

15.4

2.61 

3.03 

4.09 

3.41 

2.02 

1.29

2.68 

2.91 

3.42 

3.05 

3.53

3.39

4.15

3.87

Riverbank Formation,

108 R30 

109 R30 

110 R30 

111 R30 

112 R30 

113 R30

114 T2 

115 T2 

116 T2 

117 T2

118 T6 

119 T6 

120 T6 

121 T6 

122 T6

123 Til 

124 Til 

125 Til 

126 Til 

127 Til 

128 Til 

129 Til 

130 Til 

131 Til 

132 Til

Ap 

BIO 

B21t 

2B22t 

3B3t 

3Clox

A 

B21 

2B22 

3C

All 

A12 

2B2H 

2B22t 

3B+C

Allp 

2A12p 

2A+B 

2Blt 

2B2t 

3B31t 

4B32t 

58+C 

5Clox 

6IC2ox

65 

78 

127 

179 

197 

220

31 

173 

386 

417

20 

40 

90 

190 

370

5 

11 

20 

33 

80 

191 

256 

292 

375 

375+

74.69 

69.43

67.94

77.66 

66.96 

66.39 

72.03

74.1 

73.4 

69.4 

66.9 

74.8

74.8 

69.2

70.5

12.38

15.11

14.71

Turlock

10.18 

16.26 

16.29 

13.64

12.6 

12.9 

14.4 

16.0 

12.7

12.2

15.2

14.2

3.58

4.55

4.63

MgO

middle

0.40 

0.52 

0.42 

0.68 

0.54 

0.31

0.31 

0.51 

0.43 

0.55 

0.68

0.59

0.66

0.81

CaO Na2 0

member, 250

2.13 3.14 

1.92 3.21 

1.69 3.03 

2.31 2.78 

2.34 3.28 

2.20 4.01

1.81 3.27 

1.68 3.23 

1.74 3.09 

1.82 2.99 

2.37 2.74

2.21 3.01

1.87 2.84

3.10 2.61

K2 0

Ka

2.26 

2.37 

1.94 

2.67 

3.21 

3.23

2.34 

1.85 

2.29 

2.28 

2.74

2.52

2.18

3.09

Ti02

0.38 

0.45 

0.52 

0.38 

0.25 

0.16

0.41 

0.43 

0.45 

0.38 

0.41

0.47

0.50

0.41

MnO

0.08 

0.05 

0.08 

0.03 

0.02 

0.08

0.067 

0.04 

0.066 

0.04 

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.04

P 2 o5

0.02 

0.06 

0.04 

0.05 

0.05 

0.02

0.06 

0.05 

0.06 

0.05 

0.05

0.05

0.07 

0.05

Zr02

0.025 

0.0193 

0.022 

0.0132 

0.0104 

0.008

0.025 

0.0201 

0.020 

0.0167 

0.018

0.0251

0.0234 

0.0136

lower member, 330 Ka

0.29

0.41

0.58

Lake Formation

3.18 

5.17 

4.13 

3.08

2.35 

2.72 

3.57 

3.85 

1.64

2.38

3.46

3.52

0.02 

0.08 

0.33 

0.27

0.46 

0.53 

0.77 

0.80 

0.57

0.27

0.42

0.53

1.68 3.29

1.55 2.89

2.31 2.85

, 600 Ka

0.64 3.70 

0.23 3.02 

2.01 2.30 

1.72 3.24

2.10 3.17 

2.14 3.18 

2.11 2.68 

1.70 2.90 

2.07 3.20

1.30 3.59

0.90 3.30

1.97 2.69

2.23

2.00

2.37

1.03 

0.51 

2.42 

2.67

2.48 

2.47 

2.11 

1.91 

2.51

2.13

1.60

2.53

0.44

0.52

0.54

0.48 

0.44 

0.50 

0.34

0.31 

0.36 

0.39 

0.42 

0.22

0.35

0.46

0.35

0.06

0.051

0.043

0.08 

0.028 

0.08 

0.08

0.03 

0.04 

0.03 

0.04 

0.03

0.03

0.02

0.02

0.04 

0.05

0.05

0.02 

0.08 

0.01 

0.01

0.05 

0.05 

0.05 

0.05 

0.05

0.05 

0.06

0.06

0.031 

0.023

0.014

0.040 

0.028 

0.035 

0.016

0.0166 

0.0199 

0.0104 

0.0103 

0.0095

0.0224 

0.0194

0.0112

A5Z Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 6.

Continued

Total chemical analyses of the less-than-Z-mm fraction by X-ray fluorescence 

No.

133

134

135

135

137

1 OQ

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

ico

153

154

155

156

157

158

Sample

CH1

rui

CH1

fUll

rui

rui

CH1

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CHS

run

r un

run

run

CHS

run

CH3

run

CM

CH4

Horizon

Al

?AR

2B21t

00994-

9D'31

9B"59

3IB33

Al

A3

2A+B

2B21t

2B22

2B23

2B24

3IIB3

Al

A?

A+B

D94-

D991-

2B23

3IIB24

4VB31

r n QO

ORO1

4Clox

Basal 

depth 

(cm)

12

53

88

140

310

350

8

30

50

110

170

200

290

350

9

o c

68

105

153

173

9£ A

340

750+

750

1000

Si02

China

78.82

66.93

64.39

77.8

74.4

70.4

60.8

56.7

58.6

57.0

59.0

75.4

60.6

65.3

--

A1 203

Hat gravel

10.02

16.75

17.11

8.89

11.4

13.6

19.3

21.4

19.8

19.5

18.5

8.88

19.9

16.0

Fe 2 () 3 MgO

member of

3.92

6.06

7.59

3.80

4.76

5.45

7.13

8.77

8.80

9.46

9.25

3.61

6.62

6.53

0.10

0.17

0.23

0.41

0.44

0.49

0.46

0.40

0.46

0.60

0.64

0.43

0.44

0.59

CaO

Laguna

0.34

0.26

0.20

0.15

0.10

0.07

0.04

0.05

0.07

0.08

0.09

0.34

0.08

0.08

Na2 0

Formation

0.56

0.47

0.06

0.39

0.37

0.33

0.21

0.17

0.15

0.17

0.16

0.47

0.15

0.19

K 2 0

, 3,000

1.75

1.35

1.36

1.62

1.52

1.48

0.99

0.36

0.55

0.66

0.76

1.62

0.65

1.14

Ti02

Ka

0.74

0.84

0.67

0.74

0.77

0.82

0.87

0.79

0.75

0.85

0.82

0.71

0.72

0.57

MnO

0.04

0.08

0.08

0.02

0.02

0.07

0.02

0.02

0.02

0.02

0.09

0.02

0.02

P2 o5

0.1

0.08

0.05

0.12

0.13

0.16

0.12

0.08

0.08

0.09

0.09

0.09

0.06

Zr02

0.049

0.040

0.020

0.0436

0.0394

0.0448

0.0319

0.0208

0.0221

0.0178

0.0155

0.0436

0.0199

0.0167

Supplementary Table 7, Part 1. Total chemical analyses of the fine (less than 47 yrn) fraction by instrumental 

neutron activation

[Fe and K values in weight percent; all others in parts per million. Analysts: J. Budahn, R. Knight, and D. McKown]

No. Sample Horizon

Basal 

depth 

(cm)

Ba Ce Co Cr Cs

Modern River

1 MRA1

2 MRA2

3 MR A3

4 MRA4

--

--

-

--

916

970

1180

1040

54.6

51.5

52.7

64.5

16.5

16.3

18.8

18.9

104

96.7

90.7

67.0

4.32

4.47

4.55

4.84

Dy Eu

Alluvium

4.90 1.

4.72 1.

4.36 1.

4.51 1.

15

10

10

30

Fe

5.41

4.53

5.09

4.57

Gd

4.2

4.12

3.97

5.42

Hf

16.0

6.76

7.35

5.84

K

1.65

1.68

1.61

1.22

La

32.0

29.7

30.3

39.3

Lu

0.462

0.391

0.350

0.345

Mn

1090

1250

2780

1850

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A53
Supplementary Table 7, Part 1. Total chemical analyses of the fine (less than 47 urn) fraction by instrumental 

neutron activation Continued

No. Sample Horizon

Basal 

depth 

(cm)

Ba Ce Co Cr Cs Dy

Post-Modesto Deposits,

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18

PM15 

PM15 

PM15 

PM15 

PM15 

PM15

PM19 

PM19 

PMls 

PM19 

PM19 

PM19 

PM19 

PM19

Al 

2Clox 

3C2ox 

4C3ox 

5C4ox 

6C5ox

All 

2A12 

3Clox 

4C2ox 

5C3ox 

6C4n 

7C5n 

58C6n

4 

19 

42 

47 

51 

51+

7 

12 

23 

43 

49 

55 

66 

80+

824 

891

908

952

908

926

59.9 

63.5

63.2

50.8

55.8

55.1

16.7 

19.3

21.3

16.0

16.6

16.7

99.2 

110

106

98.0

93.0

94.6

4.01 4.56 

4.62 5.22

4.54 5.11

4.98 --

3.82 4.40

4.18 4.55

Post-Modesto Deposits,

19 

20 

21 

22

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 

36

37 

38 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43

44 

45 

46 

47 

48

49 

50 

51 

52 

53

PM8 

PM8 

PM8 

PM8.

PM13 

PM13 

PM13 

PM13 

PM13 

PM13 

PM13

PM14 

PM14 

PM14 

PM14 

PM14 

PM14 

PM14

PM16 

PM16 

PM16 

PM16 

PM16 

PM16 

PM16

PM17 

PM17 

PM17 

PM17 

PM17

PM18 

PM18 

PM18 

PM18

PM18

Al 

2C1 

3C2 

4C3

All 

A12 

2Clox 

3C2ox 

4C3ox 

5C4ox 

6C5n

All 

2A12 

3Clox 

4C2ox 

5C3ox 

6C4ox 

7C5n

A 

Clox 

2C2ox 

3C3ox 

4C4ox 

5C5ox 

5C6n

A 

2C2ox 

2C2ox 

2C3ox 

3C4n

A 

2Clox 

2C2ox 

3C3ox 

4C4ox

32 

55 

66 

76+

5 

35 

86 

112 

136 

200 

720

3 

33 

99 

130 

175 

200 

230+

2 

25 

35 

65 

90 

116 

236

6 

45 

63 

74 

120+

6 

65 

115 

164 

175+

1080 

1010

1110

991 

972

939

936 

982

1190

55.0 

60.5

64.2

54.5 

65.0

67.2

43.4 

54.0

57.3

15.9 

15.0

14.9

17.9 

18.9

20.4

16.4 

17.3

20.5

115 

108

119

98.3 

102

107

94.3 

105

122

4.15 4.78 

3.68 4.43

3.44 4.89

4.74 4.25 

4.75 4.72

4.70 5.27

4.53 -- 

4.11 5.33

5.23 5.24

Eu Fe Gd Hf K La

.2 Ka

1.13 4.37 4.61 14.1 1.66 31.5 

1.23 4.92 5.3 12.1 1.56 32.9

1.23 4.93 5.34 12.3 1.74 33.7

1.02 4.67 3.92 6.02 2.06 26.9

1.08 4.18 4.69 7.01 1.79 27.8

1.11 4.30 4.42 5.15 1.77 29.3

3 Ka

1.05 3.88 -- 6.43 1.81 30.2 

1.12 3.75 6.2 7.24 1.44 31.1

1.13 3.75 -- 17.8 1.33 31.0

1.08 4.66 4.02 4.84 1.83 28.7 

1.15 4.84 4.93 8.26 1.56 32.2

1.25 5.07 5.18 10.6 1.62 34.0

0.912 4.40 3.67 6.16 2.05 23.5 

1.18 4.63 5.15 8.42 1.51 30.1

1.19 5.56 5.36 8.47 1.71 30.2

Lu

0.453 

0.458

0.462

0.369

0.399

0.368

0.459 

0.475

0.572

0.377 

0.398

0.414

0.336 

0.411

0.461

Mn

1040 

1080

1510

979 

907

880

896 

753

856

1010 

1010

1130

1100 

989

1010

Modesto Formation, upper member, 10 Ka

54 

55 

56 

57 

58

59 

60 

61 

62 

63

M31 

M31 

M31 

M31 

M31

M46 

M46 

M46 

M46 

M46

All 

A12 

AC 

2C1 

3C2

Allp 

A12p 

2A13p 

3AC 

4Cox

20 

63 

150 

200 

254

5 

14 

32 

66 

250

1050

986 

1010

1160

982 

958

53.4

52.8 

56.5

75.5

63.8 

62.9

18.1

16.0 

17.4

21.6

16.1 

16.0

99.2

92.6 

98.6

109

70.6 

72.0

4.90 4.73

4.66 4.23 

5.14 4.36

6.54 4.62

5.34 4.03 

5.19 4.14

1.14 4.66 4.44 5.33 2.04 29.1

1.01 4.47 3.58 5.99 1.75 27.1 

1.02 4.63 4.48 8.19 1.85 27.6

1.31 5.58 6.38 7.83 2.06 38.7

1.07 4.30 4.72 7.08 2.11 30.5 

0.999 4.25 4.83 6.46 2.12 28.5

0.388

0.346 

0.351

0.491

0.356 

0.325

1070

845 

904

1010

1040 

990

A54 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 7, Part 1. Total chemical analyses of the fine (less than 47 ym) fraction by instrumental 

neutron activation Continued

No. Sample Horizon

64 

65 

66 

67 

68 

69 

70

71 

72 

73 

74 

75 

76 

77

78 

79 

80 

81 

82 

83 

84 

85 

86 

87

88 

89 

90 

91 

92 

93

94 

95 

96 

97 

98 

99

100 

101 

102 

103 

104 

105 

106 

107

108 

109 

110 

111 

112 

113

M12 

Ml 2 

M12 

M12 

M12 

M12 

M12

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33

R2 

R2 

R2 

R2 

R2 

R2

RIO 

RIO 

RIO 

RIO 

RIO 

RIO

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32

R30 

R30 

R30 

R30 

R30 

R30

All 

A12 

2B21t 

3B22t 

4B3 

5C1 

6C2

Allp 

A12p 

Bl 

2B21 

2B22 

3B3 

4C

All 

2A12 

3A3 

3B2H 

3B22t 

3B23t 

3B31 

3B32 

4B33 

5Cox

Ap 

B21 

B22t 

B3 

Cl 

C2n

A 

2B1 

2B21t 

2B22t 

3B3t 

3Cox

All 

A12 

A3 

B21t 

B22t 

B31t 

2B32 

3Cox

Ap 

BIO 

B21t 

2B22t 

3B3t 

3Clox

Basal 

depth 

(cm)

85 

81 

102 

170 

201 

231 

413+

30 

60 

105 

180 

235 

350 

400+

4 

19 

39 

62 

83 

122 

151 

210 

260 

300+

25 

81 

185 

386 

500 

500+

46 

70 

140 

210 

386 

500

26 

50 

70 

105 

150 

220 

354 

360+

65 

78 

127 

179 

197 

220

Ba

821

741

681 

1680

928

660

971 

1070

618

665

827

746

812

691

590

843

649

624

863

503

404

Ce

69.0

89.9

74.3 

129

69.1

85.3

110 

73.4

83.0

167

64.2

80.5

64.9

82.7

107

63.7

77.6

149

77.0

95.1

112

Co Cr Cs Dy Eu

Modesto Formation, lower member,

10.6 73.8 4.17 4.38 1.24

14.7 84.5 4.85 5.52 1.36

11.5 58.6 3.72 4.98 1.12 

31.1 47.0 9.43 5.83 1.24

Riverbank Formation, upper member,

13.2 86.3 4.00 4.51 1.28

15.0 88.6 4.90 4.37 1.38

15.1 46.6 6.38 6.26 1.65 

13.6 81.7 5.21 3.95 1.29

13.6 67.8 5.43 4.59 1.50

14.0 55.2 6.31 5.50 1.54

Riverbank Formation, middle member

10.3 77.0 3.10 4.23 1.24

15.6 97.1 5.46 5.15 1.37

9.73 68.4 4.58 4.31 1.16

12.9 87.7 6.11 4.24 1.43

13.1 57.0 6.21 4.32 1.27

10.1 65.8 4.33 4.01 1.09

12.4 71.5 4.94 4.36 1.27

18.3 61.9 7.16 4.79 1.34

Riverbank Formation, lower member,

11.7 72.1 5.80 4.51 1.33

14.5 59.4 5.72 3.82 1.19

12.4 56.8 6.09 6.10 1.46

Fe

40 Ka

3.23

4.70

3.57 

5.80

130 Ka

3.00

4.19

4.70 

3.66

4.57

6.07

, 250 Ka

2.80

4.31

3.15

4.69

4.87

3.04

4.11

6.37

330 Ka

3.74

4.51

6.26

Gd

5

-

0

5

5

4

5

8

5

6

5

6

6

4

4

5

5

5

7

.39

-

.00

.06

.31

.95

.51

.18

.32

.38

.37

.82

.25

.81

.73

.90

.33

.03

.58

Hf

11.7

8.20

11.9 

8.54

9.69

6.25

10.0 

9.49

5.06

2.60

15.6

6.80

6.98

6.15

4.38

7.88

6.32

3.99

8.58

4.65

2.34

K

2.07

1.50

1.69 

2.17

2.08

1.54

1.84 

2.12

1.68

1.24

1.99

1.90

2.34

1.77

1.54

2.20

2.07

1.74

2.52

1.56

1.08

La

35.1

49.0

36.1 

61.2

35.5

43.7

52.3 

38.6

47.8

85.0

31.9

42.2

33.2

50.3

62.6

34.3

42.2

76.1

40.0

43.5

73.5

Lu

0.374

0.372

0.345 

0.420

0.390

0.349

0.466 

0.437

0.316

0.352

0.409

0.357

0.344

0.427

0.362

0.359

0.322

0.372

0.375

0.291

0.479

Mn

673 

671

617 

1930

888

823 

659 

1110

813 

758

716 

880

786 

680 

689

831

809 

845

667 

725

534

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A55
Supplementary Table 7, Part 1.

neutron activation Continued

Total chemical analyses of the fine (less than 47 ym) fraction by instrumental

Basal 

No. Sample Horizon depth 

(cm)

Ba Ce Co Cr Cs Dy Eu Fe

Turlock Lake Formation.

114 

115 

116 

117

118 

119 

120 

121 

122

123 

124 

125 

126

128 

129 

130 

131 

132

133 

134 

135 

136 

137 

138 

139

140 

141 

142 

143 

144 

145 

146 

147

148 

149 

150 

151 

152 

153 

154 

155 

156

157 

158

T2 

T2 

T2 

T2

T6 

T6 

T6 

T6 

T6

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til

CHl 

CHl 

CHl 

CHl 

CHl 

CHl 

CHl

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2

CHS 

CHS 

CHS 

CHS 

CHS 

CH3 

CH3 

CHS 

CHS

CH4 

CH4

A 

B21 

2B22 

3C

All 

A12 

2B21t 

2B22t 

3B+C

Allp 

2A12p 

2A+B 

2Blt 

2B2t 

3B31t 

4B32t 

5B+C 

5Clox 

6C2ox

Al 

2AB 

2B21t 

2B22t 

2831 

2832 

3833

Al 

A3 

2A+B 

2B21t 

2B22 

2B23 

3B24 

3B3

Al 

A3 

A+B 

B2t 

B22t 

2823 

3B24 

4B31 

5832

2B31 

4Clox

31 

173 

386 

417

20 

40 

90 

190 

370

5 

11 

20 

33 

80 

191 

256 

292 

375 

375+

12 

53 

88 

140 

234 

310 

350

8 

30 

50 

110 

170 

200 

290 

350

9 

35 

68 

105 

153 

173 

260 

340 

750+

750 

1000

1080

697 

667

1020

474 

707

964

625

333

828

644

749 

755

540

383 

926

339

522

656 

641

77.2

124 

114

110

76.9 

193

78.1

65.5

152

China

58.3

76.1

32 

44.5

26.1

37.8 

48.6

25.8

58.9 

114

18.4

13.2 

12.6

19.7

12.5 

30.1

16.1

12.9

12.8

114

60.2 

74.5

74.8

66.6 

56.2

70.6

67.5

68.2

4.28

3.33 

4.58

5.15

6.28 

6.04

5.13

6.04

5.86

Hat gravel member of

8.04

15.8

8.19 

6.99

5.25

8.80 

9.27

6.25

9.67

8.61 

10.9

114

111

122

103

77.8

84.2 

99.1

90.0

101

70.9 

57.2

4.08

4.43

2.77 

4.66

2.88

2.58 

4.86

4.46

2.63

3.48 

4.23

4.45

6.92 

7.69

5.63

5.57 

6.77

4.01

2.97

6.69

Laguna

4.45

3.47

2.86 

3.40

2.56

3.90 

3.72

2.24

4.22

5.02 

7.84

, 600 Ka

1.09

1.73 

2.17

1.63

1.40 

2.09

1.14

0.904

1.62

Formation,

1.03

1.00

0.735 

0.637

0.506

0.962 

0.756

0.514

1.31

1.41 

2.31

3.00

4.11 

4.26

4.62

6.17 

7.07

3.32

4.52

6.90

3,000

2.77

4.28

6.71 

3.24

5.40

6.51 

2.98

5.47

6.27

5.32 

4.64

Gd

5.52

7.58

6.46 

10.5

4.64

4.31

9.80

Ka

6.05

--

3.37

2.40

4.58 

3.71

0.00

5.3

5.95 

8.43

Hf

13.1

12.6 

10.9

10.2

2.87 

6.36

10.4

6.81

2.61

13.2

8.85

3.88 

9.54

4.03

2.52 

8.72

3.09

2.49

3.31 

3.42

K La

2.72 33.0

1.57 52.6 

1.80 57.5

2.33 57.1

1.45 55.9 

1.43 90.2

2.52 38.0

1.70 30.2

1.09 91.0

1.75 28.3

1.30 31.1

1.10 21.1 

1.86 23.8

0.560 17.4

0.50 26.1 

1.80 27.3

0.523 17.9

0.530 33.9

1.12 32.1 

0.987 39.4

Lu

0.447

0.571 

0.556

0.521

0.380 

0.642

0.387

0.288

0.529

0.469

0.408

0.364 

0.330

0.272

0.295 

0.337

0.236

0.341

10.422 

0.671

Mn

1070

363

416

975

569 

2230

641 

368

360

401 

597

168 

449

192 

215 

776

152

187

170 

163

A56 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 7, Part 2. Total chemical analyses of the fine (less than 47 ym) fraction by instrumental 

neutron activation

[Na values in weight percent; all others in parts per million. Analysts: J. Budahn, R. Knight, and D. McKown]

No. Sample Horizon

Basal 

depth 

(cm)

Na Nd Rb Sb Sc Sm Sr Ta Tb Th Tm U Yb Zr

Modern River Alluvium

1 

2 

3 

4

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18

19 

20 

21 

22

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 

36

37 

38 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43

44 

45 

46 

47 

48

49 

50 

51 

52 

53

MRA1 

MRA2 

MRA3 

MRA4

PM15 

PM15 

PM15 

PM15 

PM15 

PM15

PM19 

PM19 

PM19 

PM19 

PM19 

PM19 

PM19 

PM19

PM8 

PM8 

PM8 

PM8

PM13 

PM13 

PM13 

PM13 

PM13 

PM13 

PM13

PM14 

PM14 

PM14 

PM14 

PM14 

PM14 

PM14

PM16 

PM16 

PM16 

PM16 

PM16 

PM16 

PM16

PM17 

PM17 

PM17 

PM17 

PM17

PM18 

PM18 

PM18 

PM18 

PM18

--

Al 

2Clox 

3C2ox 

4C3ox 

5C4ox 

6C5ox

All 

2A12 

3Clox 

4C2ox 

5C3ox 

6C4n 

7C5n 

8C6n

Al 

2C1 

3C2 

4C3

All 

A12 

2Clox 

3C2ox 

4C3ox 

5C4ox 

6C5n

All 

2A12 

3Clox 

4C2ox 

5C3ox 

6C4ox 

7C5n

A 

Clox 

2C2ox 

3C3ox 

4C4ox 

5C5ox 

5C6n

A 

2C2ox 

2C2ox 

2C3ox 

3C4n

A 

2Clox 

2C2ox 

3C3ox 

4C4ox

--

4 

19 

42 

47 

51 

51+

7 

12 

23 

43 

49 

55 

66 

80+

32 

55 

86 

76+

5 

35 

86 

112 

136 

200 

720

3 

33 

99 

130 

175 

200 

230+

2 

25 

35 

65 

90 

116 

236

6 

45 

63 

74 

120+

6 

65 

115 

164 

175+

1.24 29.2 81.1 1.07 18.0 5.63 

1.18 26.1 76.8 1.01 17.9 5.37 

1.60 29.4 81.5 1.04 16.5 5.48 

0.981 38.2 58.9 0.931 15.3 6.45

Post-Modesto Deposits,

1.15 27.1 69.8 0.915 17.5 5.49 

1.18 28.6 79.3 1.11 19.1 5.89

1.10 27.2 79.3 1.08 18.8 5.91

1.10 21.7 116 0.926 17.8 4.76

1.22 23.3 77.8 1.14 17.9 5.02

1.18 24.5 75.5 1.01 17.9 5.02

Post-Modesto Deposits,

1.24 28.5 90.6 1.04 17.2 4.66 

1.22 27.7 73.8 0.939 15.1 4.93

1.19 29.9 71.0 1.01 15.6 4.97

1.08 26.1 92.3 0.986 18.4 5.04 

1.19 29.9 82.5 0.939 19.0 5.36

1.22 34.1 83.2 1.02 19.5 5.40

0.872 23.0 95.7 1.06 16.6 4.40 

1.03 27.7 75.6 1.05 19.3 5.56

1.05 28.3 87.5 1.09 21.8 5.63

168 

178 

206 

160

.2 Ka

195 

190

189

152 

182

167

3 Ka

224 

223

264

180 

173

190

178 

152

146

0.947 

0.830 

0.813 

0.881

0.970 

1.01

0.989

0.873 

0.868

0.847

0.825 

0.880

1.03

0.822 

1.00

0.986

0.816 

0.901

0.976

0.760 

0.745 

0.692 

0.730

0.735 

0.768

0.799

0.616 

0.686

0.707

0.776 

0.788

0.815

0.658 

0.765

0.814

0.568 

0.834

0.848

15.5 

12.4 

13.4 

16.4

13.6 

14.2

14.5

11.4 

10.5

10.9

12.8 

12.8

15.3

11.3 

13.3

15.3

9.15 

10.9

11.5

0.520 

0.430 

0.390 

0.400

0.460 

0.420

0.487 

0.409

0.441 

0.440

0.36 

0.41

0.470

12.8 

10.6 

16.4 

7.35

8.82 

9.56

11.1

6.39 

5.66

6.47

6.34 

6.91

11.1

5.60 

11.0

12.1

6.10 

6.25

6.66

2.99 

2.57 

2.48 

2.33

2.83 

3.01

3.02

2.39 

2.48

2.55

2.41 

2.58

2.49

2.43 

2.64

2.82

2.20 

2.77

2.78

582 

225 

230 

194

479 

418

420

222 

254

165

174 

206

518

165 

290

359

226 

287

292

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A57
Supplementary Table 7, Part 2. Total chemical analyses of the fine (less than 47 pm) fraction by instrumental 

neutron activation Continued

No. Sample Horizon

Basal 

depth 

(cm)

Na Nd Rb Sb Sc Sm Sr

Modesto Formation, upper member,

54 

55 

56 

57 

58

59 

60 

61 

62 

63

M31 

M31 

M31 

M31 

M31

M46 

M46 

M46 

M46 

M46

All 

A12 

AC 

2C1 

3C2

Allp 

A12p 

2A13p 

3AC 

4Cox

20 

63 

150 

200 

254

5 

14 

32 

66 

250

1.12

1.59 

1.49

1.34

1.48 

1.49

26.0

26.4 

24.2

33.3

24.7 

26.0

96.5

87.5 

99.1

118

109 

95.0

0.917 18.3 5.19 202

0.854 17.2 4.67 158 

0.900 17.0 4.75 180

1.38 21.0 6.15 223

1.01 14.4 4.86 204 

0.989 14.2 4.62 207

Modesto Formation, upper member,

64 

65 

66 

67 

68 

69 

70

M12 

M12 

M12 

Ml 2 

M12 

M12 

M12

All 

A12 

2B21t 

3B22t 

4B3 

5C1 

6C2

85 

81 

102 

170 

201 

231 

413+

2.07

1.40

1.84 

1.54

29.3

35.8

27.2 

41.9

106

86.6

78.4 

142

1.01 11.3 5.05 332

0.867 14.7 5.77 212

0.703 11.5 5.05 293 

1.07 13.5 7.81 278

Riverbank Formation, upper member,

71 

72 

73 

74 

75 

76 

77

78 

79 

80 

81 

82 

83 

84 

85 

86 

87

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9 

R9

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33 

R33

Allp 

A12p 

81 

2B21 

2822 

3B3 

4C

All 

2A12 

3A3 

3B21t 

3B22t 

3B23t 

3831 

3B32 

4B33 

5Cox

30 

60 

105 

180 

235 

350 

400+

4 

19 

39 

62 

83 

122 

151 

210 

260 

300+

1.85

1.15

1.40 

1.66

0.937

0.320

28.0

34.8

40.6 

30.3

40.5

55.1

115

103

89.5 

131

97.1

88.0

1.00 10.9 5.21 279

1.02 14.3 5.95 182

1.10 14.9 7.52 253 

1.15 12.7 5.62 274

0.968 15.1 6.76 143

0.892 17.5 8.98 110

Riverbank Formation, middle member,

88 

89 

90 

91 

92 

93

94 

95 

96 

97 

98 

99

100 

101 

102 

103 

104 

105 

106 

107

R2 

R2 

R2 

R2 

R2 

R2

RIO 

RIO 

RIO 

RIO 

RIO 

RIO

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32 

R32

Ap 

821 

B22t 

B3 

Cl 

C2n

A 

2B10 

2B21t 

2B22t 

3B3t 

3Cox

All 

A12 

A3 

B21t 

B22t 

B31t 

2B32 

3Cox

25 

81 

185 

386 

500 

500+

46 

70 

140 

210 

386 

500

26 

50 

70 

105 

150 

220 

354 

360+

2.16

1.22

1.86

1.17

1.17

1.86

1.37

0.532

26.2

29.8

30.6

38.0

38.7

26.1

35.6

49.1

103

107

121

105

102

107

98.4

114

1.14 9.11 4.92 340

1.12 14.1 5.63 156

1.04 10.7 5.02 242

1.04 16.0 6.66 169

0.974 15.3 6.59 176

1.03 10.7 4.93 265

1.01 13.6 5.84 188

0.891 18.3 7.76 118

Ta

10 Ka

0.915

0.864 

1.02

1.14

1.01 

1.01

40 Ka

1.17 

0.938

1.01 

1.14

130 Ka

1.08

1.01 

1.22 

1.25

1.00 

0.843

250 Ka

1.21 

1.09

1.13 

1.16 

0.964

1.09

1.03 

1.03

Tb

0.679 

0.672

0.828

0.653 

0.646

0.669 

0.741

0.661 

0.867

0.691

0.673 

0.873 

0.679

0.709 

0.924

0.610 

0.727

0.649 

0.762 

0.716

0.626

0.736 

0.882

Th

11.1

11.4 

12.5

17.5

15.5 

15.5

17.3 

22.8

20.1 

51.6

13.4

17.5 

32.5 

15.1

18.0 

38.7

16.0 

18.8

14.5 

19.2 

25.6

14.0

18.9 

36.6

Tm

0.390

0.35 

0.370

0.500

0.360 

0.360

0.351 

0.405

0.331 

0.450

0.349

0.370 

0.491 

0.460

0.330 

0.410

0.401

0.370

0.360 

0.350

0.390 

0.430

U

5.24

3.77 

4.51

7.80

5.98 

5.36

6.42 

6.57

6.46 

9.77

5.08

5.44 

6.69 

5.38

5.77 

11.9

5.28 

6.45

5.17 

6.10 

6.52

5.00

5.82 

10.1

Yb

2.47

2.22 

2.27

3.03

2.25 

2.17

2.50 

2.55

2.27 

2.75

2.41

2.27 

3.18 

2.69

2.23 

2.63

2.46 

2.40

2.18 

2.67 

2.28

2.26

2.20 

2.52

Zr

174

200 

277

235 

287 

259 

222 

219

160 

308

205

312 

318

267 

256 

248 

196 

159 

158 

271

310

170 

51

425 

308 

157 

195 

177

221 

293 

223 

220 

143

274

238 

112

A58 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 7, Part 2.

neutron activation Continued

Total chemical analyses of the fine (less than 47 pin) fraction by instrumental

No. Sample

Basal 

Horizon depth 

(cm)

Na Nd Rb Sb Sc Sm Sr Ta Tb Th Tm U Yb Zr

Riverbank Formation, lower member, 330 Ka

108 

109 

110 

111 

112 

113

R30 

R30 

R30 

R30 

R30 

R30

Ap 65 

BIO 78 

B21t 127 

2B22t 179 

3B3t 197 

3Clox 220

1.78 35.0

1.03 36.1

0.261 47.3

134

87.4

75.5

1.13

0.980

1.02

11.8 5.93

14.8 6.23

18.8 8.29

Turlock Lake Formation,

114 

115 

116 

117

118 

119 

120 

121 

122

123 

124 

125 

126 

127 

128 

129 

130 

131 

132

133 

134 

135 

136 

137 

138 

139

140 

141 

142 

143 

144 

145 

146 

147

148 

149 

150 

151 

152 

153 

154 

155 

156

157 

158

T2

T2 

T2 

T2

T6 

T6 

T6 

T6 

T6

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til 

Til

cm

CHl 

CHl 

CHl 

CHl 

CHl 

CHl

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2 

CH2

CH3 

CHS 

CH3 

CHS 

CH3 

CHS 

CH3 

CHS 

CHS

CH4 

CH4

A 31 

B21 173 

2822 386 

3C 417

All 20 

A12 40 

2B21t 90 

2B22t 190 

3B+C 370

Allp 5 

2A12p 11 

2A+B 20 

2Blt 33 

2B2t 80 

3B31t 191 

4B32t 256 

5B+C 292 

SClox 375 

6C2ox 375+

Al 12 

2AB 53 

2B21t 88 

2B22t 140 

2B31 234 

2B32 310 

3B33 350

Al 8 

A3 30 

2A+B 50 

2B2H 110 

2B22 170 

2B23 200 

3B24 290 

3B3 350

Al 9 

A3 35 

A+B 68 

B2t 105 

B22t 153 

2B23 173 

3B24 260 

4B31 340 

5B32 750+

2B31 750 

4Clox 1000

1.05 29.5

1.63 45.0 

1.30 57.1

1.78 43.0

0.233 42.2 

0.826 64.5

1.60 25.7

0.786 25.4

0.216 61.8

China

0.702 25.7

0.524 29.0

0.0733 15.9 

0.373 18.9

0.0335 11.8

0.0580 24.7 

0.447 20.9

0.0333 14.5

0.0557 38.5

0.106 31.8 

0.153 42.9

129.

74.1 

96.2

126

104 

113

131

96.8

79.4

0.959

1.03 

1.19

0.93

0.940 

1.06

1.14

1.23

0.881

9.36 4.79

15.0 8.21 

12.6 9.92

14.4 7.43

21.0 7.42 

24.1 10.4

9.70 5.19

13.8 4.58

21.9 10.1

Hat gravel member of Laguna

98.5

73.0

53.0 

99.8

35.1

33.9 

98.3

34.9

31.7

56.5 

55.1

0.942

1.16

1.46 

0.937

1.06

1.34 

0.907

1.06

1.25

1.27 

1.13

9.46 4.38

13.7 4.17

24.6 2.89 

10.3 3.55

21.2 2.44

27.9 5.13 

11.1 4.23

19.2 2.59

25.9 7.29

29.4 6.67 

29.2 9.68

246 

144

100

600 Ka

169

254 

210

301

100 

199

246 

115

103

1.41 0.811 

1.30 0.618

1.02 0.995

1.37 0.703

1.58 1.08 

1.17 1.30

1.37 0.925

1.13 0.822 

1.24 1.22

1.31 0.628 

1.31 0.495

1.20 1.07

18.8 

23.5

32.8

15.8

26.1 

26.2

20.0

27.1 

41.6

17.4 

20.8

36.0

0.360 

0.500

0.353

0.563 

0.487

0.510

0.470 

0.630

0.420 

0.271

0.483

6.34 2.55 

6.05 2.00

6.98 2.94

5.25 2.45

6.05 3.79 

5.64 3.34

5.54 3.33

5.45 2.64 

8.64 4.21

5.12 2.44 

5.30 1.89

6.47 3.22

278 

157

110

414

362 

334

355 

298 

111 

110 

249

360 

235

110

Formation, 3,000 Ka

97.9 

79.1

45 

100

100 

0.00 

100

0.00

0.00

100 

100

1.01 0.718 

1.16 0.665

0.608 0.571 

1.11 0.480

0.901 0.454 

0.693 0.603 

1.14 0.535

1.06 0.313

0.609 0.705

0.778 0.872 

1.09 1.32

13.5 

15.8

14.0 

11.8

8.97 

11.9 

12.5

10.9

9.78

12.1 

17.4

0.396 

0.410

0.345 

0.340

0.270 

0.000 

0.360

0.200

0.334

0.51 

0.81

5.22 2.54 

5.48 2.33

6.36 2.10 

4.73 2.03

3.13 1.65 

3.76 1.85 

4.78 2.22

4.29 1.35

5.58 2.22

6.84 2.74 

7.19 4.40

412 

270

174

293 

380 

348 

254 

193 

127 

142 

100

269

77.9

140

107 

191

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A59
Supplementary Table 8, Part 1. Total chemical analyses of the less-than-2-mm fraction by instrumental neutron 

activation

LNa values in weight percent; all others in parts per million. Analysts: J. Baker, A. Bartel, D. Burgi, R. Johnson, R. Knight, H.T. Millard, 

V.G. Mossotti, S. Ramage, B. Scott, J. Taggart, O.S. Wahlberg, and K. Wong]

Basal

No. Sample Horizon depth Ba Ce Co Cr Cs Dy Eu Fe Gd Hf K La Lu Mn 

(cm)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

1 Q

19 

20 

21

22 

23

24

25

27

9B

29

30

31

33

34 

35

36 

37

TP

39 

40

41

43

44

45

46

47

48

49 

50

51

52

53

MRA1

MRA2

MR A3

MRA4

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PH19

PM19

DMl Q

PM19

PM8 

PM8

PM8 

PM13

PM13

PM13

DMl "3

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16 

PM16

PM16

PM17

PM17

PM17 

PM17

PM17

DM1 Q

DMl Q

DMl Q

Al

2C10X

3C2ox

4C3ox

5C4ox

6C5ox

3Clox

4C2ox

5C3ox

6C4n

7C5n

8C6n

Al 

2C1

4C3

2Clox

3C2ox

4C3ox

5C4ox

6C5n

3Clox

4C2ox

5C3ox

6C4ox

7C5n

Clox

2C2ox

3C3ox

5C5ox

5C6n

2C2ox

2Clox

2C2ox 

3C3ox

4

19

42

47

51

51+

7

12

23

49

55

66

Qfl4.

32 899 49.4 

55 932 51.6 

66

76+ 839 32.7 

5

35

Q£

112

136

200

720

3

99

130

175

200

239+

2

25

35

65

90

116

236

6

45

63 

74

120+

6

65

115 

164

175+

Modern River Alluvium

Post-Modesto Deposits, .2 Ka

Post-Modesto Deposits, 3 Ka

17.9 110 4.02 4.32 1.12 4.12 5.78 5.82 1.77 25.7 0.328 875 

16.4 114 3.80 4.23 1.11 3.91 4.56 6.76 1.53 26.2 0.349 766

9.40 58.8 2.70 2.32 0.770 2.34 3.12 2.01 17.4 0.184 480

A60 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 8, Part 1. Total chemical analyses of the less-than-2-mm fraction by instrumental neutron 

activation Continued

No.

54

55

56

57

DO

59

60

61

63

64 

65

66 

67

69

70

71 

72

73

74

75 

76

77

70

79

ori

01

QO

QO

84

Qr

QC

Q7

88 

89

90 

91

92

93 

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

1 no

109

110

111

112

113

Sample

M31

M46

M46

M46

M46

nl c

Ml 2

Ml 2

Ml 2

R9

DO

DO,

DQ

R9

DQ

R9

D-J-J

D77

R33

D77

D77

D77

D7T

D77

D77

noq

R2

07

R2

D9

DO

R2 

ci n

Din

RIO

nl n

pin

nl n

019

R1?

D19

D19

PI?

D19

D19

D19

Din

R30

Din

Din

Din

Din

Horizon

rtU

Allp

A12p

2A13p

4Cox

A12

£Dc It

3B22t

5C1

Allp 

A12p

01

?R?1

2B22

OnO

4C

3 A3

ORO 1 * 

OROO-f

ODOOf

OD'Jl

 DROO

4B33

5Cox

Ap

DO!

B22t

DO

Cl

C2n

A

OQl

OD91 f

ODOO*

ODq-h

3Cox

All

A3

R9HDOO-IDO1 4-

ODQO

An

Di n

DO1 4-

opoo*.

ORO4-

3Clox

Basal 

depth Ba Ce Co Cr Cs Dy Eu Fe Sd Hf K La Lu Mn 

(cm)

Modesto Formation, upper member, 10 Ka

20

150

200

254

5

14

66

250

Modesto Formation, lower member, 40 Ka

81 902 49.7 5.12 19.9 2.65 2.73 0.855 1.96 2.43 4.04 2.43 25.1 0.189 344

102 

170 738 55.6 4.66 30.1 2.57 2.63 0.651 2.63 3.51 1.98 29.3 0.199 347

231 870 43.2 5.64 18.3 2.45 2.54 0.859 2.24 4.02 3.13 2.17 22.0 0.179 311

413+

Riverbank Formation, upper member, 130 Ka

30 971 39.8 6.16 36.2 2.38 2.45 0.829 2.07 2.95 4.36 2.47 20.0 0.208 461 

60

105

i ftn

235 840 49.4 8.69 41.3 2.88 2.5 0.903 2.49 3.1 3.64 2.33 23.6 0.221 523 

350

400+ 875 43.6 8.81 18.9 3.31 2.56 0.906 2.65 2.71 2.25 21.8 0.197 466 

4

19

39 __ _ __ _ . _

fi?

go

122

151

2io

ocn

300+

Riverbank Formation, middle member, 250 Ka

25 917 34.0 3.88 18.0 1.86 3.45 0.756 1.70 4.84 2.54 16.9 0.189 289 

81

185 914 53.1 8.09 37.8 2.97 2.86 0.897 2.69 3.41 4.31 2.41 25.4 0.256 467 *5QC

500

500+ 1210 18.5 2.63 3.64 3.67 0.982 0.448 0.843 1.26 3.54 11.5 0.066 167 

46

70

140

01 r*

OQC

500

?fi

50 ________ _

70

105

150

220

354

360+

Riverbank Formation, lower member, 330 Ka

65

7Q

127

179

197

220

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A61
Supplementary Table 8, Part 1. Total chemical analyses of the less-than-2-mm fraction by instrumental neutron 

activation Continued

No.

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

Sample

T2

T2

T2

T2

T6

T6

T6

T6

T6

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CH4

CH4

Horizon

A

821

2B22

3C

All

A12

2B21t

2B22t

3B+C

Allp

2A12p

2A+B

2Blt

2B2t

3B31t

4B32t

5B+C

5Clox

6IC2ox

Al

2AB

2B21t

2B22t

2B31

2B32

3IB33

Al

A3

2A+B

2B21t

2B22

2B23

3B24

31 IBS

Al

A3

A+B

B2t

B22t

2B23

3IIB24

4VB31

5B32

2B31

4Clox

Basal

depth Ba Ce Co Cr Cs Dy Eu Fe Sd

(cm)

Turlock Lake Formation, 600 Ka

31 1210 42.4 10.0 85.6 2.82 1.96 0.543 2.20 2.56

173

386 739 67.1 8.72 36.0 2.35 4.22 1.25 2.85 3.2

417 989 31.4 4.33 25.6 2.45 2.48 0.959 2.08 3.03

20

40

90

190

370

5

11

20

33

80

191

256

292

375

375+

China Hat gravel member of Laguna Formation, 3000 Ka

12 666 50.6 7.73 112 3.10 3.18 0.770 2.63 3.5

53

88 549 64.4 18.4 107 3.77 3.50 0.854 4.17 3.59

140

234

310

350 615 24.5 7.54 120 2.48 2.37 0.623 5.40 3.94

8

30

50

no

170

200

290

350+

9

35

68

105

153

173

260

340

750+

750

1000

Hf K La Lu Mn

7.31 3.15 16.9 0.178 605

6.75 1.89 33.1 0.339 236

2.73 2.57 19.9 0.182 210

..

_

__

9.36 1.39 22.3 0.332 342

8.06 1.14 26.4 0.306 603

3.08 1.14 18.6 0.270 127

~

A6Z Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 8, Part 2.

activation

Total chemical analyses of the less-than-2-mm fraction by instrumental neutron

[Na values in weight percent; all others in parts per million. Analysts: J. Baker, A. Bartel, D. Burgi, R. Johnson, R. Knight, 

V.G. Mossotti, S. Ramage, B. Scott, J. Taggart, J.S. Wahlberg, and K. Wong]

H.T. Millard,

Basal

No. Sample Horizon depth Na Nd Rb 

(cm)

Sb Sc Sm Sr Ta Tb Th Tm Yb Zr

Modern River Alluvium

1

2

3

4

MRA1

MRA2

MR A3

MRA4

--

--

--

--

.. -

-- --

.. ..

-- --

Post-Modesto Deposits, .2 Ka

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM15

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

PM19

Al

2Clox

3C2ox

4C3ox

5C4ox

6C5ox

All

2A12

3Clox

4C2ox

5C3ox

6C4n

7C5n

8C6n

4

19 .- -- .- .. .. .. .. ..

42

47

51 -- -. -- .. .. -. -. .-

51+ .. .. -. .. .. .. .. -.

7 -- -- -- .. -- .. .. ..

12 -- -- -- .. .. .. _- ..

23 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

43 -- -- -- .. .. .. .. ..

49 .. -. .. .. .. .. .. .-

55 .- -. -- .. .. .. .. ..

66 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

80+

Post-Modesto Deposits, 3 Ka

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

PM8

PM8

PM8

PM8

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM13

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM14

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM16

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM17

PM18

PM18

PM18

PM18

PM18

Al

2C1

3C2

4C3

All

A12

2Clox

3C2ox

4C3ox

5C4ox

6C5n

All

2A12

3Clox

4C2ox

5C3ox

6C4ox

7C5n

A

Clox

2C2ox

3C3ox

4C4ox

5C5ox

5C6n

A

2C2ox

2C2ox

2C3ox

3C4n

A

2Clox

2C2ox

3C3ox

4C4ox

32 1.35 23.6 93.6 0.995 16.9 4.76 227 0.864 0.628 10.3 0.362 6.03 2.31 167

55 1.58 22.9 87.1 0.903 16.1 4.92 258 0.911 0.535 11.2 0.429 5.77 2.15 223

66 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

76+ 1.96 14.2 80.7 0.526 0.890 2.96 302 0.611 0.335 6.75 -- 3.85 1.26 89.2

5 ~ .. -- .. .. .. .. ..

35 -- -. -- .. .. .. ..

86

112 -- -- -- -- -- -- .. --

136 -- -- .- -- -- -- --

200 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

720 -- - -- -- -- -- -- --

3 .. .. -- .. .. .. .. .-

33 .. -- - .. .. -. ..

99 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

130 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

175 -- .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

200 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

239+ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

2

25 -. -- -- -- -- -- -- --

35 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .-

65 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

90 -- -- -- -- 

116 - - - -- - -- -- --

236 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

6 -- -- -- - -- -- --

45 -. .. .. .. .. .. .. 

63 -- -- -- -- .- -- -- -.

74 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

120+

6 -- -- -- -. -- - -- .-

65 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

115 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

164

175+ -- .. .- .. -. .. .. .-

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A63
Supplementary Table 8, Part 2. Total chemical analyses of the less-than-2-mm fraction by instrumental neutron 

activation Continued

No. Sample Horizon

Basal

depth Na

(cm)

Nd Rb Sb Sc

Modesto Formation,

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

M31

M31

M31

M31

M31

M46

M46

M46

M46

M46

Ml 2

Ml 2

Ml 2

M12

Ml 2

M12

M12

All

A12

AC

2C1

3C2

Allp

A12p

2A13p

3AC

4Cox

All

A12

2B21t

3B22t

4B3

5C1

6C2

20

63

150

200

254

5

14

32

66

250

15

81 2.31

102

170 1.98

201

231 2.40

413+

..

..

..

--

--

--

--

--

--

..

..

21.2 95.4

--

24.0 82.5

--

19.2 85.6

..

..

--

--

--

--

..

--

--

--

--

Modesto

..

0.695

-.

0.448

--

0.494

--

Riverbank

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

R9

R9

R9

R9

R9

R9

R9

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

R33

Allp

A12p

Bl

2B21

2B22

3B3

4C

All

2A12

3A3

3B21t

3B22t

3B23t

3B31

3B32

4B33

5Cox

30 1.94

60

105

180

235 1.60

350

400+ 2.38

4

19

39

62

83

122

151

210

260

300+

18.8 96.4

22.8 93.5

20.0 83.0

_.

..

0.491

_

0.534

0.614

__

--

_.

..

--

--

-.

--

--

--

--

Formation

..

4.89

--

7.29

5.21

--

Formation

5.41

..

7.06

7.86

_

--

..

Riverbank Formation,

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

R2

R2

R2

R2

R2

R2

RIO

RIO

RIO

RIO

RIO

RIO

R32

R32

R32

R32

R32

R32

R32

R32

Ap

B21

B22t

B3

Cl

C2n

A

2B1

2B21t

2B22t

3B3t

3Cox

All

A12

A3

B21t

B22t

B31t

2832

3Cox

25 1.87

81

185 1.43

386

500

500+ 2.60

46

70

140

210

386

500

26

50

70

105

150

220

354

360+

18.8 39.4

__

23.9 99.8

_.

7.20 136

__

-_

--

..

..

-_

-.

--

0.533

_

0.674

._

_.

0.829

__

_

__

~

3.58

_.

6.80

..

1.63

..

-.

--

__

_

--

_.

--

Riverbank Formation,

108

109

110

111

112

113

R30

R30

R30

R30

R30

R30

Ap

BIO

B21t

2B22t

3B2c

3Clox

65

78

127

179

197

220

__

--

--

._

..

--

_.

_.

Sm

, upper

..

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

 

, lower

...

3.77

--

4.14

--

3.03

--

, upper

3.46

__

3.92

3.49

__

..

middle

3.09

._

4.32

1.21

--

_.

lower

_

_-

--

Sr

member,

..

--

--

.-

--

..

--

--

--

- 

member,

..

370

--

313

.-

421

--

member,

300

..

254

418

__

_.

member,

308

_.

253

451

__

--

_

--

..

member,

_

--

--

Ta Tb

10 Ka

..

..

..

..

--

..

--

--

..

--

40 Ka

..

0.895 0.373

..

0.778 0.436

..

0.726 0.318

--

130 Ka

0.817 0.321

0.862 0.380

0.570 0.369

..

..

.-

--

250 Ka

0.819 0.332

__

0.929 0.397

._

0.271 0.098

__

--

__

..

..

..

--

330 Ka

._

_-

~-

Th Tm U Yb

..

..

-.

-.

--

..

--

--

..

 

..

9.81 0.20 3.20 1.42

..

13.6 0.271 3.95 1.37

..

11.1 - 3.11 1.15

--

12.0 0.170 3.18 1.20

..

9.42 2.84 1.25

11.3 2.47 1.25

_.

_.

8.85 0.192 2.61 1.23

..

11.2 3.84 1.71

5.22 -- 1.66 0.421

__

--

_

_.

_.

-~

Zr

..

--

--

--

--

..

--

--

--

 

..

120

--

132

--

88.1

 -

132

148

127

124

1H

101

863

168

--

127

51

158

143

134

98

77

53

_

149

124

186

173

--

101

--

--

~~

A64 Soil Chronosequences in the Western United States
Supplementary Table 8, Part 2.

activation Continued

Total chemical analyses of the less-than-Z-mm fraction by instrumental neutron

No.

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

Sample

T2

T2

T2

T2

T6

T6

T6

T6

T6

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Til

Horizon

A

B21

2B22

3C

All

A12

2B21t

2B22t

3B+C

Allp

2A12p

2A+B

2Blt

2B2t

3B31t

4B32t

5B+C

5Clox

6IC2ox

Basal

depth

(era)

31

173

386

417

20

40

90

190

370

5

11

20

33

80

191

256

292

375

375+

Na Nd Rb Sb

Turlock

0.812 13.3 124 0.547

_.

1.94 30.8 79 0.587

1.97 22.0 109 0.550

_

_

_.

--

Sc Sm Sr Ta Tb Th Tm U Yb Zr

Lake Formation, 600 Ka

4.31

..

8.23

3.81

__

..

_

--

China Hat gravel member of

133

134

135

135

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH1

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CH2

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CHS

CH4

CH4

Al

2AB

2B2H

2B22t

2B31

2B32

3IB33

Al

A3

2A+B

2B2H

2B22

2B23

3B24

3IIB3

Al

A3

A+B

B2t

B22t

2B23

3IIB24

4VB31

5B32

2B31

4Clox

12

53

88

140

234

310

350

8

30

50

110

170

200

290

350+

9

35

68

105

153

173

260

340

750+

750

1000

0.453 22.4 78.8 0.822

..

0.341 23.2 66.2 1.12

0.067 15.1 49.3 1.27

-_ «_ -_ _-

--

__ - -- --

 - . -- _

7.91

_

12.2

22.2

__

..

._

__

_.

--

__

2.42 197. 0.780 0.285 8.54

5.50 313. 0.986 0.598 16.1

3.64 324. 0.822 0.371 11.6 0.177

._ .. _- __ -_ --

~

_.

__

__

..

..

--

Laguna Formation, 3,000 Ka

3.65 65.1 0.882 0.460 10.1 0.38

__

4.08 1.08 0.454 12.6 0.16

2.85 77.3 0.722 0.335 9.99

_.. ._ __ __ -- --

__

--

... __ __ __ «_ --

._

-- 

__ __ __ __ __ .-

2.29 1.12 228

..

3.53 1.90 214

2.49 1.16 86.5

123

147

77

76

70

166

__

144

..

83

3.73 1.90 292

..

4.42 2.03 241

4.25 1.49 142

__

--

-.

--

_-

Soils Developed in Granitic Alluvium near Merced, California A65
GPO 785-048/48019