The humus status of modern and buried volcanic soils in Mexico and its role in the paleogeographic interpretation of tephra-paleosol sequences

Chemical and optical characteristics of soil humus have been analyzed as “memory” components of the Pleistocene volcanic paleosols in Mexico. We have studied the A1 horizons of buried Andosols of the Nevado de Toluca series and of the modern Andosols formed under different bioclimatic conditions. Data on the organic matter of buried paleosols suggest that Andosols of the Nevado de Toluca series were formed in humid forest ecosystems. Optical characteristics of the humic acids and data on the molecular-mass distribution of the humus make it possible to assume that these soils were formed under pine forests rather than under fir forests.