CHARACTERIZATION OF A PALEOSOL

The biological properties of two profiles developed under the shortgrass prairie were investigated. One of the profiles was found to contain a horizon (B22t horizon of profile 2) that may have been the A horizon of a preexisting soil. Grass-opal phytoliths were extracted from all the horizons of profile 2 and classified. Phytoliths were found only in the All and B22t horizons. Panicoid phytoliths, derived from species representative of the tallgrass prairie, were found in the B22t horizon of profile 2. Organic carbon and total nitrogen are higher in the B22t horizon of profile 2 than in the corresponding depths of the other profile. Most biological activities, such as root biomass and soil enzyme activities, are greater in the B22t horizon of profile 2. However, biological activities are higher in the soil profile not containing the buried horizon above the corresponding depths at which the buried horizon occurs. The differences in the biological activities of the two profiles can probably be attributed to different water distributions in the two profiles.