THE ORIGIN OF THE INDURATED B 3 , HORIZON OF PODZOLIC SOILS IN NORTH‐EAST SCOTLAND

Summary Morphological examination of podzol profiles in the Eastern Grampians and lowland Strathmore, together with pollen analyses of hill peat and podzol A horizons, suggest that the podzols of Strathmore have been developed since the post‐glacial climatic optimum, whilst those of the Grampians are much older. On morphological grounds it seems improbable that the indurated B 3 horizon now found in these podzolic soils could have been present in the high base status brown forest soil profiles which appear to have existed in Strathmore prior to the development of the present‐day podzolic soils. A comparison of the stage of development of the podzol profile with indurated B 3 , horizon found buried beneath the earth bank around the Roman marching camp at Kirkbuddo in Angus, with the present‐day soil profile, confirms that the development of the indurated B 3 , horizon is related to the development of the podzol profile. Its origin must be ascribed, therefore, to pedological rather than to periglacial processes.