Alojzy Kowalkowski
Articles
Geographia Polonica (2011) vol. 84, Special Issue Part 1, pp. 17-38 | 
Full text
doi: https://doi.org/GPol.2011.S1.3
Abstract
Ultramorphoscopic analysis offers one way of gaining an insight into temporal and spatialchanges that have taken place in the environment. The underlying basis here is a system ofclassified features; processes of physical, chemical and biological weathering; and processes oftransport through different environments. It is the aim of this article to present the use of morphoscopicSEM studies of podsolic soils from different parts of central and northern Europe inreconstructing the way litho- and pedogenetic conditions evolved in the Late Pleistocene andHolocene. By drawing on the research carried out, it has been possible to point to certain indicativemorphoscopic features of quartz grains that are characteristic for defined morphogenicenvironments.
Keywords: scanning electron microscope (SEM), quartz grain, sedimentation environment, podsolic soils, central and northern Europe
[m.degor@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland
, Forest Research Institute, 05-550 Raszyn, Sękocin, Poland
Geographia Polonica (1980) vol. 43, pp. 111-124 | Full text
Abstract
The specific vertical zonation of soils within the soil-geographic zones in Mon-golia is determined by the hydrothermal conditions there, which are modified by the mountain chains. In addition to altitude above sea level, exposure, slope in-clination, geographic situation and meso- and microclimatic conditions, the structure of vertical soil-zones is determined by the width, openness, and depth of the valleys separating the mountains as well as individual crests. In con-sequence of the combined action of various factors, the soil-zones tend to become asymmetric and undergo inversion (Dorzhgotov 1975; Dorzhgotov and Kowalkowski 1981). First, solifluction, fluvial and eolian processes as well as zoogenic erosion of varying intensity yield in effect a specific structure of the soil cover within each individual zone. The actual effect of each such process in soil formation depends on the geographic situation of any given mountain complex. The granodioritic crest of the Donoin Dzun-nuruu in the central part of the Khangai Mts is an example of this dependence. The crest is situated in the horizontal zone of forest permafrost brown soils with a semihumid variant of the Khangai vertical zonation structure (Dorzhgotov and Kowal-kowski 1981) within a very cool wet climatic zone (Badarch 1975).
, Forest Research Institute, 05-550 Raszyn, Sękocin, Poland