Particle Size Distribution and Clay Minerals in Dryland Soils of Aceh Besar, Indonesia

EasyChair Preprint 6611

Abstract

Soil particle size distribution is a fundamental physical and property affecting other soil properties. This property also affected by mineral composition in soil. Characterizing soil texture and clay minerals is very important in environmental and soil research. This research aims to determine the distribution of soil particles and the composition of clay minerals on each layer of the horizon in four soil profiles (P1, P2, P3, and P4) with different parent materials in the dryland of Aceh Besar district which includes Entisols Jantho, Andisols Saree, Inceptisols Cucum, and Oxisols Lembah Seulawah. Particle size distribution (or texture) and bulk density (BD) were analyzed in the laboratory. Soil structure and consistency were observed directly in the field. The type of clay minerals was identified by X-ray diffraction, while Fe, Al, and Si-oxide were extracted by dithionite-citrate solution. The particle size distribution and the physical properties of dryland soils of Aceh Besar vary between soil orders. Andisols Saree has better physical properties than the physical properties of other soils and low bulk density. The composition of Al, Fe, and Si fractions as well as the dominant mineral types also vary considerably between soil orders. The Andisols are dominated by allophane minerals (amorphous fractions) while Entisols, Inceptisols, and Oxisols consist of mixed minerals of feldspar, quartz, halloysite, goethite, and other clay minerals. Improvements in the physical properties of the soil on Aceh Besar dryland are indispensable to improve the quality of the soil.

Keyphrases: Quality, dryland, soils

@booklet{EasyChair:6611,
  author    = {Sufardi Sufardi and Teti Arabia and Khairullah Khairullah and Intan Apriani},
  title     = {Particle Size Distribution and Clay Minerals in Dryland Soils of Aceh Besar, Indonesia},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 6611},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2021}}