ACCUMULATION OF SECONDARY CARBONATE EVIDENCE BY ASCENDING CAPILLARY IN MEDITERRANEAN ARGILLIC HORIZONS (CORDOBA, ANDALUSIA, SPAIN)

The physicochemical properties of a red Mediterranean soil profile (Chromic Luvisol) developed on a fluvial terrace 20 m above the Guadalquivir river, near the city of Cordoba, Spain, were examined with emphasis on finding evidence of translocation of carbonates affecting preexisting Bt red horizons in the selected soil profile. The high concentration of carbonate nodules below the argillic horizon and the vertical distribution of carbonate supported the hypothesis that capillary ascent process explained this phenomenon. Two phases are suggested for this carbonation process. First, a Mediterranean pedo-genesis occurred, with illuviation, rubification, and lixivied carbonates, which are accumulated in deep calcic horizons with nodules more than 350 ky. This was followed by a second phase with important processes of capillarity ascent affecting preexisting Bt horizons and carbonate nodules with chronology dated 114 (8.9) ky.