Vertical distribution of magnetic susceptibility as affected by pedoenvironmental factors along an arid and semi-arid transect, Fars Province, Iran

Soil magnetism provides valuable information about soil-landscape relationships and soil evolution. However, only limited number of studies on the relationship between soil magnetic properties and soil forming factors and processes, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, are available. The aim of this study was to determine vertical distribution of soil magnetic susceptibility and selected pedoenvironmental parameters and to interpret them in terms of the soil evolution. Eight representative soil profiles were selected on different geomorphic surfaces including alluvial fan, piedmont plain and flood plain. Soil samples were collected from different diagnostic horizons and analyzed for routine physico-chemical properties, different iron forms and magnetic susceptibility. The average values of magnetic susceptibility (χlf) and relative frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility in the studied soils are 53.1 × 10−8 m3 kg−1 and 2.62%, respectively, with the latter ranging from 0 to 6.88%. The negative significant correlation (with correlation coefficient R = −0.48 and statistical significance p < 0.01) between soil evolution index (ratio of acid oxalate soluble and free Fe oxides — Feo/Fed) and χlf values indicated that χlf increased with soil evolution. A positive significant correlation between χlf and Fed (and Fed — Feo) values, and a negative significant correlation between χlf and CaCO3 values were observed. The vertical distribution of χlf along the studied profiles showed different patterns (uniform, non-uniform, ascending and descending) with depth. Overall, the results indicated that the χlf distribution along the soil profiles was affected by topography, distribution of different iron forms, soil evolution, and weathering rate in different soil layers.