Feb 11th, 2013
Joint soil sampling field trip between AlQuds University (AQU), Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJ), and the Geological Survey of Israel (GSI).
Participants:
AQU: Mutaz Qutob, Mahmud AlKhatib, Husam Malassa, Jawad Sawahreh
HUJ: Boaz Lazar, Netta Shalev
GSI: Amir Sandler, Ittai Gavrieli
The aim of this field mission was to sample variable occurrences of apparently well-developed Terra Rossa in a region of relatively high mean annual precipitation (590 mm) and intensive karstic processes within the substrate rocks. The places sampled were:
Mevo-Beitar: Two sampling sites: 1. a 170 cm shallow (and well-leached brown-reddish soil profile (Terra Rossa) on dolomite (V’radim Fm.) (31°43.105 N 035°06.427' E; elevation 756 m); and 2. karst depressions filled with thicker soil (Fig. 1b) (31°43.103' N 035°06.429' E; elevation 750 m). The depression’s walls are coated by pedogenic calcite. Pedogenic calcite is also observed as white laminae filling semi-horizontal cracks in the dolomitic rock.
Begin Park: Two sampling sites: 1. ~150 cm soil profile in a karstic depression (Fig. 1c) in V’eradim Fm. dolostone (31°43.133' N 035°06.843' E; elevation 750 m) including 3 horizons Ao (upper 10 cm), A (100 cm, lighter soil, stony) and B (lower dark soil with more clays); and 2. karst field (31°43.516' N035°07.101' N; elevation 717 m) with shallow soils (Fig. 1d) on karstic limestone member of the generally dolomitic Aminadav Fm., forming pinnacles of up to 3 m height.