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Pedo-geochemistry of Vertisols Under Tropical Seasonally Contrasted Climate, Northern Cameroon: Implications for Vertisolization

Received: 7 June 2022     Accepted: 29 June 2022     Published: 22 July 2022
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Abstract

Fourthy one representative profile of Northern Cameroon Vertisols on lowland and upland areas under tropical seasonally contrasted climate were investigated to assess the genesis of smectite and vertisolization processes on their geochemistry relation. Macro-micromorphological, physico-chemical, mineralogical and geochemical properties were determined for 137 soil samples. Statistical analysis was used to interpret the dataset and identify affinity groups of samples and properties. Dark gray color, slickensides, cracks and micro relief gilgaï are major characteristics of the soils within the abundance of the major mineral constituents: smectite, kaolinite and quartz. Silicon, Al and Fe were the most abundant elements in Vertisols. Vertisols developed upland and lowland under tropical seasonally contrasted climate showed the following orders for REE concentrations: Ce > Nd > La > Pr > Sm > Gd > Dy > Yb > Er > Eu > Ho > Tb > Lu > Tm and Ce > La > Nd > Pr > Sm > Gd > Dy > Yb > Er > Eu > Ho > Tb > Lu > Tm, respectively. The grouping of properties into affinity groups is mostly weak with properties showing a diffuse distribution with no very distinct affinity groups. In the upland Vertisols, genesis of the smestites is made from the feldspars present in the parent rock; meanwhile, high smectite content was related to the low landscape positions, a strongly contrasted climate and the presence of a clay-rich alluvial parent material in lowland Vertisols. Climates with contrasting seasons, there is intense weathering during the wet season. The released ions are concentrated in the dry season and give smectite. This concentration can take place on site on basic or acid crystal rocks, or in the low points of the landscape.

Published in Earth Sciences (Volume 11, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.earth.20221104.14
Page(s) 171-193
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Cameroon, Tropical Contrasting Seasons, Vertisols, Pedological, Geochemistry, Vertisolization Process

References
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    Gouban Hamadjida, Lionelle Estelle Bitom-Mamdem, Jean Pierre Temga, Elisé Sababa, Primus Tamfuh Azinwi, et al. (2022). Pedo-geochemistry of Vertisols Under Tropical Seasonally Contrasted Climate, Northern Cameroon: Implications for Vertisolization. Earth Sciences, 11(4), 171-193. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20221104.14

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    Gouban Hamadjida; Lionelle Estelle Bitom-Mamdem; Jean Pierre Temga; Elisé Sababa; Primus Tamfuh Azinwi, et al. Pedo-geochemistry of Vertisols Under Tropical Seasonally Contrasted Climate, Northern Cameroon: Implications for Vertisolization. Earth Sci. 2022, 11(4), 171-193. doi: 10.11648/j.earth.20221104.14

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    AMA Style

    Gouban Hamadjida, Lionelle Estelle Bitom-Mamdem, Jean Pierre Temga, Elisé Sababa, Primus Tamfuh Azinwi, et al. Pedo-geochemistry of Vertisols Under Tropical Seasonally Contrasted Climate, Northern Cameroon: Implications for Vertisolization. Earth Sci. 2022;11(4):171-193. doi: 10.11648/j.earth.20221104.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.earth.20221104.14,
      author = {Gouban Hamadjida and Lionelle Estelle Bitom-Mamdem and Jean Pierre Temga and Elisé Sababa and Primus Tamfuh Azinwi and Simon Djakba Basga and Elisabeth Yaboki and Jean Pierre Nguetnkam and Dieudonné Lucien Bitom},
      title = {Pedo-geochemistry of Vertisols Under Tropical Seasonally Contrasted Climate, Northern Cameroon: Implications for Vertisolization},
      journal = {Earth Sciences},
      volume = {11},
      number = {4},
      pages = {171-193},
      doi = {10.11648/j.earth.20221104.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20221104.14},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.earth.20221104.14},
      abstract = {Fourthy one representative profile of Northern Cameroon Vertisols on lowland and upland areas under tropical seasonally contrasted climate were investigated to assess the genesis of smectite and vertisolization processes on their geochemistry relation. Macro-micromorphological, physico-chemical, mineralogical and geochemical properties were determined for 137 soil samples. Statistical analysis was used to interpret the dataset and identify affinity groups of samples and properties. Dark gray color, slickensides, cracks and micro relief gilgaï are major characteristics of the soils within the abundance of the major mineral constituents: smectite, kaolinite and quartz. Silicon, Al and Fe were the most abundant elements in Vertisols. Vertisols developed upland and lowland under tropical seasonally contrasted climate showed the following orders for REE concentrations: Ce > Nd > La > Pr > Sm > Gd > Dy > Yb > Er > Eu > Ho > Tb > Lu > Tm and Ce > La > Nd > Pr > Sm > Gd > Dy > Yb > Er > Eu > Ho > Tb > Lu > Tm, respectively. The grouping of properties into affinity groups is mostly weak with properties showing a diffuse distribution with no very distinct affinity groups. In the upland Vertisols, genesis of the smestites is made from the feldspars present in the parent rock; meanwhile, high smectite content was related to the low landscape positions, a strongly contrasted climate and the presence of a clay-rich alluvial parent material in lowland Vertisols. Climates with contrasting seasons, there is intense weathering during the wet season. The released ions are concentrated in the dry season and give smectite. This concentration can take place on site on basic or acid crystal rocks, or in the low points of the landscape.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Pedo-geochemistry of Vertisols Under Tropical Seasonally Contrasted Climate, Northern Cameroon: Implications for Vertisolization
    AU  - Gouban Hamadjida
    AU  - Lionelle Estelle Bitom-Mamdem
    AU  - Jean Pierre Temga
    AU  - Elisé Sababa
    AU  - Primus Tamfuh Azinwi
    AU  - Simon Djakba Basga
    AU  - Elisabeth Yaboki
    AU  - Jean Pierre Nguetnkam
    AU  - Dieudonné Lucien Bitom
    Y1  - 2022/07/22
    PY  - 2022
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20221104.14
    DO  - 10.11648/j.earth.20221104.14
    T2  - Earth Sciences
    JF  - Earth Sciences
    JO  - Earth Sciences
    SP  - 171
    EP  - 193
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-5982
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20221104.14
    AB  - Fourthy one representative profile of Northern Cameroon Vertisols on lowland and upland areas under tropical seasonally contrasted climate were investigated to assess the genesis of smectite and vertisolization processes on their geochemistry relation. Macro-micromorphological, physico-chemical, mineralogical and geochemical properties were determined for 137 soil samples. Statistical analysis was used to interpret the dataset and identify affinity groups of samples and properties. Dark gray color, slickensides, cracks and micro relief gilgaï are major characteristics of the soils within the abundance of the major mineral constituents: smectite, kaolinite and quartz. Silicon, Al and Fe were the most abundant elements in Vertisols. Vertisols developed upland and lowland under tropical seasonally contrasted climate showed the following orders for REE concentrations: Ce > Nd > La > Pr > Sm > Gd > Dy > Yb > Er > Eu > Ho > Tb > Lu > Tm and Ce > La > Nd > Pr > Sm > Gd > Dy > Yb > Er > Eu > Ho > Tb > Lu > Tm, respectively. The grouping of properties into affinity groups is mostly weak with properties showing a diffuse distribution with no very distinct affinity groups. In the upland Vertisols, genesis of the smestites is made from the feldspars present in the parent rock; meanwhile, high smectite content was related to the low landscape positions, a strongly contrasted climate and the presence of a clay-rich alluvial parent material in lowland Vertisols. Climates with contrasting seasons, there is intense weathering during the wet season. The released ions are concentrated in the dry season and give smectite. This concentration can take place on site on basic or acid crystal rocks, or in the low points of the landscape.
    VL  - 11
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

  • Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, Dschang, Cameroon

  • Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, Garoua, Cameroon

  • Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, Garoua, Cameroon

  • Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon

  • Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon

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