Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1964

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agronomy

Major Professor

M.E. Springer

Committee Members

Russell J. Lewis, O.H. Long

Abstract

The upland soils in the northwestern region of the Highland Rim are quite similar in properties and behavior to those soils of the eastern Rim, yet the Mountview and Dickson soils as observed in Robert-son County are generally more productive than their counterparts on the eastern section of the Rim. Also, the productivity varies considerably within Robertson County. Can the increased productivity be attributed to differences in the silty mantle, geologic substrata, or a combination of these components? Wascher et al. (29) traced loess deposits from the bluffs to the western side of the Highland Rim, so there is evidence that these soils formed in a thin loess blanket. Gass (6) concluded from his studies of Mountview and Holston series that the sola of these upland soils on the eastern side of the Rim were formed in parent materials of aeolian origin, i.e., loess. However, this evidence needs further substantiation for the northern portion of the Highland Rim. The nature of the material below the solum is questionable in certain areas. Is the substratum of residual, alluvial, or aeolian origin, and what is its effect on the solum? It is generally known that the substrata vary according to geologic formation, amount of erosion. and past stream influence. An attempt will be made in this study to ascertain some of the properties of the substrata and relate them to the sola. It is generally apparent that the Montview and Dickson soils developed in silty parent materials over fine textured residual substrata in the southern part of the county, where the soils are isolated on narrow ridge crests. However, this distinction becomes obscure toward the northern part of the county, where the silty layer thickens over purer limestone formation on more level topography. The Crider soil is more common than Mountview in this section of the county. The situation is complicated in northern areas by previous stream influence on the landscape. There is speculation that parent materials of the substrata in Crider, and possibly some Mountview soils, may have been transported by water, just as it is believed that parent materials of the solum were transported by wind before these soils developed in situ. However, there is some evidence that the substrata were developed in advance of loess deposition, as may be surmised from this investiga-tion of the Mountview, Crider, and Dickson soils.

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