RESPONSE TO VANCE HOLLIDAY'S "SOILS, PALEOSOLS, AND GEOSOLS, a commentary in Quaternary Perspective (INQUA Newsletter), 1998, v. 9,#2, p. 3.
Posted by Roger B. Morrison,Chairman, Work Group on Pedostratigraphy, INQUA Paleopedology Commission. 15 Jun 1999 14:47:53
The following comments are offered for discussion by fellow
pedostratigraphers.
Send your comments via e-mail to Dr. Morrison or Leon F ollmer Regarding the new definition of PALEOSOL proposed by the Work Group on
Definitions in the INQUA Paleopedology Commission, Holliday argues that
the redefinition is too restrictive, requiring too many data, even
controversial interpretation of pedogenetic factors, to be practical for
field workers. He says that term PALEOSOL is unnecessary (he seldom
uses it), but it is so entrenched that likely it will be retained. So,
he proposes that PALEOSOL be restricted to just those paleosols that
are "LITHIFIED THROUGHOUT THEIR SOLA". Such a definition will eliminate
not only all Quaternary but many Tertiary-age pedogenic units from being
termed paleosols. Even most calcretes, silicretes, etc will be
eliminated. Is this what INQUA's Paleopedology Commission wants? If
so, they have voted themselves out of business!Holliday also claims that adoption of GEOSOL as the term for the basic
pedostratigraphic unit in the 1983 North American stratigraphic code was
unfortunate and that it lacks utility. GEOSOL was adopted as the term for the basic (and only) unit in the
pedostratigraphiic classification in the last revision of the North
American Stratigraphic Code (North American Stratigraphic Commission,
1983). This decision came reluctantly, after much discussion and
argument. So, be aware that a considerable faction of geologists are
lukewarm to strongly opposed to having pedostratigraphic units included
at all in the stratigraphic code. Virtually none of them understand or
care about pedologic details in definition of pedostratigraphic units. Holliday argues against use of both PALEOSOL and GEOSOL, claiming that
SOIL is adequate as the basic term for a pedostratigraphic unit, without
offering cogent reasons why or how PALEOSOL and GEOSOL are inadequate
beyond his personal preference. Does he think everyone understands SOIL
to mean just what Holliday means it to be, a carefully described soil
profile? A farmer, laundress, builder, petroleum geologist, mining
engineer, etc.? Consider these facts:
1. Severe arguments took place among members of recent North American
stratigraphic commissions, first when the 1961 Code, again when the 1983
Code was being revised, as to WHETHER A PEDOSTRATIGRAPHIC CLASSIFICATION
OUGHT TO BE INCLUDED AT ALL in the Stratigraphic Code. Inclusion of
pedostratigraphic units won both times by only narrow margins.
2. At the 1993 conference of the INQUA Paleopedology Commission in
Illinois, I, as chairman of the Work Group on Pedostratigraphy, put to
vote among the members of this group (with delegates from China,
Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, U. S., Germany, etc.) the
question: "is GEOSOL an appropriate name for the basic pedostratigraphic
unit". The vote was almost unanimously YES. A similar YES vote
occurred at the meeting of the pedostratigraphy work group at the 1995
INQUA Congress in Berlin. Thus, there seems to be an international
concensus for retaining GEOSOL as the name for the basic
pedostratigraphic unit.
3. If GEOSOL is not accepted as the name for the fundamental
pedostratigraphic unit, what else is there? The term SOIL was deemed
inadequate (and replaced in 1983) by the North American Commission on
Stratigraphic Classification, and to date, no other suitable replacement
has been offered. Let us not splinter our small group with contention about whether GEOSOL
is the best name for the basic pedostratigraphic unit. Let's
concentrate our efforts on more important matters, such as getting
subdivisions of GEOSOLS (pedomembers) and their lateral variants
(pedofacies) admitted into the North American Stratigraphic Code-and
pedostratigraphic units included in the International Stratigraphic
Guide.
REFERENCE North American Stratigraphic Commission, 1983, North American
Stratigraphic Code: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bull.,
v. 67, No. 5, p. 841-875.
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