As an open system, soils undergo various processes across multiple timescales. It is thus a major challenge to determine the ages of soils, especially for black soils which are genetically linked to strong bio-climatic processes and intense pedoturbation, and many of which are degrading. In this perspective, we explain the difficulties in dating soils, and propose new dating protocols to establish a fine-grained temporal framework to explore the processes and rates in the formation of black soils. 

 

For more information: http://www.the-innovation.org/geoscience/article/10.59717/j.xinn-geo.2023.100010

 

 

Zhang G., Long H., and Yang F. (2023). Understanding the formation time of black soils. The Innovation Geoscience 1(1), 100010. doi: 10.59717/j.xinn-geo.2023.100010