Argillipedoturbation

Soil mixing process

Argillipedoturbation, sometimes referred to as self-mulching, is a process of soil mixing caused by the shrinking and swelling of the smectite clays contained in soil. It is an effect specific to soils of the vertisolic variety, and is triggered by the constant cycles of wetting and drying It is characterized by wide, deep vertical cracks in the solum that contain differing materials from the rest of the soil layer they are found in, as well as sloughed-in surface materials. In order for argillipedoturbation to occur, the soil must be at least 30% clay content. The expression of argillipedoturbation depends to a large degree on the exact clay content of the soil, as well as on what other minerals make up the soil composition.

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