Soil colours indicate different processes
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Soil colours indicate different processes

by Antonio Jordán, University of Seville, Sevilla, Spain

The photograph corresponds to a paleosol in the island of Mallorca (Spain), and shows an intense red colour (due to the massive release of dehydrated iron oxides, hematite), dark spots (manganese oxides) and a yellowish colour surrounding cracks and macropores were water flows (hydration and reduction of iron minerals).