Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:Amatuer and professional archaeologists working in the Southern Great Plains was our target audience. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Graduate students in the Plant and Soil Sciences Department and professional archaeologists have been trained in areas of soil age and parent material identification. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Papers and journal articles are now available to fellow scientists across the Great Plains and North America through the 73rd Annual Plains Antropological Conference held in Lincoln, Nebraska in 2016. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Fluvial geomorphology and stratigraphy are proxy records of environmental and often climate conditions in settings without other archives of past climates. This study uses the fluvial record of Bull Creek, a small ephemeral creek in the Oklahoma panhandle, as a proxy of environmental conditions through the late Pleistocene and Holocene. Fluvial terraces were mapped and their stratigraphy and sedimentology documented throughout the course of the main valley. Based on their elevations, terraces were broadly grouped into a late-Pleistocene fill terrace (T3) and two Holocene fill-cut terrace sets (T2 and T1). Terrace systems are marked by similar stratigraphies recording the general environmental conditions of the time. Sedimentary sequences preserved in terrace fills record the transition from a perennial fluvial system during the late glacial and the Younger Dryas to a semiarid environment dominated by aeolian processes and punctuated by flood events during the middle to late Holocene. The highest rates of aeolian accumulation within the valley occurred during the early to middle Holocene. Our data provide significant new information regarding the late-Pleistocene and Holocene environmental history for this region, located between the well-studied Southern and Central High Plains of North America. Preservation of Pre-Clovis-Age Constructional Landscapes on the Southern Plains of North America is key to the understanding soil landscape change over time. Geoarchaeological investigations within the Beaver and Cimarron river drainages in the Oklahoma panhandle documented intact landscape features, terrace constructional surfaces, and buried soils dating to pre-Clovis times. Such constructional surfaces are high-probability locales for palimpsests of artifacts related to cultural habitation and use. These landscape settings contain a dynamic blend of erosion, deposition, and soil formation. We document the range and age of these landscape features in northwest Oklahoma and the Oklahoma panhandle and provide an assessment of the difficulties in discovering cultural manifestations in these late Pleistocene settings.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Alexander, H., A.R. Simms, L.C. Bement, B.J. Carter, T.O. Conley, A. Waldergauy, and P. Jaiwal. 2016. Geomorphic and sedimentary responses of the Bull Creek Valley (Southern High Plains, USA) to Pleistocene and Holocene environmental change. Quaternary Research 85:118-132.

Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:Scientists in the field of Pedology and Geology. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Graduate students in the Plant and Soil Sciences Department and professional archaeologists have been trained in areas of soil age and parent material identification. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Papers and journal articles are now available to fellow scientists across the Great Plains and North America through the 73rd Annual Plains Antropological Conference held in Iowa City, IA in 2015. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?I will complete projects and publish professional presentations concerning how late Paleoindians (9,000-10,000 years ago) used soil-landscapes of western Oklahoma. Also, I will complete a soil-archaeological investigation for Beaver County, Oklahoma.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Fluvial geomorphology and stratigraphy are proxy records of environmental and often climate conditions in settings without other archives of past climates. This study uses the fluvial record of Bull Creek, a small ephemeral creek in the Oklahoma panhandle, as a proxy of environmental conditions through the late Pleistocene and Holocene. Fluvial terraces were mapped and their stratigraphy and sedimentology documented throughout the course of the main valley. Based on their elevations, terraces were broadly grouped into a late-Pleistocene fill terrace (T3) and two Holocene fill-cut terrace sets (T2 and T1). Terrace systems are marked by similar stratigraphies recording the general environmental conditions of the time. Sedimentary sequences preserved in terrace fills record the transition from a perennial fluvial system during the late glacial and the Younger Dryas to a semiarid environment dominated by aeolian processes and punctuated by flood events during the middle to late Holocene. The highest rates of aeolian accumulation within the valley occurred during the early to middle Holocene. Our data provide significant new information regarding the late-Pleistocene and Holocene environmental history for this region, located between the well-studied Southern and Central High Plains of North America.

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Carlson, KC, Faisal Muhammad, Alesha Marcum-Heiman, Stephanie Stutts, Brian Carter, Lee Bement.2015 "Where Specialized Bison Hunting Meets Broad Spectrum Foraging: The Paleoindian Age Bull Creek Site, Oklahoma Panhandle". 73rd Annual Plains Anthropological Conference. Iowa City, IA
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Muhammad Faisal, Alesha Marcum-Heiman, KC Carlson, Stephanie Stutts, Brian Carter, Lee Bement,2015 "Ravenscroft: Late Paleoindian Kill Site on the Oklahoma Panhandle.73rd Annual Plains Anthropological Conference, Iowa City, IA
• Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Bement, L.C. and B.J. Carter. 2015. From mammoth to bison: Changing Clovis prey availability at the end of the Pleistocene. In Clovis: On the Edge of a New Understanding. edited by Ashley Smallwood and Thomas Jennings, Texas A&M Press, College Station.

Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Other scientists in the area of climate change, pedology, geomorphology, archaeology. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Peer review journal articles. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Publish additional peer review journal articles.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? In 2007 scientists proposed that the start of the Younger Dryas (YD) chronozone (10,900 radiocarbon years ago) and late Pleistocene extinctions resulted from the explosion of a comet in the earth's atmosphere. The ET event, as it is known, is purportedly marked by high levels of various materials, including nanodiamonds. Nanodiamonds had previously been reported from the Bull Creek Oklahoma area. We investigate this claim by quantifying the distribution of nanodiamonds in sediments of different time periods within the Bull Creek valley. We found high levels of nanodiamonds in YD boundary deposits, supporting the previous claim. A secound spike in nanodiamonds during the late Holocene suggests that the distribution of nanodiamonds is not unique to the YD.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Bement, L.C.,Madden, B.j. Carter, A.R. Simms, A.L. Swindle, H.M. Alexander, S. Fine. M. Benemara. 2014. Quantifying the Distribution of Nanodiamonds in Pre-Younger Dryas to Recent Age Deposits along Bull Creek, Oklahoma Panhandle, USA. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 1111(5) 1726-1731 Fine, S. T. and B. J. Carter, 2013. Effect of Simulated Alluvial Burial on Soil Organic Carbon after 7 years. Soil Science 178(12)647-653

Progress 10/01/12 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Publish additional research reports.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Assessing the effect of rapid sedimentation on the relative storage value/stability of SOC and discrimination of carbon isotope values (δ13C) is needed for improving the use of buried soils as paleoclimatic indicators. In the spring of 2005, plots were established on a Teller fine sandy loam (fine-loamy, mixed, active, thermic, Udic Argiustoll) located in central Oklahoma. The experiment consisted of 3 treatments of simulated burial (8, 16, 24 cm in depth) by a fine sandy loam deposit and a control (no burial, 0 cm depth). The buried A horizons were evaluated for changes in SOC and δ13C values after seven years. All buried horizons significantly decreased in SOC compared to the control at the 0-5 cm depth. The control (unburied) averaged 1.60 % SOC while the buried horizons averaged 0.83 % SOC (a 48 % decrease). Differences in δ13C values were observed between the control, buried, and newly formed soil surface (^A horizon). The δ13C values for buried A horizons were greater than the control, while the newly formed soil surface were less than the control. Burial causing discontinuation of organic matter additions resulted in significant reductions in SOC and the alteration of δ13C values over a relatively short time period through the loss of easily oxidizable soil organic matter.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Bement, L.C., B.J. Carter, P. Jelley, K. Carlson, and S.T. Fine. 2012. Badger Hole: Towards defining a Folsom bison hunting complex along the Beaver River, OK. Plains Anthropologist 57:(221)53-62. * Bement, L.C. and B.J. Carter. 2012. Folsom Bison Hunting on the Southern Plains of North America. University of Utah Press. Logan, UT. * Woldearegay, A., J. Priyank, A.R. Sims, H. Alexander, L.C. Bement, B.J. Carter. 2012. Near-Surface Imaging with combined first-arrival traveltime inversion and pre-stack depth migration: Bull Creek drainage system, Oklahoma. Geophysics 77:(2) 1-10.

Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Badger Hole joins the Cooper and Jake Bluff sites to define one of the highest density Folsom site concentrations in the southern Plains. Together these sites suggest the existence of a bison hunting complex that is structured about bison migration, arroyo, occurence and seasonal patterns. Soil stratigraphy reveals a complex history of arroyo erosion and depostion. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
The apparant use of arroyo style traps for bison hunting provides the opportunity to study Paleoindians and the soil landscape that they used. The changes in climtae some 12,000 years ago helped drive hunting style of large animals fromm mammoth to bison. Soil morphology is critical in understanding the excavations of these Paleoindian sites

Publications

• Bement, L. C., and B. J. Carter. 2012. Badger Hole: Towards defining a Folsom Bison hunting complex along the Beaver River, Oklahnoma. Plains Anthropogist 57(221): 53-62.

Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Significant, large dune-like features located in southwestern Beaver County in the Panhandle of Oklahoma offer intrigue and insight into past environmental conditions. Yet, what make these dunes especially intriguing is the inclusion of parna (sand-sized carbonate cemented silt/clay aggregates) sediment unlike the commonly recognized sand dunes of the region (adjacent to playas and rivers). Eight currently identified mounds range from 10 to 150 ha in area, with relief ranging from 4.5 to 14 m. Deep-core observation was performed on the summit of two mounds, Blue and Gray, for stratigraphical interpretation and chemical and physical analysis. Resulting 10-13 m cores showed pedologic and stratigraphical features along with physical and chemical data that suggest a period of landscape stability with soil formation followed by a significant period of soil landscape instability for the region. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
Radiocarbon dating of a well-developed soil sequence below the parna sediment has yielded AMS 14C ages of 19.0 k RC yrs BP (directly below) and ages of 19.8 k and 20.8 k RC yrs BP (150-200 cm below). Optically stimulated luminescence dating from within the parna sediment will aid in determining actual time of dune formation. Thin-section analysis of individual grains will also aide in determining if the parna (carbonate cemented aggregates) is pedogenic or detrital in origin. Another key distinction between the parna dunes in this study and other river and playa associated dunes in the region is the apparent lack of source material for parna dune formation. Detailed analysis and interpretation of parna dunes of the Panhandle of Oklahoma is yielding significant insight into environmental conditions that dominated landscape formation of the past and may hold clues to possible future climate change.

Publications

• BEMENT, L.C., AND B.J. CARTER. 2010. An early occurrence of Plainview in the Oklahoma Panhandle. Current Research in the Pleistocene 27:67-69.
• BEMENT, L.C., AND B.J. CARTER. 2011. From Mammoth to Bison: Changing Clovis Prey Availability at the End of the Pleistocene. Society for American Archaeology. 76th Annual Meeting. Sacramento, CA.

Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: A recent hypothesis states that an extra-terrestrial (ET) event, in this case a comet explosion over NE North America, initiated the Younger Dryas chronozone--~11,000-10,000 radiocarbon years before present (RCYBP)--and left event specific markers including magnetic grains with iridium, magnetic microspherules, charcoal, soot, carbon spherules, glass-like carbon containing nanodiamonds, and fullerenes with ET helium. This hypothesis results in several predictions, including shuffling of plant and animal communities, disruption of human cultural adaptations, and megafaunal extinctions immediately following the ET event. This poster investigates the question: Does evidence exist for a disruptive event centered at ~11,000 RCYBP in the paleoenvironmental proxy records within the Bull Creek project area, Oklahoma Panhandle, USA Evidence from multiple proxies, including particle size distribution, stable carbon isotopes, pollen, and phytoliths, is employed to reconstruct the paleoenvironment and search for discontinuities in the data sets. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
A recent hypothesis states that an extra-terrestrial (ET) event, in this case a comet explosion over NE North America, initiated the Younger Dryas chronozone--~11,000-10,000 radiocarbon years before present (RCYBP)--and left event specific markers including magnetic grains with iridium, magnetic microspherules, charcoal, soot, carbon spherules, glass-like carbon containing nanodiamonds, and fullerenes with ET helium. This hypothesis results in several predictions, including shuffling of plant and animal communities, disruption of human cultural adaptations, and megafaunal extinctions immediately following the ET event. This poster investigates the question: Does evidence exist for a disruptive event centered at ~11,000 RCYBP in the paleoenvironmental proxy records within the Bull Creek project area, Oklahoma Panhandle, USA Evidence from multiple proxies, including particle size distribution, stable carbon isotopes, pollen, and phytoliths, is employed to reconstruct the paleoenvironment and search for discontinuities in the data sets.

Publications

• HURST, S., B.J. CARTER, AND N.B. ATHFIELD. 2010. Investigation of a 10,214 year-old late Paleoindian bison kill at the Howard Gully site in southwestern Oklahoma. Plains Anthropologist (55(213):25-37).
• BEMENT, L.C. AND B.J. CARTER. 2010. Jake Bluff: Clovis Bison Hunting on the Southern Plains of North America. American Antiquity 75(4):907-933.
• ZHANG, H., J.G. WARREN, C.J. PENN, J.A. HATTEY, T. OCHSNER, S. DENG, W.R. RAUN, B. ARNALL, B. CARTER, C. GODSEY, AND K. DESTA. 2010. Phosphorus Recommendations and Management for Oklahoma. OSU: Cooperative Extension Service-Production Technology, PT 2010-1, vol. 22, no. 1.
• Hurley, P.D., B.J. Carter, L.C. Bement, and J. Puckette. 2010. Mineralogical Mortar Study of Pre-Civil War Construction in Eastern Oklahoma. 68th Plains Anthropological Conference. Bismarck, ND.
• JOHNSON, W.C., A.F. HALFEN, S. MCGOWEN, B.J. CARTER, AND L.C. BEMENT. 2010. Silt Dunes of Panhandle Oklahoma. Association of American Geographers. GPRM Section Meeting. Lawrence, KS.
• BEMENT, L.C., AND B.J. CARTER. 2010. The Bull Creek Valley Stream Terraces, Buried Soils, and ET Event from the Oklahoma Panhandle, USA. 21st Biennial Meeting of the American Quaternary Association, Laramie, WY.
• FINE, S., B.J. CARTER, AND G. SCOTT. 2010. The Use of Soil Types to Differentiate the Relative Age of Sand Dunes across a Modern Climatic Gradient in the Southern Plains, USA: Implications for Determining Past Climatic Change. 21st Biennial Meeting of the American Quaternary Association, Laramie, WY.
• Hough, M.W., B.J. CARTER, C.A. DAVIS, AND J.R. BIDWELL. 2010. Comparing Soil and Hydrological Conditions of Wetlands along the Deep Fork River of Oklahoma (USA). Society for Wetland Scientists. Utah.
• Lee, B., and B.J. Carter. 2010. Soil Morphological Characteristics of Prairie Mounds in the Forested Region of south-central United States. 19th World Congress of Soil Science (IUSS: International Union of Soil Sciences), Brislane, Australia.

Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09

Outputs
OUTPUTS: The Younger Dryas chronozone occurring at 10,900 radiocarbon years before present is a significant climate change marker in the soil-geologic record and is present in soil-sediment sequences in western Oklahoma. Thick buried A-horizons are found within many deep (7 meter) soil profiles indicating that a very stable climatic interval was followed quickly by rapid sedimentation and burial at about 10,900 years ago. The presence of nanodiamonds within this Younger Dryas buried soil seems to indicate an extra-terrestrial collision produced this unique soil-sediment boundary. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Paleoindian occupation of previous soil surfaces (now buried) shortly before the Younger Dryas chronozone indicates people (hunter/gathers) of western Oklahoma experienced and possibly survived the rapid climate change event at 10,900 years ago. Soil characteristics of this buried soil indicate at cool and moist stable period followed a rapid cooling than warming interval. Soil-landscape dissection produced during this Younger Dryas chronozone supports evidence that significant soil erosion and deposition rapidly occurred and shaped the landscape seen today across western Oklahoma.

Publications

• CARTER, B.J., J.P. KELLEY, J.B. SUDBURY, AND D.K. SPLINTER. 2009. Key aspects of A horizon formation for selected buried soils in late Holocene alluvium; Southern Plains, USA. Soil Science 174(7):408-416.
• CONLEY, T.O., B.J. CARTER, AND L.C. BEMENT. 2009. Late-Pleistocene/early-Holocene boundary, buried soils, loess, and alluvium throughout the Bull Creek drainage, Oklahoma Panhandle. Current Research in the Pleistocene 26:65-67.
• HOUGH, M.W., AND B.J. CARTER. 2009. Comparing Soil and Hydrological Conditions between Wetlands Reserve Program and Reference Wetlands along the Deep Fork River in Oklahoma. Pittsburg. Agronomy Abstracts.
• CONLEY, T.O., B.J. CARTER, L.C. BEMENT, A.R. SIMMS, A. MOODY, AND C. KIDER. 2009. Search for the Bull Creek Soil: The Late Pleistocene to Holocene transition in the Oklahoma Panhandle. 67th Plains Anthropological Conference. Norman, OK.

Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08

Outputs
OUTPUTS: During the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs of the Southern Plains of North America climate change significantly affected, soil landscapes, human populations, and ecosystems. The investigations of buried soils in central and western Oklahoma has revealed evidence for the timing of shifts in culture, plant and animal communities, and erosion and deposition. Recent regional and international group meetings of archaeologists, paleontologists, pedologists, and geologists corroborate these research findings. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Brian Carter TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
Artifacts are often found within surface and buried "A" horizons which punctuate alluvium. The determination of soil forming processes for these horizons adds critical information about site conditions and development. For alluvial soils, particle-size analysis (PSA) should always be included to assist in the identification of flood events. PSA clearly identified medium to very thick strata. Phytolith and organic carbon content indicated thick mollic (dark) horizons formed by a combination of melanization, cumulization and soil welding. Phytolith and diatom analyses revealed wet conditions during soil formation and helped identify the formation of groundwater carbonates in moderately well-drained soils.

Publications

• BEMENT, L.C. AND B.J. CARTER. 2008. A Younger Dryas signature on the Southern plains. Current Research in the Pleistocene 25:36-37.
• CARTER, B.J., N.J. CZAPLEWSKI, AND D.G.. WYCKOFF. 2008. Buried Soil, Wetland, Gully, and Pond Environments Reveal Late Pleistocene Fossil Vertebrates. 20th Biennial Meeting of the American Quaternary Association, University Park, PA.
• BEMENT, L.C. AND B.J. CARTER. 2008. Bull Creek Environment and the ET Event. American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting. San Francisco, CA.
• CARTER, B.J., J.B. SUDBURY, AND J.P. KELLEY. 2008. Key aspects of Surface and Buried Alluvial Soil Formation for the Southern Plains. 66th Plains Anthropological Conference, Laramie, WY.

Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07

Outputs
The late Quaternary environments of the southern Plains of North America produced significant landscape changes as identified by buried soils, faunal remains, and depositional environments for Central Oklahoma. Supporting evidence for these severe erosional changes are reconstructed from sediments within and adjacent to a buried late Pleistocene lake deposit. Pleistocene Lake Powell Farm is part of an alluvial terrace remnant along Powder Face Creek, that occurred during the last full-glacial maximum period.

Impacts
Forty-two soil cores, evenly spaced across the study area were used to investigate Pleistocene Lake Powell Farm pedostratigraphy. The last full-glacial maximum period for Central Oklahoma contains both extinct and extant vertebrates (e.g., Osteichthyes, Amphibia. Hesperotestudo sp., Mammut americanum, Mammuthus columbi, Camelops sp., Equus sp., and Ondatra zibethicus) as well as extant molluscs (e.g., Physa sp., Gyraulus sp., Planorbella sp., Fossaria sp., Gastrocopta sp., Vertigo sp., Helicodiscus singleyanus, and Hawaiia minuscula). The original surface area of the pond, as estimated from the extent of pond-bottom sediments, is 2 ha. The central pond-bottom sediments are 1 m thick, and thin toward pond-margins where somewhat-poorly drained relict soils are preserved.

Publications

• BEMENT, L.C., B.J. CARTER, R.A. VARNEY, L.S. CUMMINGS, AND J.B. SUDBURY. 2007. Paleo-environmental reconstruction and bio-stratigraphy, Oklahoma Panhandle, USA. Quaternary International 169/170:39-50.
• BEMENT, L.C., K. SCHUSTER, AND B.J. CARTER. 2007. Archeological Survey for Paleo-Indian Sites along the Beaver River, Beaver County Oklahoma; Project No. 06-406. The University of Oklahoma. Oklahoma Archeological Survey, Archeological Resource Survey Report No. 54.
• GRAVES, A.C., L.C. BEMENT, AND B.J. CARTER. 2006. The JS Cache: An early paleoindian tool cache from the Oklahoma Panhandle. Current Research in the Pleistocene 23:103-105.
• CARTER, B.J., AND L.C. BEMENT. 2006. The Cooper Site: Multiple Folsom Bison Kills in Northwest Oklahoma. In Guidebook for Field Trips 18th Biennial Meeting of the American Quaternary Association. ed., R.D. Mandel, pp. 437-443. Kansas Geological Survey, Lawrence, KS.
• CARTER, B.J. AND L.C. BEMENT. 2007. Clovis Bison Hunting at Jake Bluff. Society for American Archaeology. 72nd Annual Meeting, Austin, TX.
• CARTER, B.J., J. DONOHUE, AND J. ALBANESE. 2007. A Geoarchaeological Interpretation of the Sewright Site-Test Block, South Dakota (39FA1603) Focusing on Soil Profile Analyses. 65th Plains Antroplogical Conference, Rapid City, SD.
• DONOHUE, J., B.J. CARTER, AND J. ALBANESE. 2007. Cultural Components and Geo-Chronology of the Sewright Site, Fall River County, South Dakota. 65th Plains Antropological Conference. Rapid City, SD.

Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06

Outputs
One the southern Plains of North America the period between 12,000 and 9,000 before present is marked by rapidly changing climatic conditions, shifting flora and faunal associations, and cultural adaptations. Supporting evidence for these changes are reconstructed from the Bull Creek locality, Oklahoma Panhandle. The paleo-environment reconstructed from sediment particle size distribution, stable carbon isotope, pollen, and phytolith analyses indicate that the mammoth, horse, and camel became scarce by 11,000 14C years before he environment warms and dries. Only bison representing large herbivores are found after 10,850 14C years before present.

Impacts
The results emphasize the advantage of a multi-discipline approach to describe rapidly changing climatic conditions for western Oklahoma and the adjacent High Plains. Describing paleo-environments that occurred during the Holocene will enable improved predictions of possible future climatic conditions in the region.

Publications

• BEMENT, L.C. AND CARTER, B.J. 2005. Late Pleistocene-early Holocene pollen record at Bull Creek, Oklahoma Panhandle. Current Research in the Pleistocene 22:67-70.
• CARTER, B.J. 2005. Book review of Soils in Archaeological Research. Holocene 15:1255-1256.
• CARTER, B.J. AND DRASS, R.R. 2006. Impact of 18th Century Cultural Mounds on Soil Chemical and Morphologic Characteristics. 64th Plains Anthropological Conference, Topeka, KS.
• CARTER, B.J., WYCKOFF, D.G., CZAPLEWSKI, N.J., AND LEITH, L. 2006. Soils, Faunas, and Depositional Environments of Late Pleistocene Lake Powell Farm, Central Oklahoma. 19th Biennial Meeting of the American Quaternary Association, Bozeman, MT.
• M.S.-Influence of alluvial sedimentation rate on floodplain soil development and vegetation, Part I: Formation of late Holocene buried soils with thick A horizons, Part II: The impact of sediment burial depth on her baceous plants. J. Phillip Kelley. Environmental Science, December 2006.

Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05

Outputs
The 13C/12C and 18O/16O ratios were obtained from the shells of modern terrestrial gastropods on an east-west transect across Oklahoma. Delta 18O values ranged from -4.1% to 1.2% and suggests that relative humidity at the time of snail activity is an important control on delta 18O values. Delta 18O values emphasize the seasonal nature of climatic information found within the shells. Correlated delta 13C values of Vallonia and Gastrocopta suggest similar feeding habits and indicate that samples of paleo-shells buried in soil may be used to interpret time-sequenced variations in southern Great Plains plant ecology.

Impacts
The results emphasize the advantage of obtaining isotope ratios from many shells in a locale to reduce possible biases associated with local individual and species variations. These isotope ratios from many shells across an east-west Oklahoma transect represent temporal and spatial environmental variations extending from modern and possibly into ancient systems. Snails may be used to identify past climates and climate change events.

Publications

• BALAKRISHNAN, M., YAPP, C.J., THELER, J.L., CARTER, B.J., AND WYCKOFF, D.G.. 2005. Environmental significance of C13/C14 and C18/O16 ratios of modern land snail shells from the Southern Great Plains of North America. Quaternary Research 63:15-30.
• BEMENT, L.C. AND CARTER, B.J. 2005. Buffalo Chips in the Mammoth Patch: Investigating Clovis Bison Hunting at the Jake Bluff Site, NW Oklahoma. Prehistoric People of Oklahoma #5, Oklahoma Archeological Survey, Norman, OK.
• BEMENT, L.C. AND CARTER, B.J. 2004. The Jake Bluff Site: Clovis Bison Hunting Adaptations at the Brink of Mammoth Extinctions on the Southern Plains of North America. In Guidebook for Field Trips 18th Biennial Meeting of the American Quaternary Association. ed., R.D. Mandel, 445-452. Kansas Geological Survey, Lawrence, KS.
• BEMENT, L.C. AND CARTER, B.J. 2005. Paleo-Environmental Reconstruction and Bio-Stratigraphy in the Oklahoma Panhandle, USA. 2nd International World of Elephants Congress, Hot Springs, South Dakota.
• BEMENT, L.C. AND CARTER, B.J. 2005. Paleoindian Occupation in Western Beaver County. Oklahoma Panhandle. 63rd Plains Antropological Conference, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
• DONOHUE, J.A., ABANESE, J., AND CARTER, B.J. 2005. Geoarchaeologic Investigations of the Sewright Site, Fall River County, South Dakota. Rocky Mountain Anthropology Conference. Park City, Utah.
• KELLEY, J.P., CARTER, B.J. AND SUDBURY, J.B. 2005. Formation of Fluventic and Cumulic Buried Soils in Oklahoma. Las Vegas. Agronomy Abstracts.
• WYCKOFF, D.G., THELER, J.L. AND CARTER, B.J. 2005. Into the Past at a Snails Pace. Texas Archaeological Society Annual Meeting. Austin, TX.
• HURST, S. AND CARTER, B.J.. 2004. Geoarchaeology of the Howard Gully Site, Western Oklahoma. Society for American Archaeology. 70th Annual Meeting. Salt Lake City, UT.

Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04

Outputs
Roadway and building construction, crop and forage production, and land reclamation all benefit from reliable identification and delineation of dispersed soil. Improved understanding of dispersed soil also leads to better treatment practices. The dispersion of 103 horizons from natric soils ranges from 0 to 96%, with comparisons of 31 non-to-weakly-dispersed (<30% dispersion by the double hydrometer method), 30 moderately dispersed (30 to 65% dispersion), and 42 strongly dispersed (>65% dispersion) horizons indicating multiple influences on dispersion. The amount of dispersion in soils depends on several soil properties, including sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, bulk density (g cc-1), clay-sized particles (mg kg-1), organic matter (mg kg-1), ratio of charge of chloride ions to charge of sulfate ions in soil water, and ratio of charge of sodium ions to the sum of the charges of sodium and calcium ions in soil water. Dispersion increases with illite content in the clay fraction of the soils. Critical SAR values for identification of dispersed soil calculated from EC and percent dispersion data are 4.4 for weakly saline (EC < 1 dS m-1) and 8.0 for moderately saline (EC from 1 to 9 dS m-1) soils. Mean and median SAR values of the strongly saline horizons (EC>9 dS m-1) in the study are 48.3 (1 Std. Dev.) and 51.7, respectively. Critical SAR values identified are alternatives to existing diagnostic values for identification and management of dispersed soil in semiarid and subhumid regions.

Impacts
New diagnostic sodic-dispersive levels are proposed for soils across Oklahoma. These new diagnostic sodic values should be used for amending sodic-dispersive soils for agricultural and engineering practices.

Publications

• CARTER, B.J., KELLEY, J.P., SPLINTER, D.K., SUDBURY, J.B., AND WARD III., P.A. 2004. Late Holocene Alluvial Stratigraphy in Oklahoma; Buried Soils with Melanized A Horizons. 62nd Plains Anthropological Conference, Billings, MT.
• CARTER, B.J.,AND BEMENT, L.C. 2004. The Cooper Site: Multiple Folsom Bison Kills in Northwest Oklahoma. In Guidebook for Field Trips 18th Biennial Meeting of the American Quaternary Association. ed., R.D. Mandel, pp. 437-443. Kansas Geological Survey, Lawrence, KS.
• THELER, J.L., WYCKOFF, D.G., AND CARTER, B.J. 2004. The Southern Plains gastropod survey: The distribution of land snail populations in an American grassland environment. American Malacological Bulletin 18(1/2):1-16.
• WARD III, P.A., AND CARTER, B.J. 2004. Dispersion of saline and non-saline natric Mollisols and Alfisols. Soil Science 169(8):554-566.
• BEMENT, L.C. AND CARTER, B.J. 2004. The Jake Bluff Site: Clovis Bison Hunting Adaptations at the Brink of Mammoth Extinctions on the Southern Plains of North America. In Guidebook for Field Trips 18th Biennial Meeting of the American Quaternary Association. ed., R.D. Mandel, 445-452. Kansas Geological Survey, Lawrence, KS.
• POUNDS, T. AND CARTER, B.J. 2004. Using soil survey maps (NRCS-USDA) to improve geologic information. American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting. Philadelphia, PA.
• LEE, B.D., CARTER, B.J., WARD III, P.A., TAYLOR, R.S. AND LEE, L.P. 2004. Morphology of Mounded Soils in the Oachita Physiographic Province, Eastern Oklahoma. Seattle Agronomy Abstracts, p.
• RAGLIN, M.D., PAXTON, S.T. AND CARTER, B.J. 2004. Improving Bedrock Geological Mapping Through the Use of Digital Soil Maps and Surveys. Denver. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 36.

Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03

Outputs
All dispersive soil series (23) were sampled across Oklahoma representing natric horizons in semi-arid through subhumid environments. Lower ESP values indicating dispersive soil conditions were identified compared to previously estimated ESP values. Low soil electrolyte concentrations aided soil dispersive at low ESP levels. Gypsum was still identified as the best cost-effective amendment to remediate these dispersive soils. Dispersive soils in Oklahoma form from saline-sodic alluvial and residual parent materials on level to slightly sloping landscapes. Dispersive soil horizons occurred at a greater depth below ground surface in subhumid (udic) compared to a shallow depth in semi-arid (ustic) climates.

Impacts
New diagnostic sodic-dispersive levels are proposed for soils across Oklahoma. These new diagnostic sodic values should be used for amending sodic-dispersive soils for agricultural and engineering practices.

Publications

• Studies on the genesis of selected soils of Oklahoma. Phillip Amos Ward III Soil Science July, 2003.
• Bement, L.C. and B.J. Carter 2003. Clovis bison hunting at the Jake Bluff site, NW Oklahoma. Current Research in the Pleistocene 20:20-26.
• CARTER, B.J. 2003. Burnham Site Pedology: A 1991 Perspective. In The Burnham Odyssey, ed., D.G. Wyckoff, pages 71-98. Oklahoma Archeological Survey, Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman.
• CARTER, B.J. 2003. The Environment of Deposition, Authigenic Features, and the Age of the Burnham Site: In The Burnham Odyssey, ed., D.G. Wyckoff, pages 99-132.
• WYCKOFF, D.G. AND B.J. CARTER. 2003. Dating the Burnham Site. In The Burnham Odyssey ed., D.G. Wyckoff, pp. 00-000. Oklahoma Archeological Survey, Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman.
• WYCKOFF, D.G., B.J. CARTER, AND J.L. THELER. 2003. Looking Back on an Odyssey: Summarizing the Geological, Paleontological, and Archaeological Findings at the Burnham Site.
• BEMENT, L.C. AND B.J. CARTER. 2003. Clovis the bison hunter. Society for American Archaeology. 68th Annual Meeting. Milwaukee, WI.
• Assessing soil organic carbon levels in Oklahoma using the USDA/NRCS soil characterization database. J.L. Seiger. Agronomy July, 2003.

Progress 10/01/01 to 09/30/02

Outputs
Several soil geoarcheological sites were investigated and documented. The sites included Sand Creek, Jake Bluff, and the Lucas Ranch and are located in Northwestern Oklahoma. Evidence was found at Sand Creek for the first early and possibly middle Holocene sequence of sedimentation and soil formation for the Southern High Plains in the Oklahoma Panhandle. By using this Sand Creek site and others like it, the Holocence sequence of human occupation and earth history developed at Lubbock Lake (Texas) may be extended northward into Oklahoma. At the Jake Bluff site an extinct bison bonebed was uncovered which contained Clovis projectile points. The Jake Bluff site contains arroya sediments with two buried soils and in adjacent to a major Folsom bison kill (Cooper). Preliminary investigation at the Lucas Ranch revealed several terrace surfaces containing soils and artifacts which will be used to understand climatic and human history during the late Holocene.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

• CARTER, B.J. AND L.C. BEMENT. 2002. Geoarcheology of the Cooper site: Multiple Folsom bison kills in northwestern Oklahoma. Geoarcheology 18:1-13.
• CARTER, B.J. AND L.C. BEMENT. 2002. Early Holocence buried soils and Archaic cultural materials from the Southern High Plains of the Oklahoma Panhandle. Current Research in the Pliestocene 19:1-4
• BEMENT, L.C., GREEN, D.K., AND B.J. CARTER. 2002. Pedestrian Survey of Canyons in the Cimarron River Drainage Harper County, Oklahoma. Archeological Resource Survey Report No. 45. Oklahoma Archeological Survey, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
• BEMENT, L.C. AND B.J. CARTER. 2001. Geoarchaeological prospecting in the Cooper site vicinity, NW Oklahoma. Midwest Archaeological and 59th Plains Anthropological Conference, St. Paul MN.
• BEMENT, L.C., B.J. CARTER, AND K. BUEHLER. 2002. A Clovis bison kill in Northwest Oklahoma. Midwest Archaeological and 60th Plains Anthropological Conference, Oklahoma City, OK.

Progress 10/01/00 to 09/30/01

Outputs
Stratified bison kills are rare in Paleoindian contexts on the North American Plains. The Cooper site, 34HP45, is a southern Plains (NW - Oklahoma) example of an arroyo utilized on three separate occasions by Folsom hunters to trap and kill bison. Geoarchaeological investigations of the Cooper site, including reconstructing the site setting, analyses of the soils and sediments, and detailed stratigraphic descriptions, were employed to characterize the arroyo fill sequence. Three bone beds were found in stratified sandy loam alluvium beneath eolian fine sandy loam within a paleoarroyo. A buried soil containing Btk and Bk horizons was formed in the alluvium above the bone beds. Soil in immediate contact with bones were described as Cg horizons indicating bison remains were decomposed by soil microorganisms in anaerobic conditions. Sediments separating the three bone beds ranged in thickness from 1 to 30 cm and were thickest in the approximate axis of each layer. Additional information on the sequential events was gleaned from the positioning of a painted skull and the weathered, trampled, carnivore modified, and butchered condition of the bones. Combined, these lines of investigation define three kill events and suggest that between one and ten years elapsed between episodes.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

• PONTE, K.J. AND CARTER, B.J. 2000. Evaluating and Improving Soil Judging Contests as a Training Tool Based on a Selected Proficiency Level. J. of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education 29:8-14.
• Ph.D. - Evaluating differences in soil appearance from field to photographs to aid in developing soil profile photography guidelines. K.J. Ponte. (Soil Science - May 2001).

Progress 10/01/99 to 09/30/00

Outputs
In 1986, human artifacts unexpectedly were recovered from an ancient pond deposit at the Burnham site in Woods County, northwestern Oklahoma. At the current Burnham research site, the uppermost of four stratified gleyed soils attests to ephemeral standing water around 11,000 years ago. The lower three stratified deposits bear witness to spring-fed ponds that existed between 36,000 and 26,000 years ago. Gastropods and vertebrate remains from these gleyed soils and deposits implicate nearby grasslands similar to historic predisturbance settings in the area. Human artifacts were recovered only from the second lowest gleyed deposit; these artifacts are believed redeposited around 30,000 years ago. A half kilometer south of the Burham site, the Bosiden locality consists of 2ha of gleyed soil and sediment with sparse bones but copious gastropods attest to cool moist conditions near the Wisconsin full glacial of 19,000 years ago.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

• Bement,L.C.,Carter, B.J. and Brosowske, S. 1999. Investigation of Paleoindian bison processing locality near the Cooper Site, NW Oklahoma. Current Research in the Pleistocene 16:8-10.
• Carter, B.J. 1999. Brief overview: Mounded soil landscapes in Oklahoma. In Aspects of Soil Geomorphology in Eastern Oklahoma: A Pleistocene Medley. Guidebook of the 17th Annual meeting of the South-Central Friends of the Pleistocene. Oklahoma State University, Stillwater.
• Ponte, K.J. and Carter, B.J. 2000. Evaluating apparent differences in soil appearance for field to photographs to aid in developing soil profile photography standards. Minneapolis. Agronomy Abstracts, p. 217.
• Wyckoff, D.G., Carter, B.J., and Theler, J.L. 2000. Geoarchaelogy and past environments in the West Moccasin Creek Drainage, Northwestern Oklahoma. Society of American Archeology Symposium, "Reconstruction of Archeological Landscapes: Current Geoarcheological and Paleoenvironmental Research." Annual meetings in Philadelphia, PA.
• Bement, L.C. and Carter, B.J. 2000. Geoarchaeological prospecting in the Cooper site vicinity, NW Oklahoma. Midwest Archaeological and 59th Plains Anthropological Conference, St. Paul MN.

Progress 10/01/98 to 09/30/99

Outputs
Sodic soils have high sodium content in pore water and on the exchange complex compared to non-sodic soils. Sodic soils are dispersive and susceptible to erosion and piping. An analysis of the spatial distribution of dispersive soils is needed to identify problem areas and to better understand the genesis of sodic soils. Data on the distribution of 15 sodic soils from 18 counties in Oklahoma were used in this study. Digitized county soil maps were overlain on geographic maps using ArcView GIS software. Maps showing the distribution of sodic-dispersive soils along streams, roads, and urban areas were done for each county. The maps are linked to tables containing interpretations for engineering uses. The majority of sodic soils in Oklahoma are formed in stream sediments within terraces and floodplains, which were once saline.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

• Jigoulina, E.I. and Carter, B.J. 1999. Creating Oklahoma Sodic Soils Maps Using Computer Software. Agronomy Abstracts, p.270.
• Ward III, P.A. and Carter, B.J. 1998. Paleopedologic interpretations of soils buried by Tertiary and Pleistocene-age volcanic ashes: southcentral Kansas, western Oklahoma, and northwestern Texas, U.S.A. Quaternary International 51/52:213-221.
• Coppedge, B.R., Fuhlendorf, S.D., Engle, D.M., Carter, B.J., and Shaw, J.H. 1999. Relict bison wallows: persistent soil disturbances or inherent landscape heterogeneity? Southwest Midland Naturalist 142:382-392.

Progress 10/01/97 to 09/30/98

Outputs
Temporal variations in water quality occur in unconfined aquifers and should be considered when determining contaminant levels. Leaching of rainfall to unconfined aquifers may cause rapid dilution or enrichment and misleading test results. Percolation of rainfall also changes the temperature of aquifers. Monitoring of soil temperatures may be used to predict temporal changes in water quality and improve timing of aquifer tests. A shallow, unconfined aquifer in central Oklahoma is implemented with: 1) water wells for obtaining water samples and monitoring depth to the water table, and 2) soil thermocouples for measuring the temperature of the aquifer at different depths. Initial results indicate correlation between changes in water quality and temperature of the aquifer for several days after a 2.5 cm//24 hour rainfall event.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 10/01/96 to 09/30/97

Outputs
Contest scores and survey responses from national and regional soil judging contests were used to evaluate how soil judgers scored in each category, distinguish soil horizons, and performed based on experience. Surveys were distributed to team members participating in the 1996 and 1997 national and the 1996 regional soil judging contests. Score card categories included master horizons, boundary depth, texture, soil depth, hue, value, chroma, structure-grade and shape, parent material, slope, site position, and wetness class. Students were divided into groups based on experience. Students did not score well in categories including boundary depth, color, structure, and texture, properties important in distinguishing soil horizons. Students scored well in categories including master horizons, parent material, slope gradient, wetness class, and soil depth. There was no discernable difference in the scores of most categories based on experience. Properties most affected by experience included boundary depth, texture, hue, structure-grade, and site position.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

• THELER, J.T., D.G. WYCKOFF, and B.J. CARTER. 1997. Ranges, boundaries, and islands: modern landsnail biogeography and the use of shells from ancient deposits as proxy indicators of past environments on the Great Plains. Nashville. Society for American Archeology
• WARD III, P.A. and B.J. CARTER. 1997. Miocene to Pleistocene volcanic ash in Plains Area of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Tertiary-Quaternary Symposium, Alva, OK.
• WYCKOFF, D.G., B.J. CARTER, J.L. THELER, and N.J. CZAPLEWSKI. 1997. Late Pleistocene landscape development along the "Taloga Cutoff" of the Canadian River, Dewey County, Oklahoma. Tertiary-Quaternary
• CARTER, B.J. and E.I. JIGOULINA. 1997. Characterization of natric soils in Oklahoma. Anaheim. Agronomy Abstracts.
• KOCHENOWER, R.D., J.A. HATTEY, N.T. BASTA, and B.J. CARTER. 1997. Degradation of hydrocarbons in contaminated soil with poultry litter. Anaheim Agronomy Abstracts.
• PONTE, K.J. and B.J. CARTER. 1997. Soil descriptions - art or science? Evaluating soil judging results. Anaheim. Agronomy
• EVERETT, M.A. 1996. Movement of bromide and iodide through an Ashport soil pedon and impact on a shallow unconfined aquifer. Agronomy -
• PONTE, K.J. 1997. Practical approach to grouping soils by key soil properties. Agronomy - July.
• LEE, B.D., B.J. CARTER, N.T. BASTA, and B. WEAVER. 1997. Factors influencing heavy metal distribution in six Oklahoma benchmark soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 61:218-223.

Progress 10/01/95 to 09/30/96

Outputs
Conservation reserve program land had significantly higher organic carbon content, amount of water stable aggregates, and thickness of A horizon compared to continuously cultivated land at two different soil sites. The soil pH was significantly lower on conservation reserve program land compared to continuously cultivated land at both sites. Continuous cultivation reduced soil organic carbon content, created weak soil structure and decreased the amount of water stable aggregates, raised soil pH and accelerated soil erosion at both sites. The conservation reserve program which established a continuous grassland restored soil structure and reduced soil erosion by the increasing root mass and density.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/94 to 09/30/95

Outputs
Deposits of volcanic ash from major eruptions during the late Tertiary and earlyto middle Pleistocene in the western U.S. are interbedded with unconsolidated sediments in parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. Soils and sediments at the land surface at the time of the eruptions were buried by the relatively pure (> 95% glass shards) ash. The former surface soils, or paleosols, contain information about soil-forming processes, climates, and landscapes of the region prior to and at the time of the eruptions. Field descriptions of the paleosols are made using pedologic nomenclature. Comparisons are made of paleosols buried by deposits of ash from the same eruption, paleosols buried by deposits of ash from eruptions of different age, and paleosols buried by ash and soils described at the land surface today. Paleosols buried by ash exhibit a diversity of characteristics. Ash from eruptions occurring hundreds of thousands to more than a million years apart buried paleosols which have characteristics in common. Paleosols buried by ash resemble soils at the land surface in the region at present. Climates and landscapes of today are inferred to be similar to climates and landscapes at the times of the Tertiary and early to middle Pleistocene volcanic eruptions.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/93 to 09/30/94

Outputs
Volcanic ash deposits, interbedded with unconsolidated sediments in the Great Plains and Central Lowlands of the United States, are time markers used to define temporal relationships between related geomorphic features. The middle Arkansas River drainage basin contains net rates of stream incision of between 1 to 10 cm/ka. Net rates of stream incision are calculated from ages of ashes and height of ashes above present streams. The mean net rate of incision based on volcanic ashes younger than 0.75 m.a. is significantly larger than mean based on ashes between 1 and 2 million years old. The mean net rate of incision by the main, through flowing streams is significantly larger than the mean net rate of incision by tributaries of the main streams (based on ashes younger than 0.75 m.a.).

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/92 to 09/30/93

Outputs
Six agricultural soils were selected from 29 soils initially sampled for total Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn. Samples were taken to the depth of the parent material by diagnostic horizon. Trace element concentrations increase with increasing soil depth. Trace elements also increased with increasing clay content. Changes in trace element content corresponded to changes in soil parent material as identified by Ti/Zr ratios and clay-free sand percentage. Biocycling of Cu and Zn was apparent by a small increase in the A horizon concentration of these elements compared to the B and C horizons. Due to biocycling, the soil forming process of translocation, and discontinuities in soil parent material, trace element content for a soil should include A, B, and C horizon determinations.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/91 to 09/30/92

Outputs
Soil pedons (29) were sampled in tripliate. These 87 soil samples are being analyzed for heavy metal content. Heavy mineral weathering trends across Oklahoma determine levels of heavy metals with increasing soil depth. Soil pedrons (12) were sampled for clay mineral determinations. Chemical, physical, and mineralogical characterization of key soils determine the success of resilient nodulus determination. Resilient nodulus determination is a triaxial soil test used to estimate road longevity on clayey soils. The amount and quality of soil clay minerals highly influence road construction and durability. Characterization of major soils determine levels of application of waste products containing heavy metals and the sustainability of roads.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/90 to 09/30/91

Outputs
Transformations and translocations of materials within and through the soil occur from a rapid (hours to days) to slow (tens to thousands of years) time periods. Small amounts (several ppm) of conservative soil constituents represented by Br move rapidly from the soil surface to shallow aquifers. However, the bulk of the soil material represented by Br may take thousands of years to leave the soil profile. In the case of N and P additions as manures, organic N and P may be applied to the soil indefinitely. Long term studies involving soils dated by volcanic ash deposits (scale of hundreds of thousands of years) indicate products of mineral weathering are stored in the soil subsurface horizons during thousands of years.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/89 to 09/30/90

Outputs
Fifteen additional volcanic ash deposits in Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas were dated using the fission-track method on glass shards. This brings the total number of volcanic ash deposits dated in the soil genesis laboratory to fifty. Ash deposits which date constructional soil-terrace sequences along major west to east trending rivers now range from 5.4 x 10 to 11.0 x 10 years before present. The majority of volcanic ash deposits ranged in age from 5.4 x 10 to 1.0 x 10 years before present. This 500,000 year history in western Oklahoma was characterized by extensive deposition of soil parent material originating from Ogallala sediments from the High Plain region. Rates of alluvial deposit within the Rolling Red Plains have slowed considerably within the last 5.0 x 10 years before present compared to the previous 5.0 x 10 to 1.0 x 10 year period. Most western Oklahoma soils have during this last 500,000 year period withstood erosion and received significant quantities of eolian deposit.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/88 to 09/30/89

Outputs
Terrace sequences spanning the Quaternary geologic period were identified withinthe High Plains, the Rolling Red Plains, and the Reddish Prairies of central and western Oklahoma. Terrace sequences were within the Arkansas, Cimarron, North Canadian, Canadian, Washita, and Red River drainage basins. Soils were similar on terraces of widely different ages. Soils were classified as Argiustolls, Paleustolls, and Calciustolls. Wind-blown deposits cover several large areas of terrace soils. Quaternary soils were also dated within flooplains of selected streams. A buried soil was dated at 1210 +/- 60 years before present and represents a major erosional event that caused gully erosion within the uplands. Climatic change (Carid to humid) on both a small (500-1,000 yrs.) and a large time scale (10,000 to 100,000 yrs.) has been and probably will continue to be a normal and expected natural phenomena for Oklahoma. Climatic changes will limit land-use unless a constant supply of fresh water is found.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/87 to 09/30/88

Outputs
A majority of prime farmland in central and western Oklahoma contains soil formed from alluvium and loess. The sediment source for these soils are the major river systems (Arkansas, Cimarron, Canadian, Washita, and Red). At least six periods of sedimentation and soil development have occurred over the last 2 million years to produce these prime farmlands. Mineralogy and ground-water quality in these areas are more indicative of the Ogallala formation of the High Plains and not the underlying Permian shales and sandstones. The on-going identification of prime farmlands containing soils formed from Quarternary alluvium and loess will maintain and improve agricultural production and water quality against the hazards of erosion and salinization.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/86 to 09/30/87

Outputs
Thirty-two volcanic ash deposits were sampled across Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Fission track age of glass shards ranged from 0.6 to 5.0 m.y.b.p. Total elemental analysis, shard morphology, and mineralogy will be used to determine source areas of volcanic ash. Identification of volcanic ash will be used as a time-stratigraphic marker and basis for soil-geomorphologic studies of western Oklahoma. Ground-water monitoring wells, soil tensionmenters, suction lysimeters, field electrical conductivity meters, and neutron probe monitoring devices were installed across a saline and non-saline soil boundry. Depth to the ground-water table and ground-water quality will be measured. Critical periods of soil salinization will be correlated with depth to a shallow water table and ground-water chemistry. Permanent pasture consisting of native grasses suited to saline soils will be tried as an alternative to the current highly erosive winter wheat mono-crop system.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/85 to 09/30/86

Outputs
Saline-seeps were identified in Grant, Alfalfa, and Garfield counties, in central Oklahoma., Sodium chloride, Na(2)SO(4), and MgSO(4) were identified as major components of soil-water contributing to the sodic-saline conditions. Large areas of these counties possess a potential soil salinity problem. Where the groundwater approaches the surface close enough for evaporation to concentrate these salts, soil salinity is a limiting factor to plant growth. The groundwater is perched on the soil bedrock surface an average of 2 m below he soil surface. The footslope hillslope position is a major area of soil salinity. Just above the saline areas, sodic conditions exist and present a management problem. All saline areas possess a potential sodic condition. Permian shale bedrock is the most likely source for the salts. As the rock weathers to form soil the salts are released to the groundwater. Drainage and alternate cropping systems are being explored to reduce groundwater levels in problem areas.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 01/01/85 to 09/30/85

Outputs
High amounts of soluble salts or sodium were not found to be limiting plant growth in highly eroded badlands of Western Oklahoma. Gypsum was the dominant mineral in the subsurface within upland soils. Gypsic horizons were identified by field morphology, weight lost on drying, and soil thin section analysis in upland soils which contained pure gypsum layers in the parent rock. Radiocarbon dating of soil organic matter with increasing soil depth was found to support the hypothesis that there was an increase in the rate of erosion with increasing slope gradient. The oldest radiocarbon age and greatest soil development was found on the level upland. A decrease in radiocarbon age and soil development was found on the steepest backslope position. Volcanic ash deposits were located and identified within soils formed from early Pleistocene deposits currently unrecognized in Western Okalhoma. Fission track dating will be used to estimate soil and landscape age. New soil types, soil parent materials, and methods to evaluate soil erosion were identified to better utilize the soil as a natural resource.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 01/01/84 to 12/30/84

Outputs
Six soils formed from granite under precipitation ranging from 42 to 22 in. a year across Oklahoma showed significant differences in properties. Soils formed under high precipitation had distinct eluvial and illuvial zones, lower base saturation and pH, greater solum thickness, and higher amounts of kaolinite. Dominant clays within all soils were quartz, kaolinite, illite, smectite, and vermiculite. Nine soils were sampled in Northwestern Oklahoma to determine the cause of severe natural erosion producing arid landscapes within a subhumid area. Two different geologic formations, one forming deep and the second forming eroded soils (badlands) were selected for comparison. It was hypothesized that high amounts of salts or sodium were limiting plant growth and cover causing rapid erosion. Gypsum was found in high concentration within both areas, but no saline or sodic concentrations were found limiting plant growth. Four soils were sampled in Northwestern Oklahoma for testing a new method to estimate the rate of natural erosion. The mean residence age of carbon versus depth within each soil will be determined and compared. The above results advance the understanding of the balance between processes that form and destroy soils. This balance is critical to long term agronomic production; especially critical in Oklahoma which borders arid soil environments.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 08/01/83 to 12/30/83

Outputs
Six soil profiles formed from granite were sampled under precipitation amounts ranging from 42 to 22 inches annually on an east to west transect across Oklahoma. Initial profile descriptions and laboratory analysis indicated unexpectedly only minor differences in amount of caly, number and type of soil horizons, and soil depth. Currently, basic soil chemical and physical properties including pH, base saturation, extractable acidity, cation-exchange capacity and bulk density are being determined. The soil mineralogy, especially secondary clay minerals indicating amount of weathering and fertility levels, are being determined using x-ray diffraction and micropedologic analysis. Soils information stored on computer tapes has been obtained from the Soil Conservation Service, USDA which includes the dominant soil on each 40 acre grid for the entire state. This information is being used to generate a distribution map across the entire state showing areas of saline and sodic affected soils. Overlays are also being prepared for precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, relief, temperature and geology. This information will be combined to compare and contrast processes of saline and sodic soil genesis.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications