Geochemical, mineralogical, and spectral variation of Terra Rossa topsoils in a Mediterranean karst landscape
Catena, cilt.275, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 275
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.catena.2026.110672
- Dergi Adı: Catena
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Artic & Antarctic Regions, BIOSIS, Environment Index, Geobase, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Clay mineralogy, Karst landscape, pXRF, SEM, Vis-NIR, XRD
- Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study aimed to assess physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties of Terra Rossa topsoils, their spatial variability, and the effectiveness of visible near-infrared (Vis-NIR) and portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectroscopy for characterization. We quantified electrical conductivity (EC), pH, CaCO3, soil organic carbon (SOC), sand, silt, clay, elemental concentrations, soil color coordinates, weathering indices, and primary and clay mineralogy in Terra Rossa near Antalya, Türkiye. Soil samples were collected from 0 to 10 cm depth, and the soils were characterized by Vis-NIR (350–2500 nm) and pXRF (0–45 keV) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The soil pH was moderately alkaline (7.9–8.4), and the soil texture varied from loam to clay, with an average clay content over 30%. Munsell color ranged from 5R to 7.5R. The elemental concentrations were: Fe (20.3%) > Si (18.5%) > Al (6.1%) > Ca (4.8%) > K (2.9%). The Ruxton weathering index (RI) showed that the soils were highly weathered (RI > 2). Slope and temperature were strongly and positively associated with CaCO₃, potassium, RI, and the color attributes (R, G, and CIE L *), whereas elevation and precipitation were negatively associated with these variables. Vermiculite, illite, smectite, and kaolinite were common clay minerals, whereas quartz, muscovite, calcite, and dolomite were identified as primary minerals identified in the soils. There was little variation in clay minerals, indicating a relatively stable mineral composition. Despite fairly uniform environmental conditions, these soils showed considerable variation, and Vis-NIR spectrometry was useful for characterizing Terra Rossa. The integration of Vis-NIR with pXRF, XRD, and SEM provides a rapid and cost-effective approach for characterizing Terra Rossa topsoils in Mediterranean karst landscapes.