Graduation Date
Fall 2019
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Master of Science degree with a major in Environmental Systems, option Geology
Committee Chair Name
Dr. A. Mark Hemphill-Haley
Committee Chair Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Dr. Raymond Burke
Second Committee Member Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Third Committee Member Name
Dr. Brandon E. Schabb
Third Committee Member Affiliation
Community Member or Outside Professional
Fourth Committee Member Name
Joseph Seney
Fourth Committee Member Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Subject Categories
Geology
Abstract
Throughout the world, long range transport (LRT) of aeolian dust plays a major role in the total global dust budget. Research suggests that LRT dust from the deserts of North Africa play a role in soil genesis in the Americas. The focus of this study is a preliminary investigation for evidence of North African dust or volcanic ash influence on the soils in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in Stann Creek District, Belize. A series of 7 soil profiles were analyzed from a catena transect to determine if there is evidence of foreign materials by using X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscope analyses in order to identify mineralogy and micro-abrasions that would indicate parent material origin from a possible influence of LRT dust. This yielded the finding that there is little convincing evidence for LRT dust deposition in the soils examined.
Citation Style
Harvard
Recommended Citation
Sawyer, Heath, "A soil genesis investigation into possible long-range transport of foreign sediments in the Stann Creek District of Belize" (2019). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 329.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/329