1. Soil evolution along a forest-salt marsh transect under a regime of slowly rising sea level, southeastern United States L.R. Gardner, B.R. Smith and W.K. Michener Geoderma, 55 (1992) 141-157

2. Question Addressed: How does Sea Level Rise influence Soil Evolution?

3. North Inlet, South Carolina Transect across Goat Island Area of Interest: Transition zone from Marsh-> Forest

4. METHODS: Leon Series Spodosol Soil Cores Objective: “Present a description of the evolution of forested spodosols into salt-marsh soils under a regime of slowly rising sea level.” Soil cores 80-100 cm length Chemical Analysis (C, N, S, Al, Fe and K) Clay and silt vs sand fraction Salinity Vegetation

5. Soil Components Forest Profile Leon sand Series: Sandy, Siliceous, Thermic Aeric Haplaquods A- very dark grey E- grey Bh- black-dark brown, 40- 50cm depth Quartz Transition Marsh Profile Sulfaquentic Haplaquods A and E- medium grey Increase in clay and silt content More sandy with depth Bh- relict, little change, 40-50 cm depth Quartz

6. Pedogenic Processes Evolution of forest spodosols into marsh soils involves textural, morphological and chemical changes in the A and E horizons – Salinization – Deposition of marine mud and mixing into original forest sand by fiddler crab burrowing – Growth of thick Spartina root mat – Accumulation of reduced sulfur  Bh horizon relatively unaffected- Relict spodic horizon  Not yet buried under a distinct layer of marsh mud so must be classified as a spodosol despite the fact that the diagnostic spodic horizon is not currently forming: Sulfaquentic Haplaquods

7. Soil Components Forest Profile Leon sand Series: Sandy, Siliceous, Thermic Aeric Haplaquods A- very dark grey E- grey Bh- black-dark brown, 40- 50cm depth Quartz Transition Marsh Profile Sulfaquentic Haplaquods A and E- medium grey Increase in clay and silt content More sandy with depth Bh- relict, little change, 40-50 cm depth Quartz