Abstract

The Maastrichtian age dinosaur-bearing Lameta Formation in Central India is a pedogenically modified sedimentary succession. This succession records various pedogenic signatures such as the obliteration of bedding, root traces, burrows, soil structures, and soil horizons, indicating distinct paleosol types, which provide information about the associated paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental conditions. In the present study, combining soil morphology and micromorphology, we recognized, classified, and interpreted eleven paleosol profiles preserved in the Lower Limestone and Mottled Nodular Bed Unit of the Lameta Formation, exposed in the Jabalpur subregion in Central India. The studied paleosols were divided into five different pedotypes (soil types) based on the majority/stage of development of pedogenic features. The observed pedotypes are compound and composite paleosol profiles, composed of entisols, hydromorphic calcic-inceptisols, gleyed alfisols, and well-developed alfisols. This variation in observed pedotypes represent the characteristics of a soil catena. In this soil catena, the variation in paleosol profiles is related to the variation in hydrology and relief of the landscape. The better-drained paleosols are forming on higher grounds, whereas poorly drained paleosols are forming in lowlands. The identified pedotypes with varying drainage and maturity are used to reconstruct the paleolandscape as an agglomeration of seasonal wetlands and dry lands. Further, based on several pedogenic features, the Lameta sediments are interpreted to have been deposited in tropical warm, humid climatic conditions.

中文翻译：

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重建印度中部恐龙栖息地拉梅塔地层的古景观和土壤链

摘要

印度中部马斯特里赫特时代的恐龙拉梅塔组是一个经过成土改造的沉积序列。该序列记录了各种成土特征，例如床上用品的消失、根部痕迹、洞穴、土壤结构和土壤层，表明了不同的古土壤类型，从而提供了有关相关古气候和古环境条件的信息。在本研究中，结合土壤形态和微形态学，我们识别、分类和解释了印度中部贾巴尔普尔次区域暴露的拉梅塔组下石灰岩和斑驳结节床单元中保存的 11 个古土壤剖面。根据成土特征的大部分/发展阶段，将所研究的古土壤分为五种不同的土壤类型（土壤类型）。观察到的土壤类型是复合和复合古土壤剖面，由生土、水形钙基土、gleyed alfisol 和发育良好的 alfisol 组成。观察到的土壤类型的这种变化代表了土壤链的特征。在这个土壤链中，古土壤剖面的变化与水文和地貌的变化有关。排水较好的古土壤在地势较高的地方形成，而排水不良的古土壤则在低地形成。所确定的具有不同排水和成熟度的土壤类型用于将古景观重建为季节性湿地和旱地的聚集体。此外，根据一些成土特征，拉梅塔沉积物被解释为是在热带温暖、潮湿的气候条件下沉积的。