Abstract
Glacier forelands allow us to trace back the processes of soil development by comparing the cross sections of soils that differ in time that has elapsed since the initiation of their respective development. This study discusses the relationship between soil development process and environmental factors in the glacier forelands of Tyndall glacier on Mount Kenya. The following six moraines were classified in the foreland of Tyndall glacier: moraines of the Lewis stage (Lewis I and II), Tyndall stage (Tyndall I–IV), and Liki III. Subsequently, the age of each moraine was estimated. The soil formation process was examined based on the observations of the soil profile. It was found that the soil layers were composed of aeolian particles, which were supplied from the surrounding bare ground. The speed of soil development fell within the range of 0.03–5 mm/year. Particularly, we identified the trend that soil development speed was higher during the earlier stages of soil development. The development speed at an early soil development stage in Mount Kenya was higher than that in other regions, and it was confirmed that the long-term development speed fell within the range observed in other regions.
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Yamagata, K. (2022). Geomorphology: Glacial Topography, Soil Development Processes in the Foreland of Tyndall Glacier on Mount Kenya. In: Mizuno, K., Otani, Y. (eds) Glaciers, Nature, Water, and Local Community in Mount Kenya. International Perspectives in Geography, vol 17. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7853-0_5
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