Exploratory Analysis of Geochemical Data and Inference of Soil Minerals at Sites Across Canada

Soil plays a crucial role in ecosystem functioning, e.g., soil minerals provide important provisioning and regulating services. The determination of mineral composition can help to link geochemical processes underlying bedrock surficial geology, however analysing quantitative mineralogy by X-ray diffraction be expensive. This study used data from the North American Geochemical Landscapes Project sampled at sites (n = 560) across Canada; exploratory analysis major elements C-horizon, < 2 mm size fraction, was carried out determine whether infer site-specific qualitative minerals. Results for raw indicated relative variability Canadian provinces with noticeable differences silica calcium. are compositional, as such their statistical assessment is subject problem closure. In current study, all were centred log-ratio-transformed prior overcome Graphical measures skewed element log-ratio transformation, which produced more symmetric distribution. Correlations between suggested tentative composition, aluminum aluminosilicates Principal component transformed revealed three distinct groups calcium, magnesium; iron, titanium, manganese; aluminum, potassium, silica, sodium, while phosphorus had smaller independent these groups. interpretation based on identified carbonates, silicates, weathered secondary oxides. These corresponded geospatially regional geology Canada, sedimentary rock types Western Canada variable igneous, metamorphic, or rocks Eastern Canada.