Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy Supports Identification of the Origin of Organic Matter in Soils

Spectroscopic methods combined with statistics have recently gathered substantial interest in pedological studies. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has been utilized, for example, reconstructions of the history and transformations Chernozems, although no similar research was conducted based on mid-infrared (MIR). In this paper, relevance MIR tested studies origin/affinity organic matter from chernozemic soils. Samples collected three vegetation classes (grasslands, forests arable lands) were investigated using order to create a statistical model, which applied buried profiles unknown origin. The results showed clear disjunction classes. soil placed space between all classes, indicating relation variable vegetation. Therefore, lands should not be omitted paleoecological reconstructions, because we cannot exclude cultivation fertile soils before their burial. It concluded that may applicability NIR spectroscopy. Additionally, spectra also discriminated according recognized type, allows direct transformation trends profiles.