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Ž . Catena 33 1998 75–104 Evolution of the Lower Gangetic Plain landforms and soils in West Bengal, India Lalan P. Singh a, ),1 , B. Parkash a , A.K. Singhvi b a ( ) Department of Earth Sciences, UniÕersity of Roorkee, Roorkee, U.P. -247 667, India b Physical Research Laboratory, NaÕrangpura, Ahmedabad, 380 009, India Received 14 May 1996; revised 6 May 1998; accepted 6 May 1998 Abstract Three major landforms, Uplands, Old FluvialrDeltaic Plains and Young Fluvial Plains are identified from the Lower Gangetic Plains of West Bengal, India, on the basis of remote sensing and field studies. Morphologic, quantitative and thermoluminescence studies of soils of the study area have been conducted. Two types of Uplands are recognised: Upland in the west overlain by Ž . Ž . red soils autochthonous and allochthonous types and upland in the north Barind Tract , Ž characterised by three topographic levels. Aspects of the autochthonous Upland Red Soils Lower . Ž . to Middle Pleistocene age show the ferrugination ferrisol phase of development. Soils of the Ž . Old FluvialrDeltaic Plains 6–3 ka and Lower Level of the Barind Tract have argillic horizons and exhibit the fersiallitisation phase of development. Development of ferrugination and fersiallitisation phases was favored due to the pre-weathered nature of the parent material. Soils of the Old Ž . FluvialrDeltaic Plains, Barind Tract Lower Level and Young Fluvial Plains show effects of hydromorphism due to waterlogging in the form of segregations of Fe–Mn oxidesrgleying and chloritisation, probably due to ferrolysis in the upper horizons of some of these soils. Neotectonics seems to have affected development of landforms and soils significantly. Due to reactivation of some basement faults in the western region, some tectonic blocks subsided, causing transgression during the Early Pleistocene and at ca. 7 ka. Subsequent uplift of these blocks caused regressions and development of soils on the exposed landscapes. Episodic uplift of the Barind Tract in the northern region may have given rise to three topographic levels. Some faults confine the courses of the Damodar, Ganga and Bhagirathi rivers. q 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Tectonics vs. soil development and landform; Ferrugination; Fersiallitisation; Hydromorphism; Gangetic Plain; India ) Corresponding author. Fax: 0091-1332-73-560; E-mail: [email protected] 1 Present address—Engineering Geology Division, Geological Survey of India, Western Region, Jaipur- 302004, India. 0341-8162r98r$19.00 q 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Ž . PII S0341-8162 98 00066-6

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Page 1: Evolution of the Lower Gangetic Plain landforms and soils ...library/Singhvi_AK_75_98_abst.pdf · Catena 33 1998 75–104 . Evolution of the Lower Gangetic Plain landforms and soils

Ž .Catena 33 1998 75–104

Evolution of the Lower Gangetic Plain landformsand soils in West Bengal, India

Lalan P. Singh a,) ,1, B. Parkash a, A.K. Singhvi b

a ( )Department of Earth Sciences, UniÕersity of Roorkee, Roorkee, U.P. -247 667, Indiab Physical Research Laboratory, NaÕrangpura, Ahmedabad, 380 009, India

Received 14 May 1996; revised 6 May 1998; accepted 6 May 1998

Abstract

Three major landforms, Uplands, Old FluvialrDeltaic Plains and Young Fluvial Plains areidentified from the Lower Gangetic Plains of West Bengal, India, on the basis of remote sensingand field studies. Morphologic, quantitative and thermoluminescence studies of soils of the studyarea have been conducted. Two types of Uplands are recognised: Upland in the west overlain by

Ž . Ž .red soils autochthonous and allochthonous types and upland in the north Barind Tract ,Žcharacterised by three topographic levels. Aspects of the autochthonous Upland Red Soils Lower

. Ž .to Middle Pleistocene age show the ferrugination ferrisol phase of development. Soils of theŽ .Old FluvialrDeltaic Plains 6–3 ka and Lower Level of the Barind Tract have argillic horizons

and exhibit the fersiallitisation phase of development. Development of ferrugination and fersialliti-sation phases was favored due to the pre-weathered nature of the parent material. Soils of the Old

Ž .FluvialrDeltaic Plains, Barind Tract Lower Level and Young Fluvial Plains show effects ofhydromorphism due to waterlogging in the form of segregations of Fe–Mn oxidesrgleying andchloritisation, probably due to ferrolysis in the upper horizons of some of these soils. Neotectonicsseems to have affected development of landforms and soils significantly. Due to reactivation ofsome basement faults in the western region, some tectonic blocks subsided, causing transgressionduring the Early Pleistocene and at ca. 7 ka. Subsequent uplift of these blocks caused regressionsand development of soils on the exposed landscapes. Episodic uplift of the Barind Tract in thenorthern region may have given rise to three topographic levels. Some faults confine the coursesof the Damodar, Ganga and Bhagirathi rivers. q 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Tectonics vs. soil development and landform; Ferrugination; Fersiallitisation; Hydromorphism;Gangetic Plain; India

) Corresponding author. Fax: 0091-1332-73-560; E-mail: [email protected] Present address—Engineering Geology Division, Geological Survey of India, Western Region, Jaipur-

302004, India.

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