The Theory of Biorhexistasy describes climatic conditions necessary for periods of soil formation (pedogenesis) separated by periods of soil erosion. Proposed by pedologist L. Erhart in 1956, the theory defines two climatic phases: biostasy and rhexistasy.^[1] Pedogenesis or soil evolution (formation) is the process by which soil is created. ... Severe soil erosion in a wheat field near Washington State University, USA. Erosion is the displacement of solids (soil, mud, rock, and other particles) by the agents of wind, water, ice, movement in response to gravity, or living organisms (in the case of bioerosion). ...

Biostasy

During biostasy, abundant and regular precipitation induces strong pedogenesis characterized by chemical alteration of parent material and intensified eluviation and illuviation of soil minerals within the surface soil and subsoil layers (the solum). These processes contribute to the formation of eluvial and argillic horizons and an increased concentration of iron and aluminum oxides in the subsoil. Climatic conditions favor a vegetative cover which protects the soil from physical erosion but abundant rainfall results in the loss of mineral ions and increased concentration of those minerals in recieving bodies of water. Abundant marine calcium results in limestone formation. Specific layers in the soil. ... Óģ Ķ ķ Ļ ļ Ņ ņ Ŗ ŗ Ş ş Ţ ţ Ć ć Ĺ ĺ Ń ń Ŕ ŕ Ś ś Ý ý Ź ź Đ đ Ů ů Č č Ď ď Ľ ľ Ň ň Ř ř Š š Ť ť Ž ž Ǎ ǎ Ě ě Ǐ ǐ Ǒ ǒ Ǔ ǔ Ā ā Ē ē Ī ī Ō ō Ū ū ǖ ǘ ǚ ǜ Ĉ ĉ Ĝ ĝ Ĥ ĥ Ĵ ĵ Ŝ ŝ Ŵ ŵ Ŷ ŷ Ă ă Ğ ğ Ŭ ŭ Ċ ċ Ė ė Ġ ġ İ ı Ż ż Ą ą Ę ę Į į Ų ų Ł ł Ő ő Ű ű Ŀ ŀ Ħ ħ Ð ð Þ þ Œ œ Æ æ Ø ø Å å Ə ə – — … [] [[]] {{}} ~ | ° § → ≈ ± − × ¹ ² ³ ‘ “ ’ ” £ € Α α Β β Γ γ Δ δ Ε ε Ζ ζ Η η Θ θ Ι ι Κ κ Λ λ Μ μ Ν ν Ξ ξ Ο ο Π π Ρ ρ Σ σ ς Τ τ Υ υ Φ φ Χ χ Ψ ψ Ω ω ... Limey shale overlaid by limestone. ...

Rhexistasy

During rhexistasy (from rhexein, to break) the protective vegetative cover is reduced or eliminated as a result of a drier climate. Rainfall intensity is higher. The drier climate slows pedogenesis and soils no longer contribute the limestone building mineral components that characterize biostasy. Unprotected by thick vegetation or deep soils, wind acts to expose subsoil to erosion and rock to physical weathering. Freeze-thaw acts to increase the production of coarse detrital materials. The intensity of punctuating rainfall events during rhexistasy results in erosian, and the accumulation of sand and silt as sedimentary layers. During rhexistasy, the dominance of chemical weathering that characterizes biostasy is replaced by the dominance of physical weathering. Patterns in the sand Sand is an example of a class of materials called granular matter. ... Silt refers to soil or rock particles of a certain very small size range (see grain size). ...

During the Pleistocene epoch, the periods of glaciation are considered to be periods of rhexistasy and the interglacial are considered periods of biostasy. The Pleistocene epoch (pronounced like ply-stow-seen) is part of the geologic timescale. ...

Current use

The theory of biorhexistasy is used in various capacities:

• to discuss the potential for man to effect either rhexistasy-like or biostasy-like environments, and what to expect from those environments, ^[2]
• to explain the role of extreme events in erosion at a site recovering from disturbance,^[3] and
• to evaluate speleothems for insight into paleoclimatic and biopedological conditions at the land surface.^[4]

A speleothem (from the Greek for cave deposit) is a formal term for what is also known as a cave formation, or amongst cavers, collectively known as pretties. ... Paleoclimatology is the study of climate change taken on the scale of the entire history of the earth. ...

References

1. ^ Glossary. L'Association Française pour l'Etude des Sols (AFES). Retrieved on 2006-06-01.
2. ^ Gérard Hugonie. Morphogenetic system. Retrieved on 2006-06-01.
3. ^ Douglas, I, K. Bidin, G. Balamurugan, N. A. Chappell, R. P. D. Walsh, T. Greer (1999). "The role of extreme events in the impacts of selective tropical forestry on erosion during harvesting and recovery phases at Danum Valley, Sabah" (pdf). The Royal Society (354): 1749-1761. Retrieved on 2006-06-01.
4. ^ Phillipe Audra (2004). "An Overview of the Research Being Carried Out in the French Western Alps Karst" (pdf). Acta Carsologica 33 (1): 25-44. Retrieved on 2006-06-01.

2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ...

Further reading

• Erhart, H. (1956). Le genèese des sols, en tant que phénomène géologique. Esquisse d'une théorie géologique et géochimique. Biostasie et rhexistasie. Paris: Masson..