Micromorphology of a Mousterian paleosol in aeolianites at the site Habonim, Israel

A paleosol with Mousterian tools in aeolianites at the Habonim site (Carmel Coastal plain, Israel) is a complex pedosedimentary sequence which records a succession of soil-forming episodes and stages of coastal dune instability. We identified three strong soils and one accretionary soil within Mousterian pedocomplex via micromorphological techniques, coupled with FTIR and SEM/EDAX. In the lowermost, red sandy soil (hamra) in Unit IV, decalcification led to the formation of micritic coatings, disrupted by faunal churning, while rubefication resulted in red ferric segregations. Illuviation of ferruginious clay in the form of clay coatings is lacking, probably due to its strong incorporation into the matrix. Redox features were intensified in the pseudogley of the next stage (Unit III). Polyphase calcitic features here indicate that illuviation of clay pre-dates illuviation of micrite and its later recrystallization into sparitic calcite. Further deterioration of drainage conditions and increased accumulation of fine particles led to the formation of vertisol (Unit II). Paleovertisol is characterized by a maximum of clay, stress-originated microfabric, abundant Mn precipitates and calcitic pseudomorphs. The peak of landscape instability occurred later and is recorded in the upper Unit I, in which micromorphological signs of colluvial and aeolian processes are juxtaposed with various ferric accumulations, associated with gleying. The final episode occurred at a time of climatic instability, devegetation, and probably, a simultaneous groundwater rise in the littoral zone.