Evaluation of Pg absorption strength of humic acids as a paleoenvironmental indicator in buried paleosols on tephra beds, Japan

Abstract Pg absorption strength of humic acid is the strength of a type of green pigment appearing in the spectral curves of humic acid, which derives from many species of fungi. Previous studies on surface A horizons of Andisols have shown a high positive correlation between the Pg absorption strength and the estimated yield of Sasa , the representative forest floor vegetation of deciduous broad leaf trees. In this study on the buried A horizons of Andisols (paleosols) in Japan, we confirmed the same positive relationship between Pg absorption strength and the yield of Sasa . We evaluate Pg absorption strength of humic acid as a paleoenvironmental indicator, which is an attribute of pedogenetic biological influence preserved in buried paleosols.