Relative Ages of Wetland and Upland Surfaces as Indicated by Pedogenic Development

The relationship between the relative age and wetness of landscape surfaces on the Atlantic Coastal Plain of the United States was investigated to determine the extent to which wetlands develop independently of surrounding non-wetland land-forms. A soil-development index based on profile descriptions was applied to all soil series of Craven County, North Carolina, and compared to indices of soil wetness. There was no systematic relationship between the soil-development index and soil-hydric status, drainage classification, or water table depth. Both very wet and well-drained soil series were found at either end of a continuum from the oldest, best-developed series to the more recent, poorly-developed soils. Results suggest that any generalizations about relative ages of wetland and non-wetland surfaces or about coevolution of wetlands and uplands must be made in the context of at least three different Coastal Plain geomorphic settings: upland interfluves, stream terraces, and river valleys.