Two Oxisol (Red-Yellow Latosol LBw and Dusky Red Latosol LVdf) toposequences in Paraná State, Brazil, were evaluated regarding the effect of different relief positions and parent material on mineralogical characteristics of the soil clay fraction. The clay fraction was investigated by X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetry, and chemical analysis. Total Si, Al and Fe contents were determined after clay sample digestion with a 3:1 mixture of 36% HCl and 68% HNO3 acids. The Fe and Al contents were determined in acid ammonium oxalate (AAO) and citrate-bicarbonate-dithionite (CBD) extracts. The concentration of Si in the parent material and the position of the profile in the landscape were important in defining the clay fraction composition. LBw and LVdf were classified as kaolinitc/goethitic and gibbsitic/hematitic, respectively. Higher total SiO2 and kaolinite (Ka) contents (373.3 to 574.3 g kg-1) were observed in the deeper horizons (Bw2) and lower profile positions in the toposequence for the LBw. The higher water content and smaller soil permeability in LBw profile 4 (lowest position in the landscape) resulted in higher concentration of amorphous Al and Fe oxide (AAO) and reduced concentration of more crystalline Fe oxide (CDB). In general, the crystallographic characteristics of hematite and goethite were not influenced by soil depth and profile position. The lowest crystallinity indexes of Ka were found in the LVdf samples, and were related to the higher concentration of total Fe (r = 0.70**). The lowest gibbsite growth (smallest mean crystal diameter in the (110) direction) was observed in the LBw profile 4 (lowest position in the toposequence).
silicon; kaolinite; iron oxides; gibbsite; crystallographic characteristics
