Soil micromorphology and image analysis : a study of Bronze Age to recently improved soils at Lairg, Sutherland, Scotland
The applications of multispectral and morphometric image analysis to soil thin section descriptions is examined. It is shown that unsupervised classification and contrast stretching can be used to enhance and label features of interest. Morphometric measurements, allow the shape and abundance of features in thin sections to be compared and statistical relationships established. This method of analysis offers a precision beyond that which is possible using a qualitative approach. Using soil micromorphology as the main analytical technique a case study was carried out to evaluate the applicability of image analysis to an investigation of an archaeological site at Lairg in northern Scotland. The interactions of anthropogenic activity and pedogenesis since the Bronze Age is examined. The condition of the soils prior to the Bronze Age is not known because no buried soils predated this period. Evidence suggests that in freely draining situations complete podzols might have formed by this time. During the Bronze and Iron Age intensive cultivation of soils occurred with associated erosion. In areas of the site, where human activity is dated to the Post Medieval period, deepening of A horizons is apparent and the soils
Acott, Timothy G.
Soil micromorphology ; Bronze Age Sutherland (Scotland) Research ; Nature Effects of human beings on Sutherland (Scotland) ; Soil conservation Sutherland (Scotland)
Soil micromorphology and image analysis : a study of Bronze Age to recently improved soils at Lairg, Sutherland, Scotland. The applications of multispectral and morphometric image analysis to soil thin section descriptions is examined. It is shown that unsupervised classification and contrast stretching can be used to enhance and label features of interest. Morphometric measurements, allow the shape and abundance of features in thin sections to be compared and statistical relationships established. This method of analysis offers a precision beyond that which is possible using a qualitative approach. Using soil micromorphology as the main analytical technique a case study was carried out to evaluate the applicability of image analysis to an investigation of an archaeological site at Lairg in northern Scotland. The interactions of anthropogenic activity and pedogenesis since the Bronze Age is examined. The condition of the soils prior to the Bronze Age is not known because no buried soils predated this period. Evidence suggests that in freely draining situations complete podzols might have formed by this time. During the Bronze and Iron Age intensive cultivation of soils occurred with associated erosion. In areas of the site, where human activity is dated to the Post Medieval period, deepening of A horizons is apparent and the soils
soil micromorphology image_analysis study bronze_age recently improve soil sutherland scotland application multispectral morphometric image_analysis soil thin_section description examine show unsupervised classification contrast stretch use enhance label feature interest morphometric measurement allow shape abundance feature thin_section compare statistical relationship establish method analysis offer precision beyond possible use qualitative approach using soil micromorphology main analytical_technique case_study carry evaluate applicability image_analysis investigation archaeological_site northern_scotland interaction anthropogenic activity since bronze_age examine condition soil prior bronze_age know bury soil period evidence_suggest freely situation complete might form time bronze_iron_age intensive cultivation soil occur associated erosion area site human_activity date post_medieval_period deepen horizon apparent soil