,
Russia The term
calcareous can be applied to a
sediment,
sedimentary rock, or
soil type, which is formed from or contains a high proportion of
calcium carbonate, in the form of
calcite or
aragonite.
Marine sediments Calcareous sediments are typically deposited in shallow water closer to land, as marine organisms that precipitate calcium carbonate primarily reside within shallow water ecosystems, due to an inability to precipitate calcium carbonate at depth (see
carbonate compensation depth). Generally speaking, the farther from land sediments that they fall, the less calcareous they are, and deviations from this expectation arise if: (a) the ocean floor is shallower than the CCD or (b) storms/ocean currents transport calcareous sediments away from their origin point, leading to the
interbedding of calcareous sediments in alternative locations. An additional form of calcareous marine sediment consists of calcareous ooze, which is a form of calcium carbonate sediment that consists of >30% biogenous material, predominantly consisting of organisms such as
coccolithophores and
foraminifera. These oozes form slowly under low-energy environments, and necessitate higher seawater saturation states or a deeper CCD (see
supersaturation and
precipitation vs.
undersaturation and
dissolution). Therefore, in shallow CCD conditions (
i.e., undersaturation of calcium carbonate at depth), stable, non-calcareous sediments, such as
siliceous ooze or
pelagic red clay, will prevail in marine sediment records.
Calcareous soils Calcareous soils are relatively
alkaline. In other words, they have a high
pH. They are characterized by the presence of calcium carbonate in the parent material; the
carbonate-ion is a base. Additionally, these soils may have a calcic horizon, a layer of secondary accumulation of carbonates (usually calciumcarbonate or magnesiumcarbonate) in excess of 15% calcium carbonate equivalent and at least 5% more carbonate than an underlying layer.
List of calcareous rivers •
Ganga ==Man made deposits==