Complex system behaviors such as self‐organization are difficult to address in geology. System evolution often cannot be directly observed and, in geology models and theory, must be reconciled with field evidence. However, self‐organization can be addressed within the historical‐interpretive paradigm by applying a measure of the degree of self‐organization of geologic features, using standard interpretive methods to determine the nature of changes, and determining whether those changes result in an increase or decrease in organization. In this way, stable non‐self‐organizing convergent development can be distinguished from unstable chaotic self‐organizing divergent development. Kolmogorov entropy (K‐entropy) was used as a measure of the self‐organization of soil profiles in eastern North Carolina. In general, the profiles are low in K‐entropy, indicating a generally high level of predictability and information in the vertical arrangement of pedogenetic horizons. As a broad generality, the study profiles appear to be decreasing in entropy if or when surface erosion is minimal and increasing in entropy otherwise. However, results show that whether the profiles demonstrate evidence of convergent or divergent behavior is determined by the relative rates or magnitudes of three main processes: (1) horizon differentiation in surficial horizons by the formation of transitional AE or A&E horizons due to secondary podzolization, (2) thickening of the solum at the weathering front, and (3) surface erosion. There is no direct relationship between the degree of pedogenic development and self‐organization. The results suggest that complex system behaviors are controlled by, and can be linked to, specific pedologic and geomorphic processes and that soils and regoliths may be characterized by both convergent and divergent developmental pathways.

中文翻译：

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土壤和风化剖面的发散和自组织特征

自组织等复杂的系统行为在地质学中难以解决。系统演化通常不能直接观察，在地质模型和理论中，必须与现场证据相协调。然而，自组织可以在历史解释范式内通过应用地质特征的自组织程度的度量，使用标准的解释方法来确定变化的性质，并确定这些变化是否导致增加或增加。组织减少。通过这种方式，可以将稳定的非自组织趋同发展与不稳定的混沌自组织发散发展区分开来。Kolmogorov 熵（K-熵）被用作北卡罗来纳州东部土壤剖面自组织的度量。一般来说，剖面的 K 熵较低，表明在成土层的垂直排列中普遍具有高水平的可预测性和信息。作为一个广泛的普遍性，如果或当表面侵蚀最小时，研究剖面的熵似乎会减少，否则熵会增加。然而，结果表明，剖面是否表现出收敛或发散行为的证据取决于三个主要过程的相对速率或幅度：（1）由于二次灰化作用形成的过渡 AE 或 A&E 层，地表层的层分化， (2) 风化前沿处的溶质增厚，以及 (3) 表面侵蚀。成土发育程度与自组织之间没有直接关系。结果表明，复杂的系统行为受以下因素控制，并可与以下因素相关联：