Publication date: 1 September 2016
Source:Geoderma, Volume 277
Author(s): Kelly R. Wilhelm, James G. Bockheim, Nicholas W. Haus
For more than sixty years the Antarctic Peninsula has experienced significant temperature increases that have accelerated glacial retreat. Glacial losses, along with the relatively warm and moist climatic conditions of the region, have increased the rate of soil development. The objective of this study is to study the properties and genesis of soils at Cierva Point, which is located in the zone of maximum warming along the western Antarctic Peninsula. Cierva Point is a terraced, steeply sloping, ice-free peninsula containing a small retreating glacier. The peninsula contains a large penguin rookery and significant areas of moss buildup. Twenty-seven soils were described; physical and chemical properties from each horizon were analyzed. Four categories of soil were identified: acidic (pH
Source:Geoderma, Volume 277
Author(s): Kelly R. Wilhelm, James G. Bockheim, Nicholas W. Haus