Evaluation of Selected Basic Soil Properties at the James Ross Island (Antarctica)

Abstract

This study attempts to summarize the basic soil properties of the selected places in the deglaciated areas on the James Ross Island (Antarctica). James Ross Island is a large island near the north-eastern extremity of the Antarctic Peninsula, from which it is separated by the Prince Gustav Channel. The island is approximately 2,600 km2 large and is covered in 80% of its surface by a glacier. Deglaciated areas cover relatively young soils developing after the parent substrate was deglaciated, but they still have a greatly varying character (fluvial, glacial, volcanic, possibly also aeolian). We determined in a separated fraction of fine earth following proportions of textural fractions: the average content (±Standard deviation) of clay was 9.9 ± 1.6%; silt 31.9 ± 3.2% and average content of sand was 58.6 ± 2.9%. The content of oxidized carbon (Cox) was very low, the average Cox content was 0.34 ± 0.06%. The average active soil reaction was 6.26 ± 0.45. The average electrical conductivity (EC) was 1242 ± 252 µS.cm−1. The average: calcium content was 1.48 ± 0.34%; magnesium content 1.22 ± 0.19%; phosphorus content was 0.06 ± 0.01%; potassium content of samples was 0.25 ± 0.05% and sodium content was in average 0.46 ± 0.08%.

Keywords

• Antarctica
• James Ross Island
• soil properties
• texture
• calcium
• phosphorus