Soil formation in Seymour Island, Weddell Sea, Antarctica

Abstract

The Antarctic Peninsula marks the climatic transition between Maritime and Continental Antarctica. Ice-free areas at the western side of the Peninsula (Maritime Antarctica) have been increasingly studied in the last 10 years whereas soils on the eastern coast have been relatively less studied. The objective of the present study is to analyze the properties of soils developed on Seymour Island, in the Weddell sea sector, eastern coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, in order to identify the main factors and processes involved in soil formation under semi-polar desert conditions in this part of Antarctica. Twenty-one pedons were described, sampled and analyzed for their physical, chemical and mineralogical attributes. Most of the soils were classified as Gelisols and Cryosols by the Soil Taxonomy and WRB/FAO, respectively. Three soil groups were found: immature alkaline soils on sandstones and siltstones, acid sulfate and ornithogenic soils. Soils have little cryoturbation and are all affected by salinization with natric and salic characters. Acid sulfate soils are the most weathered soils in Seymour Island. Due to the dry climate, phosphatization is still incipient with P-rich ornithogenic layers with little interaction with the mineral substrate. The Soil Taxonomy and WRB/FAO systems lack adequate classification criteria to classify all soils developed in transitional areas that are affected by a combination of salinization, sulfurization and phosphatization.