干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

New soil studies in the cold suggest that in the terrestrial ecosystems of the coastal regions of the antarctic continent, soil formation and chemical weathering occur to a greater extent than previously expected. This paper summarises the pedogenic results of an Australian-funded expedition to Casey Station and presents a soil formation sequence on a small-scale database. The accumulation of soil organic matter and podzolisation are important soil-forming processes up to the antarctic polar desert. This study has revealed a high variability in soil geography and soil properties at both a profile and landscape level. However, previous results indicate a correlation between soil cover and vegetation pattern. Nutrient supply in soil is affected by high contents and availability of nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, and magnesium due to the presence of seabirds.