SOIL STUDIES IN THE REGION OF SOUTHERN BELLSUND AREA (WESTERN SPITSBERGEN)

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Zbigniew Klimowicz, Stanisław Uziak, Jerzy Melke Department of Soil Science Maria Curie-Sklodowska University Lublin, Poland XX Polar Symposium Lublin, 1993 SOIL STUDIES IN THE REGION OF SOUTHERN

1 Zbigniew Klimowicz, Stanisław Uziak, Jerzy Melke Department of Soil Science Maria Curie-Sklodowska University Lublin, Poland XX Polar Symposium Lublin, 1993 SOIL STUDIES IN THE REGION OF SOUTHERN BELLSUND AREA (WESTERN SPITSBERGEN) The tradition of soil studies in Spitsbergen has not been long. They were initiated in the 50-ties by a research group from Wroclaw and concentrated mainly on the south-west part of the biggest island in the archipelago, i. e. the Hornsund area. The initiator of these studies was Alfred Jahn. The contribution of this group to the soil studies has so far been the greatest. Later the studies were undertaken by the University of Toruń (in Kaffloyra), and in the 80-ties the University of Lublin joined the research. K. Pękala has been the organizer of the geographical exploration in the Bellsund region in which also the Department of Soil Science, UMCS Lublin took part. Our Department started investigation in 1986 and continued it during the period , and in All the researchers of the Department took part in the research: J. Chodorowski in 1988, Z. Klimowicz in 1986, 1990, J. Melke in 1987,1988, 1990 S. Uziak in It should also be noted that some soil properties (heavy metal contents in the surface soil layer) were investigated by Z. Jóźwik and J. Magierski (1991, 1992). The studies by the Department of Soil Science, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University covered the region of southern Bellsund coast. These were the first soil studies in the a. m. region. A vast material have been gathered. A series of papers have been published mainly in English, in the periodicals such as: Polish Polar Research, Polish Journal of Soil Science, Geographia Polonica, UMCS Edition (Polar Session), or recently in the materials of the VI International Conference on Permafrost that is to take place this year in July in China. It should be reminded that soil studies in the polar region are very important both for Poland and for other countries that underwent several glaciations in the past. Glaciation influenced the character of quartenary sediments to a high degree and at the same time it influenced the parent rocks of the soils. Studies of the contemporary soil processes in the polar region help to understand the way soil cover was formed in the periglacial conditions that existed in the past in Poland and in some other countries with the similar geographical location (S. Uziak, 1992). 379

The studies that have so far been conducted by the Department of Soil Science, concentrated mainly on the following problems: 1) soil-forming processes in polar conditions 2) soil classification and

2 The studies that have so far been conducted by the Department of Soil Science, concentrated mainly on the following problems: 1) soil-forming processes in polar conditions 2) soil classification and cartography 3) physical and chemical soil properties 4) dynamics of soil properties On the basis of the results achieved so far the proposal of problems for the future studies has been worked out. SOIL FORMING PROCESSES IN POLAR CONDITIONS The conditions of polar formation are mainly influenced by: the climate and all the consequences for the soil cover that result from it, as well as by lithology. The most important climatic factors are: temperature and rainfall rate. The influence of low temperatures and temperature osscilation around 0 C is especially important. It causes, among others, soil movement, including vertical movement, swelling and shrinking, which influence soil morphology, and surface differentiation. Cryogenic processes constitute a very important factor of the polar soil formation also in the region of Bellsund area. It is especially evident in the morphology of structural soils that are characteristic of this region. There are several types of structural soils. Soils with stone rings of different sizes and shapes belong to the most beautiful ones. Other types that can be mentioned here are frost fissures, loamy and clayey outflows, stripped soils and others. There are several hypothesis as to the origin of these soils. Most of them points to the movements of soil material in the permafrost active layer. The above phenomena have not been fully explained so far. Depending on their intensity, the movements of the soil mass is the reason for, among others, poor formation or the total lack of genetic soil horizons. It also results in the distribution of nutritive elements and organic matter that is specific for the polar region. In the climatic conditions of Spitsbergen soil formation is under strong influence exerted by the cryogenic processes and overlapas these processes. The basic soil formation processes in the Bellsund region are: the initial developing stage, gleying, peat-formation, browning, alluvial and deluvial. The soils of the initial stage of development constitute a considerable area, often next the regions without soil cover. They are formed mainly on the rock formations and loose sediments of the stony-gravel-sandy character. The appearance of peat and gley soils is usually connected with excessive soil moisture contents. Gley soils are usually formed of more consistent formations and appear together with the wet tundra. Peat, soils are formed of moss and grass-like plants and are characterized by very differentiated thickness, often very low. It should be emphasized that when the rainfall rate is low, beside terrain 380

relief, also permafrost on which water stagnates, influences moisture retention in the soil, and hence soil formation. Peats can often be found at the slope feet.

3 relief, also permafrost on which water stagnates, influences moisture retention in the soil, and hence soil formation. Peats can often be found at the slope feet. They form the so-called slope or slope-base moss and utilize the water that flows down the slope. Lithology and low moisture contents are usually favourable conditions for brown soil formation in the Bellsund region. As a rule light formations, mainly loamy sands, are parent rocks for these soils in the majority of physiographic units. They are accompanied by dry tundra. A considerable area of these soils (for example in the case of Calypsostranda) can be found in the coastal region at the hihgt of m above the sea level. The genesis of the browning horizons has not been fully explained, yet. Recently, the prevailing opinion says that they are of weathering character. The alluvial and deluvial group of soils does not take up any considerable area in the studied region. Alluvial soils are formed of river deposits and their appearance is limited to river valleys. Deluvial soils are usually formed at slope bases. Studies conducted by our Department proved and confiremd the existance of a marked relation between the soil cover and lithology, terrain relief, as well as moisture contents and plant cover. Lithology influenced soil thickness, grain size distribution and chemical properties such as, among others, CaC0 3 contents, reaction, alkaline cations composition. Lithology indirectly influences also soil typology of initial, brown, gley soils; structural soils included. Terrain relief exerts influence upon erosion processes, deluvial and stripped soils, and to some extend with water relations and plant cover, peat soils and gley soils. Fig. 1 shows the relation between the soil cover and terrain relief and lithology. The method used is based on topographic-pedological sections and it seems to be the first one used in the soil investigation in the polar region. Stripped soils that are frequently found in the areas with differentiated configuration should also be mentioned. The main reason for their formation are solifluction processes that consist in thawed soil material movement down the slope. Frozen background favours this phenomenon in the polar conditions. SOIL CARTOGRAPHY AND CLASSIFICATION The classification of the soils of the southern Bellsund area proposed by the present authors refers to the classification by Tedrow and Plichta (Melke at al., 1990). It is based on the polar soil formation processes, i.e. cryogenic processes and soil formation process taking into consideration the parent rock. The following main soil units have been distinguished in the studied region: 1) initial developing stage soils lithosols (in the complex with rock formations); 381

2) initial developing stage soils regosols and loose formations; 3) structural soils; a) stripped soils b) with polygons and stone rings 4) brown soils; a) with no surface differentiation c) with

4 2) initial developing stage soils regosols and loose formations; 3) structural soils; a) stripped soils b) with polygons and stone rings 4) brown soils; a) with no surface differentiation c) with frost fissures 5) gley soils a) with no surface differentiation b) with polygons and stone rings c) with frost fissures 6) peat soils; a) formed in the region of stagnat waters b) formed in the region of surface water movement 7) alluvial and deluvial soils a) alluvial b) deluvial 8) fossil soil In the more detailed classification of the a.m. soils they are classified according to their granulometric composition and thickness. It must be added that the proposed systematics of the studied soils will be modified and amended along the process of their better understanding. No cartographic studies that are extremely time consuming have been carried out in Spitsbergen. Only some schematic maps of some chosen terrain fragments have been prepared in the framework of the soil studies. Instead of marking individual units, only soil complexes have been distinguished in these maps. It has been stated that rocky formations and initial soils lithosols, occupy the greatest space in the studied region. They can be found in the terrain of mountain massifs, and in the area of rock outliers. Loose deposits and regosols cover coastal plains and mountain feet, as well as the areas of morrains. Structural soils which profiles are little differentiated are usually connected with loamy formations. They can be found on considerable (in the conditions of Spitsbergen) hights and take up all the flat parts of the terrain that are covered by clayey weathering cover. Brown soils without surface differentiation were formed mainly of rock weathering products on the planation surfaces. Whereas a type of this soil characterized by frost fissures is connected with lighter formations such as loamy sands with a considerable admixture of silt fractions at times; it is characteristic of coastal terraces. Vast areas of brown soils can be found also in the plain of Logne and in Lyellstranda. Gley soils formed on compact formations, and under wet tundra vegetation are quite frequent in the Logne region. Organic soils are most marked in the Dyrstad and Logne valleys. Fossil soils, that are normally expected in the studied region, are not very 382

5 frequent. They are covered by moraine material and by other glacial and fluvioglacial deposits. It is difficult to get access to them. During our investigations they were found forming a very narrow belt on the beach area in Logne, and under the frontal moraine of the Scott's glacier. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES The physical properties of the soils studied by the present authors were mainly grain size distribution (Tab. 1), and, for a very small portion of material, bulk density and porosity. It is characteristic of all the soils of the southern Bellsund area that all the mechanical fractions are present in their grain size distribution pattern; similarly as in the post-glacial formations in Poland. The silt fractions is very prominent in some soils. There is a clear difference, however, as in the soils of the arctic region the amount of skeleton is considerable, whereas in Poland the contents of skeleton is far lower. It probably follows from an intensive and long-lasting physical and chemical desintegration of these formations in the conditions that occur in our country. Soil reaction in the studied region is closely connected with the presence of CaC0 3. It ranges from acid to alkaline (Tab. 1). In majority of the soils, however, it is either neutral, or slightly acid. CaCO 3 contents is differentiated, and it is not found in the organic soils. Very often there is CaMg(C0 3 ) 2, as dolomite, alongside calcium carbonate in the studied soils. Despite the slow growth of the biomas in the arctic conditions, a lot of organic substances gathers in the soils. It is poorly decomposed and appears in the whole profile, although it is predominant in the accumulation horizon. The contents of organic matter is differentiated in the studied soils, but most often it ranges from 1.5 to 5.0% (in the mineral soils). Nitrogen contents is correlated with the organic matter contents in most cases which means that it is highly differentiated as well. It exerts influence on the C:N ratio that ranges from 8 to 14 in most cases. The contents of available phosphorus and potassium is very low in the mineral soils (Tab. 1). The contents, especially of phosphorus, is much higher in the organic soils. In some areas the contents of phosphorus is very high. It is probably connected with intensive fertilization" by bird colonies that usually have fixed locations for nesting and feeding. According to Z. Jóźwik and J. Magierski (1991, 1992) the contents of trace elements (Cu, Mn, Zn, and Pb) in the soils and plants of the coastal plains in the Bellsund region is highly differentiated. They are of the opinion that it results from the geological structure and soil type, as well as from the hydrological conditions. Soil sorptive properties, according to our investigations, depend on the 383

$contents of organic substance and clay fraction. The cation compositon of the majority of the studied soils is the following: C a > H > M g > N a > K.$

6 contents of organic substance and clay fraction. The cation compositon of the majority of the studied soils is the following: C a > H > M g > N a > K. Similarly as in the case of phosphorus and potassium, their contents is much higher in the organic soils than in the mineral soils. The contents of individual cations are very differentiated, e.g. Ca contents is in the range meq/loog, and Mg in the range meq/loog. Both in the mineral and in the organic soils the degree of soil saturation with alkaline cations is high, i.e. from 50% to 100%. DYNAMICS OF SOIL PROPERTIES In order to get to know soil processes deeper and more fully we have to establish the dynamics of soil processes. Hence, this type of research is regarded as important. However, it is labour consuming as, among others, all the measurments and determination have to be done with high frequency. No wonder that there are relatively few works of this kind, and they are very rare for the soils of the arctic region. The more valuable seem the studies undertaken by the Department of Soil Science on the dynamics of soil properties. For the first time in polar conditions (Spitsbergen) the studies on the redox potential (Eh) and oxygen diffusion rate (ODR) have been carried out on some chosen soils of Calypsostranda (figs 2, 3). The above studies showed that in these soils, especially they gley ones, there are reductive conditions and often even high anaerobiosis. They also give some information on the water-air relation indirectly. Available elements in the studied soils show high dynamics without definite rising or falling trends during the vegetation period. The course of dynamics of Ca, Na, Fe, Mn, and Cu is in the studied soils similar. Some relations between the contents of some elements and soil moisture can be observed in the studied soils. Higher contents of Mg, Fe, Mn, and Cu is accompanied by higher soil moisture level and vice versa. A very valuable contribution to the research work on the soils of Spitsbergen is a synthetic work on the different investigations of soil properties in this region that have been so far conducted by the Polish researchers (Uziak, 1992). Geographers and especially geomorphologists together with pedologists have had a considerable contribution to the research work on the soils of the region. They studies such physical soil properties as: thermal properties, or soil movements (or ground movements). Investigations on the soil environment in Spitsbergen need to be continued. They should concentrate on the following problems (Uziak, 1992): 1) soil forming processes in polar conditions 2) physical, chemical and physico-chemical properties, including vertical movements, water-air relations, composition of the sorptive complex, organic compounds, clay minerals; 384

7 3) the dynamics of chemical, water, and biological properties; 4) studies of ecological character, i.e. of the soil-plant system; 5) preparation of a soil map of the region in which the investigations have been carried; 6) monographic works; In order to fulfill these tasks a research programme for those centres that take part in soil investigations should be worked out. It is also necessary to start closer cooperation with geographers and biologists, and with research teams from other countries that explore that region in still increasing numbers. REFERENCES Jóźwik Z., Magierski J., 1991: Heavy metals in plants and soils of West Spitsbergen (Bellsund Region). Wyprawy Geograficzne na Spitsbergen, UMCS, Lublin. Jóźwik Z., Magierski J., 1992: Trace elements in plants and soils of coastal plains of south Bellsund (Western Spitsbergen). Wyprawy Geograficzne na Spitsbergen, UMCS, Lublin. Klimowicz Z., Uziak S., 1988: Soil-forming processes and soil properties in the Calypsostranda Region (Western Spitsbergen). Polish Polar Research, vol. 9, 1. Klimowicz Z., Melke J., 1991: The influence of lithology and terrain relief on the soil of Calypsostranda. Wyprawy Geograficzne na Spitsbergen, UMCS, Lublin. Klimowicz Z., Melke J., Uziak S.: in press: The influence of relief and lithology on soil formation in West Spitsbergen. VI International Conference on Permafrost, 5-9 July, 1993, Beijing, China. Melke J., Uziak S., 1989: Dynamics of moisture, redox potential and oxygen diffusion rate of some soils from Calypsostranda, Spitsbergen. Polish Polar Research, vol. 10, 1. Melke J., Chodorowski J., Uziak S., 1990: Soil formation and soil properties in the area of Lyellstranda, Dyrstad and Logne in the region of Bellsund (West Spitsbergen). Polish J. Soil Sci., 22, 2. Melke J., Uziak S., 1990: Preliminary studies on the dynamics of available components in some Spitsbergen soils. Wyprawy Geograficzne na Spitsbergen, UMCS, Lublin. Melke J., Uziak S., 1992: Dynamics of some physicochemical properties of the soils from Calypsostranda (Spitsbergen). Wyprawy Geograficzne na Spitsbergen, UMCS, Lublin. Uziak S., 1992: Polish pedological studies on Spitsbergen. A Review. Geographia Polonica 60. Addresses of the authors: dr Zbigniew Klimowicz, prof, dr hab. Stanisław Uziak, dr Jerzy Melke, Department of Soil Science UMCS, Lublin, Akademicka 19, Poland BADANIA GLEBOZNAWCZE W REJONIE POŁUDNIOWEGO BELLSUNDU (ZACHODNI SPITSBERGEN) Streszczenie Praca stanowi wstępne podsumowanie dotychczasowych wyników badań gleboznawczych, prowadzonych w rejonie południowego obrzeża Bellsundu przez Zakład Gleboznawstwa UMCS w Lublinie. Badania objęły następujące zagadnienia: a warunki oraz procesy kształtujące gleby polarne, b klasyfikacja i kartografia gleb, с właściwościfizyczne i chemiczne, d dynamika właściwości glebowych. Przedstawiono ponadto propozycje przyszłych kierunków badań. 385

$UJ oo o\ Tab. 1. Mean and extreme values of selected soil properties (in mineral soils) Texture Hori- SkeleGrain size'content /%/ 0.1zons ton <*0.02 1-0.1 / 4 > 1 mm/ 0.$

8 UJ oo o\ Tab. 1. Mean and extreme values of selected soil properties (in mineral soils) Texture Hori- SkeleGrain size'content /%/ 0.1zons ton <* / 4 > 1 mm/ 0.02 г mm mm A Sandy formations 1 $ " I X/ 58! 42-72^ PH KC1 CaC03 С * % N Available /шй/юо к/ Р 2 5 к O.il G CG A ; A(B> (W G W ; j Aj/C G CG A Loamy formations Silty formations X// mean ^^extreme 1 values values j j i i ' i i

9 sw Fig. 1. Cross-section II (A-B) The foreland of Scott-glacier (Calypsostranda). I topography section, II geological section, III pedological section; soil pits, 1 loam, 2 silt, 3 sand, 4 gravel, 5 stones, 6 humus horizon A, 7 transitional horizon AB, 8 transitional horizon AC, 9 browned horizon B, 10 transitional horizon ВС, 11 parent rock, 12 underlying material D; В brown soil, B(str.) brown stripped soil, G(i) gley initial soil, L lack of soil cover 387

10 Fig. 2. Redox potential (Eh) of brown polygonal soil at depth of 5,10,15 and 20 cm and soil moisture at depth of 5 cm Fig. 3. Oxygen diffusion rate (ODR) of brown polygonal soil at depth of 5,10,15 and 20 cm and soil moisture at depth of 5 cm. 388

11 Fig. 5. Available Fe, Mn and Cu (in mg/l kg of soil) and moisture contents in brown polygonal soil 389

Biosphere. All living things, plants, animals, (even you!) are part of the zone of the earth called the biosphere.

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