ARCTIC SOIL CLASSIFICATION AND PATTERNED GROUND*

• Main Authors: J. V. Drew, J. C. F. Tedrow
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: counterparts in temperate regions; but often show profile features grading; Arctic; permafrost; Tundra; Alaska
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.500.9277; http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic15-2-109.pdf

P EDOLOGIC studies in the region of continuous permafrost of northern Alaska have revealed a number of genetic soils. These soils have been characterized in terms of their morphology, landscape relationships, geo-graphic range (Tedrow et al. 1958), and seasonal depth of thaw (Drew et al. 1958). In carrying out these field studies it became apparent, however, that certain kinds of arctic microrelief or patterned ground are often associated with specific genetic soils. Furthermore, patterned ground is often respon-sible for major variations in soil conditions within a genetic soil body. The purpose of this paper is to point out certain relationships among arctic soils and patterned ground and to suggest a scheme for the classification of soils associated with arctic microrelief. Major genetic soils With the exception of a few highly generalized soil maps little attempt has been made to classify and map soils in the arctic regions of the world. Studies in northern Alaska indicate, however, that the soil-forming factors of climate, parent material, relief, organisms, and time have produced certain distinctive soil features that may be used to classify soils into several major genetic groupings, which include Lithosols, Regosols, Arctic Brown, Tundra, and Bog. Lithosols and Regosols form either on very young land surfaces or from parent materials that are excessively drained or highly resistant to the soil-forming processes. These soils are similar in many respects to their