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• Main Authors: F. C. Ugolini, R. E. Reanier
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arctic; toundra; Tundra
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.559.69; http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/cpc/cpc4-103.pdf

The process of podzolization and the formation of Spodosol-like soils in well-drained tundra has been questioned. Standard chemical analyses fail to distinguish between Spodosol-like soils in boreal forest and tundra. As an alternate method to assess present soil processes, tension lysimeters were placed under the horizons of Spodosol-like soils at three sites to collect in situ soil solution. Soil solu-tions obtained by irrigating the soil with deionized water were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, CaZ+, Mg2+, K+, iron, and total organiccarbon. Soils from the lysimeter sites were analyzed for pyro-phosphate and dithionite extractable Fe and Al. In the boreal forest, solid phase and soil solution analyses indicate that the process of podzolization has occurred and is currently occurring. In the boreal forest and tundra transition site, analyses show that podzolization occurs sporadically in wet years. In the tundra, conventional analyses indicate that podzolization has occurred; soil solution indi-cates a weak expression of this process. This study reveals the existence of latitudinal pedogenic gradients related to climate, productivity and biomass degradation, and mineral weathering. Tension lysimetry permits evaluation of soil development rates in the Arctic for the first time. On s'est pencht sur le processus de la podzolisation et sur la formation de sols ressemblant a des spo-dosols dans la toundra bien drainee. Des analyses chimiques courantes n'ont pas permis de distinguer