Interpreting environmental changes from radionuclides and soil characteristics in different landform contexts of Elephant Island (maritime Antarctica)

47 pags.- 4 Tabls. The definitive version, with Figs., is available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1099145x Soils in ice‐free areas of Elephant Island (South Shetland Islands) have been forming since the last deglaciation following the glacial retreat that started in the area probably l...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Land Degradation & Development
Main Authors: Navas Izquierdo, Ana, Serrano, Enrique, López‐Martínez, Jerónimo, Gaspar Ferrer, Leticia, Lizaga Villuendas, Iván
Other Authors: Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España)
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: John Wiley & Sons 2018
Subjects:
Ice
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/172720
https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2987
https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003329
id ftcsic:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/172720
record_format openpolar
spelling ftcsic:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/172720 2024-02-11T09:58:51+01:00 Interpreting environmental changes from radionuclides and soil characteristics in different landform contexts of Elephant Island (maritime Antarctica) Navas Izquierdo, Ana Serrano, Enrique López‐Martínez, Jerónimo Gaspar Ferrer, Leticia Lizaga Villuendas, Iván Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España) Navas Izquierdo, Ana Gaspar Ferrer, Leticia 2018-09 http://hdl.handle.net/10261/172720 https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2987 https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003329 en eng John Wiley & Sons Postprint https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2987 Sí Navas A, Serrano E, López-Martínez J, Gaspar L, Lizaga I. Interpreting environmental changes from radionuclides and soil characteristics in different landform contexts of Elephant Island (maritime Antarctica). Land Degradation and Development 2 (9): 3141-3158 (2018) 1085-3278 http://hdl.handle.net/10261/172720 doi:10.1002/ldr.2987 1099-145X http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003329 open Soils and Geomorphology Geochemistry Radionuclides Moraines and Platforms West Antarctica artículo http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 2018 ftcsic https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.298710.13039/501100003329 2024-01-16T10:34:20Z 47 pags.- 4 Tabls. The definitive version, with Figs., is available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1099145x Soils in ice‐free areas of Elephant Island (South Shetland Islands) have been forming since the last deglaciation following the glacial retreat that started in the area probably later than 9.7–5.5 ka. In paraglacial landscapes, landforms and processes in transition from glacial to nonglacial conditions are experiencing rapid environmental adjustments under conditions of climate change. Soils are highly sensitive and can be good descriptors of these transitional changes. A soil sampling campaign was undertaken for characterizing soils developed on moraines and marine platforms, underlain by metamorphic rocks and with distinctive periglacial features. Eight soil profiles were sampled to investigate the processes involved in their development and the relations with main landforms and processes of ice retreat. The stony Cryosols with mosses and lichens coverage are developed in permafrost environment with an active layer depth of 15–150 cm. Soil organic C content (0.16–1.6%) and large variations of P, K and N contents are related to ornithogenic activity. Soils on moraines and platforms show differences that reflect the more recent exposure of moraines that preserve most the characteristics of the parent material. More vegetated soils on platforms show 137Cs and 210Pbex activities (11 and 25 Bq kg−1, respectively) at the topsoil whereas absence of 137Cs and depleted levels of 210Pbex occurred in more recently exposed and less developed soils on moraines. Fallout radionuclides are good tracers for identifying characteristics of soil development and providing information on environmental changes of interest to understand the soil response to actual changes in unstable paraglacial environments. This work is supported by the Projects CTM2014‐57119‐R and CGL2014‐52986‐R and the aid of a predoctoral contract (BES‐2015‐071780) of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Peer reviewed Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica Elephant Island Ice permafrost South Shetland Islands West Antarctica Digital.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council) Elephant Island ENVELOPE(-55.184,-55.184,-61.085,-61.085) South Shetland Islands West Antarctica Land Degradation & Development 29 9 3141 3158
institution Open Polar
collection Digital.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council)
op_collection_id ftcsic
language English
topic Soils and Geomorphology
Geochemistry
Radionuclides
Moraines and Platforms
West Antarctica
spellingShingle Soils and Geomorphology
Geochemistry
Radionuclides
Moraines and Platforms
West Antarctica
Navas Izquierdo, Ana
Serrano, Enrique
López‐Martínez, Jerónimo
Gaspar Ferrer, Leticia
Lizaga Villuendas, Iván
Interpreting environmental changes from radionuclides and soil characteristics in different landform contexts of Elephant Island (maritime Antarctica)
topic_facet Soils and Geomorphology
Geochemistry
Radionuclides
Moraines and Platforms
West Antarctica
description 47 pags.- 4 Tabls. The definitive version, with Figs., is available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1099145x Soils in ice‐free areas of Elephant Island (South Shetland Islands) have been forming since the last deglaciation following the glacial retreat that started in the area probably later than 9.7–5.5 ka. In paraglacial landscapes, landforms and processes in transition from glacial to nonglacial conditions are experiencing rapid environmental adjustments under conditions of climate change. Soils are highly sensitive and can be good descriptors of these transitional changes. A soil sampling campaign was undertaken for characterizing soils developed on moraines and marine platforms, underlain by metamorphic rocks and with distinctive periglacial features. Eight soil profiles were sampled to investigate the processes involved in their development and the relations with main landforms and processes of ice retreat. The stony Cryosols with mosses and lichens coverage are developed in permafrost environment with an active layer depth of 15–150 cm. Soil organic C content (0.16–1.6%) and large variations of P, K and N contents are related to ornithogenic activity. Soils on moraines and platforms show differences that reflect the more recent exposure of moraines that preserve most the characteristics of the parent material. More vegetated soils on platforms show 137Cs and 210Pbex activities (11 and 25 Bq kg−1, respectively) at the topsoil whereas absence of 137Cs and depleted levels of 210Pbex occurred in more recently exposed and less developed soils on moraines. Fallout radionuclides are good tracers for identifying characteristics of soil development and providing information on environmental changes of interest to understand the soil response to actual changes in unstable paraglacial environments. This work is supported by the Projects CTM2014‐57119‐R and CGL2014‐52986‐R and the aid of a predoctoral contract (BES‐2015‐071780) of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Peer reviewed
author2 Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España)
Navas Izquierdo, Ana
Gaspar Ferrer, Leticia
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Navas Izquierdo, Ana
Serrano, Enrique
López‐Martínez, Jerónimo
Gaspar Ferrer, Leticia
Lizaga Villuendas, Iván
author_facet Navas Izquierdo, Ana
Serrano, Enrique
López‐Martínez, Jerónimo
Gaspar Ferrer, Leticia
Lizaga Villuendas, Iván
author_sort Navas Izquierdo, Ana
title Interpreting environmental changes from radionuclides and soil characteristics in different landform contexts of Elephant Island (maritime Antarctica)
title_short Interpreting environmental changes from radionuclides and soil characteristics in different landform contexts of Elephant Island (maritime Antarctica)
title_full Interpreting environmental changes from radionuclides and soil characteristics in different landform contexts of Elephant Island (maritime Antarctica)
title_fullStr Interpreting environmental changes from radionuclides and soil characteristics in different landform contexts of Elephant Island (maritime Antarctica)
title_full_unstemmed Interpreting environmental changes from radionuclides and soil characteristics in different landform contexts of Elephant Island (maritime Antarctica)
title_sort interpreting environmental changes from radionuclides and soil characteristics in different landform contexts of elephant island (maritime antarctica)
publisher John Wiley & Sons
publishDate 2018
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/172720
https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2987
https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003329
long_lat ENVELOPE(-55.184,-55.184,-61.085,-61.085)
geographic Elephant Island
South Shetland Islands
West Antarctica
geographic_facet Elephant Island
South Shetland Islands
West Antarctica
genre Antarc*
Antarctica
Elephant Island
Ice
permafrost
South Shetland Islands
West Antarctica
genre_facet Antarc*
Antarctica
Elephant Island
Ice
permafrost
South Shetland Islands
West Antarctica
op_relation Postprint
https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2987

Navas A, Serrano E, López-Martínez J, Gaspar L, Lizaga I. Interpreting environmental changes from radionuclides and soil characteristics in different landform contexts of Elephant Island (maritime Antarctica). Land Degradation and Development 2 (9): 3141-3158 (2018)
1085-3278
http://hdl.handle.net/10261/172720
doi:10.1002/ldr.2987
1099-145X
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003329
op_rights open
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.298710.13039/501100003329
container_title Land Degradation & Development
container_volume 29
container_issue 9
container_start_page 3141
op_container_end_page 3158
_version_ 1790594642959400960