Natural variability of major and trace elements in non-ornithogenic Gelisoils at Edmonson Point, northern Victoria Land, Antarctica
Antarctica is perceived as one of the most pristine environments on Earth, though increasing human activities and global climate change raise concerns about preserving the continent’s environmental quality. Limited in distribution, soils are particularly vulnerable to disturbances and pollution, yet...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:fa56741b053548e1a6ebf9b733964333 2023-05-15T13:47:14+02:00 Natural variability of major and trace elements in non-ornithogenic Gelisoils at Edmonson Point, northern Victoria Land, Antarctica Steven D. Emslie Jerzy Smykla Ewa Szarek-Gwiazda Marek Drewnik Wiesław Knap 2018-03-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.24425/118737 https://doaj.org/article/fa56741b053548e1a6ebf9b733964333 EN eng Polish Academy of Sciences https://journals.pan.pl/Content/103303/PDF/P.Polar%201-18%202-J.Smykla%20etal.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/0138-0338 https://doaj.org/toc/2081-8262 0138-0338 2081-8262 https://doi.org/10.24425/118737 https://doaj.org/article/fa56741b053548e1a6ebf9b733964333 Polish Polar Research, Vol vol. 39, Iss No 1, Pp 19-50 (2018) antarctic victoria land soil pedogenesis weathering geochemistry natural background Geology QE1-996.5 article 2018 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.24425/118737 2022-12-30T22:45:26Z Antarctica is perceived as one of the most pristine environments on Earth, though increasing human activities and global climate change raise concerns about preserving the continent’s environmental quality. Limited in distribution, soils are particularly vulnerable to disturbances and pollution, yet lack of baseline studies limits our abilities to recognize and monitor adverse effects of environmental change. To improve the understanding of natural geochemical variability of soils, a survey was conducted in the fellfield environments of Edmonson Point (Victoria Land). Soil samples were analyzed for six major (Fe, Ca, Mg, Na, K and Ti) and 24 trace elements (As, Ba, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Ga, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sn, Sr, Tl, U, V, Y, Zn and Zr). Relationships among element concentrations in the samples and local bedrock were analyzed to identify their origin and similarities in geochemical cycles. Element concentrations in the soils were highly variable but generally within the lowest values reported elsewhere in Antarctica. Though values of Cd, Mn, Ni and Zn were relatively high, they are consistent with those in the local soil-forming rocks indicating an origin from natural sources rather than anthropogenic contamination. Chemical composition of soils vs. rocks pointed to alkali basalts as the lithogenic source of the soil matrix, but also indicated considerable alteration of elemental composition in the soil. Considering local environmental settings, the soil elemental content was likely affected by marine-derived inputs and very active hydrological processes which enhanced leaching and removal of mobilized elements. Both of these processes may be of particular importance within the context of global climate change as the predicted increases in temperature, water availability and length of the summer season would favor mineral weathering and increase geochemical mobility of elements. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Polar Research Victoria Land Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic Victoria Land Edmonson Point ENVELOPE(165.133,165.133,-74.333,-74.333) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
antarctic victoria land soil pedogenesis weathering geochemistry natural background Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
antarctic victoria land soil pedogenesis weathering geochemistry natural background Geology QE1-996.5 Steven D. Emslie Jerzy Smykla Ewa Szarek-Gwiazda Marek Drewnik Wiesław Knap Natural variability of major and trace elements in non-ornithogenic Gelisoils at Edmonson Point, northern Victoria Land, Antarctica |
topic_facet |
antarctic victoria land soil pedogenesis weathering geochemistry natural background Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Antarctica is perceived as one of the most pristine environments on Earth, though increasing human activities and global climate change raise concerns about preserving the continent’s environmental quality. Limited in distribution, soils are particularly vulnerable to disturbances and pollution, yet lack of baseline studies limits our abilities to recognize and monitor adverse effects of environmental change. To improve the understanding of natural geochemical variability of soils, a survey was conducted in the fellfield environments of Edmonson Point (Victoria Land). Soil samples were analyzed for six major (Fe, Ca, Mg, Na, K and Ti) and 24 trace elements (As, Ba, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Ga, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sn, Sr, Tl, U, V, Y, Zn and Zr). Relationships among element concentrations in the samples and local bedrock were analyzed to identify their origin and similarities in geochemical cycles. Element concentrations in the soils were highly variable but generally within the lowest values reported elsewhere in Antarctica. Though values of Cd, Mn, Ni and Zn were relatively high, they are consistent with those in the local soil-forming rocks indicating an origin from natural sources rather than anthropogenic contamination. Chemical composition of soils vs. rocks pointed to alkali basalts as the lithogenic source of the soil matrix, but also indicated considerable alteration of elemental composition in the soil. Considering local environmental settings, the soil elemental content was likely affected by marine-derived inputs and very active hydrological processes which enhanced leaching and removal of mobilized elements. Both of these processes may be of particular importance within the context of global climate change as the predicted increases in temperature, water availability and length of the summer season would favor mineral weathering and increase geochemical mobility of elements. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Steven D. Emslie Jerzy Smykla Ewa Szarek-Gwiazda Marek Drewnik Wiesław Knap |
author_facet |
Steven D. Emslie Jerzy Smykla Ewa Szarek-Gwiazda Marek Drewnik Wiesław Knap |
author_sort |
Steven D. Emslie |
title |
Natural variability of major and trace elements in non-ornithogenic Gelisoils at Edmonson Point, northern Victoria Land, Antarctica |
title_short |
Natural variability of major and trace elements in non-ornithogenic Gelisoils at Edmonson Point, northern Victoria Land, Antarctica |
title_full |
Natural variability of major and trace elements in non-ornithogenic Gelisoils at Edmonson Point, northern Victoria Land, Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Natural variability of major and trace elements in non-ornithogenic Gelisoils at Edmonson Point, northern Victoria Land, Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Natural variability of major and trace elements in non-ornithogenic Gelisoils at Edmonson Point, northern Victoria Land, Antarctica |
title_sort |
natural variability of major and trace elements in non-ornithogenic gelisoils at edmonson point, northern victoria land, antarctica |
publisher |
Polish Academy of Sciences |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.24425/118737 https://doaj.org/article/fa56741b053548e1a6ebf9b733964333 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(165.133,165.133,-74.333,-74.333) |
geographic |
Antarctic Victoria Land Edmonson Point |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Victoria Land Edmonson Point |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Polar Research Victoria Land |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Polar Research Victoria Land |
op_source |
Polish Polar Research, Vol vol. 39, Iss No 1, Pp 19-50 (2018) |
op_relation |
https://journals.pan.pl/Content/103303/PDF/P.Polar%201-18%202-J.Smykla%20etal.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/0138-0338 https://doaj.org/toc/2081-8262 0138-0338 2081-8262 https://doi.org/10.24425/118737 https://doaj.org/article/fa56741b053548e1a6ebf9b733964333 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.24425/118737 |
_version_ |
1766246797318029312 |