『Abstract
The first mention of Antarctic soils dates back to 1916, when
Jensen reported on analyses of samples collected in the McMurdo
area during the British Antarctic Expedition, 1907-1909. With
the advent of the International Geophysical Year in 1958, and
the establishment on the continent of permanent bases by many
nations, an era dedicated to scientific investigations was inaugurated.
New Zealand and American field parties explored the soils of the
McMurdo Dry Valleys region and published their findings in the
early 1960s. Questions about the legitimacy of calling soils a
loose, sandy, grayish material devoid of plants and of an organic
layer were often raised but also answered. A number of soil-forming
processes were identified and also verified was the role of the
soil- forming factors such as time, lithology, and exposure. In
continental Antarctica the biota, except for microorganisms, was
only present in small areas occupied by Bryophyta. An organic
cover, in the form of guano, was also restricted to penguin rookeries.
Chemical weathering and the origin and distribution of salts were
topics investigated by pedologists, geologists and geochemists.
Keywords: Antarctic soils;Soil formation; Weathering; Permafrost
monitoring; Soil history』
1. Introduction
2. History of soil investigations in Antarctica
3. Climate change in Antarctica
4. Environmental issues
5. ANTPAS
6. Key results of this issue
7. Conclusions
Acknowledgments
References