Morphological evidence of frost action in Arctic soils
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26485/BP/1962/11/36Keywords:
frost activity, ground ice, tundra soil, soil transformationsAbstract
associated with frost movement with a strictly pedogenic process. In Arctic regions, certain qualitative processes dominate, giving rise to soils such as tundra, marsh, and Arctic brown soils. In some cases, there appears to be very little evidence of frost activity. In other cases, however, the frost process tends to alter and destroy existing morphology. Examples of frost action and related processes that cause changes in Arctic soils include soil movement on slopes, frost movement, distorted profiles, and melting ground ice. These processes cause soil decomposition and the movement of organic-mineral sediments near melting ice lakes. The formation of polygons creates forces that fold and bury soil organic matter, destroying its overall morphology. The soil morphology near the rings, garlands, belts and rocky polygons provides evidence of significant soil transformations.
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