556

Site number:

556

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1988/01/21

Reason Sampled:

Soil weathering examination

Description:

Walcott Bay, to the east of Walcott Glacier; approximately 2km east of Walcott Glacier; on the floor of an inactive stream channel with scattered moss patches; the site is beneath a moss patch

Altitude:

300 m

Aspect:

Nil

Slope:

0 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Coastal Antarctic

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-21 °C

Frozen ground depth:

0 cm

Frozen type:

Frozen comment:

Geology

Geological setting:

The Walcott Bay area has a complex geology with basement rocks, small volcanic cones and an extensive drift mantle which include a wide range of rocks; the lower altitude surfaces represent the most recently exposed surfaces following retreat of ice from Walcott Bay and the nearby alpine glaciers; the lower slopes are extensively ice-cored and the landscape is being actively modified in places by thermokarst processes

Patterned ground:

Nil

Surface weathering or surface features:

The moss has some sand on the surface and is probably windblown; the adjacent surface without a moss cover is unweathered loose sandy pebble gravel

Soil

Soil parent material:

Sandy gravel alluvium with a moss cover

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

6 1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Oceanic subxerous; the site is currently dry but probably receives occasional water flows from snow thaw

Biological activity:

Moss cover in small patches with adjacent dead patches with surface salt accumulation