638

Site number:

638

Authors:

IBC

Date recorded:

1991/12/02

Reason Sampled:

Soil examination and characterisation

Description:

Approximately 300m to the west of Cape Roberts and 70m from the northern coast; on a south sloping gravel beach ridge

Altitude:

5 m

Aspect:

S

Slope:

3 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Coastal Antarctic

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-18 °C

Frozen ground depth:

0 cm

Frozen type:

Frozen comment:

Geology

Geological setting:

The rocks of the area are granodiorites and gneisses that have been planed by ice and possibly modified by wave action; bedrock outcrops are partly covered with, patchy beach gravels

Patterned ground:

Nil

Surface weathering or surface features:

Oxide staining on some surface rocks; clasts mainly subrounded due to beach abrasion; some granular disintegration of granitic clasts

Soil

Soil parent material:

Sorted coarse beach gravel

Previous disturbance:

Much low intensity human activity in the area

Soil weathering stage:

1 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Patchy snow drift but a dry site with no soil moistening

Biological activity:

Nil at site, cyanobacterial mats are common in the area; considerable local skua activity