144

Site number:

144

Authors:

IBC, GGC

Date recorded:

1965/01/23

Reason Sampled:

Soil characterisation

Description:

Approximately 3km S of Sponsors Pk and 5.5km NE of Lake Vashka; a broad sloping surface forming part of a ridge and gully complex formed in an exposure of marble bedrock

Altitude:

1025 m

Aspect:

SE

Slope:

8 °

Climate

Soil climate zone:

Central mountain

Estimated mean annual temperature:

-26 °C

Frozen ground depth:

0 cm

Frozen type:

Frozen comment:

Geology

Geological setting:

Marble and hornfels dikes of the Ross Supergroup outcrop in the lower Barwick Valley above the level of Insel Drift; the surface cover is mainly thin disaggregated bedrock although occasional dolerite erratics are present

Patterned ground:

Surface weathering or surface features:

Marble outcrops have a thin crumbly surface; some cavernous weathering on bedrock; carbonate coatings occur beneath some surface stones;

Soil

Soil parent material:

Disaggregated marble with some inclusion of dolerite and sandstone aeolian or drift material

Previous disturbance:

Nil

Soil weathering stage:

4 (Campbell & Claridge 1975)

Soil moisture status:

Xerous to subxerous; site is dry with little available moisture

Biological activity:

Nil observed