Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
855000
855
2-Dec-1999
IBC
Near Lake Hoare, Taylor Valley, McMurdo Dry Valley region, Transantarctic Mountains
cf. Notes for REASON below
Lake Bonney Quadrangle, Antarctic 1:50,000 Topographic Series, USGS 1975
CS Pro & Lscp
Yes
162.8810
-77.6332
77deg 37.99'S
-162deg -52.86'E
cf. Notes for DESCR below
5
NNE
90
cf. Notes for GEOLAND below
1
6.8
6
1.8
16
-1.2
22
-2.1
46
-5.6
Xerous to subxerous
-20
Coastal mountain
Predominantly granite/gneiss/schist sandy gravel with minor amounts of dolerite, volcanic (scoria), sandstone and marble
Nil observed at site, nematodes present in adjacent soil; some green algae beneath marble clasts in the general area
Moderately developed 10x20m elongate nets with 20cm deep troughs, 75cm wide
SURFACE WEATHERING or |
SURFACE FEATURES |
A few clasts slightly oxidised and some weak ventifaction; grey calcium carbonate coatings abundant beneath many surface clasts
Site probably disturbed by foot traffic activity during biological research activities near the site
855a 1-0cm
101
surface cobbles, pebbles, granules and sand
102
unstained to weakly stained
103
subangular to subrounded
104
calcium carbonate coatings beneath many clasts,
855b 0-2cm
201
light olive grey (5Y 6/2) sandy gravel
202
loose
203
larger rock particles subangular with smaller particles rounded to subrounded
204
carbonate coatings beneath larger clasts
205
diffuse boundary,
855c 2-10cm
301
light olive grey (5Y 6/2) sandy gravel
302
loose
303
larger rock particles subangular with smaller particles rounded to subrounded
304
abundant carbonate coatings around larger and smaller clasts
305
diffuse boundary,
855d 10-18cm
401
light olive grey (5Y 6/2) sandy gravel
402
loose
403
larger rock particles subangular with smaller particles rounded to subrounded
404
abundant carbonate coatings around larger and smaller clasts
405
sharp boundary,
855e 18-25cm
501
light olive grey to pale olive (5Y 6/2 - 6/3) gravelly sand
502
firmly frozen
503
larger rock particles subangular with smaller particles rounded to subrounded
504
many carbonate coatings around larger and smaller clasts
505
diffuse boundary,
855f 25-46
601
light olive grey to pale olive (5Y 6/2 - 6/3) gravelly sand
602
firmly frozen
603
larger rock particles subangular with smaller particles rounded to subrounded
604
few carbonate coatings
605
sharp boundary,
855g 46-48cm
701
light olive grey to pale olive (5Y 6/2 - 6/3) gravelly sand
702
very hard
703
ice-cemented
704
larger rock particles subangular with smaller particles rounded to subrounded, on
705
hard ice-cemented ground
No
Hard ice-cemented
46
1
(46cm)
Reason
Long Term Ecological Research (nematode experimental area) site investigation of soil properties; this site (LTER 1) was chosen for daily repeat sampling to |
see if there were measurable changes in soil moisture over the length of the sampling period; this sampling is the second at this site |
Descr
LTM Datalogger plot, on the south side of Lake Hoare, approximately 100m south of Lake Hoare, on the lower slope of a ridge which forms part of an |
undulating ridge and gully/basin topography; the soil sampling site was on the south and upslope side of the LTM datalogger plot, which comprises a series of |
plastic cones covering the soil surface; the site has an even, stony gravel surface with slope increasing towards the ridge just to the south; this sampling site is |
designated LTER 1b and was immediately alongside LTER 1a |
Geoland
The deposit is unweathered Ross I till, possibly derived from the Canada Glacier but almost certainly with an up-valley influence because of the presence of |
marble clasts from basement rocks; the tills may be fluvio-glacial owing to complex depositional ice-marginal processes as the sand % generally increases |
downwards while there are noticeably more coarse clasts at the surface |
Soluble Salt |
Concentration |
85500001
855a
1-0cm
-1
0
1.83
45.00
0.12
14.40
none
85500002
855b
0-2cm
0
2
1.95
71.00
0.19
7.50
none
85500003
855c
2-10cm
2
10
1.89
70.00
0.46
8.70
none
85500004
855d
10-18cm
10
18
1.82
80.00
0.86
6.00
none
85500005
855e
18-25cm
18
25
1.68
69.00
2.15
6.10
none
85500006
855f
25-46cm
25
46
1.58
88.00
1.99
4.90
none
85500007
855g
46-48cm
46
48
1.16
78.00
10.77
6.80
none
12-Dec-2005
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