Ross Sea Region Soil Sites
867000
867
4-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
8.2
6
2.5
15
-1.4
25
-1.6
40
-4.4
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
867a 1-0cm
101
surface cobbles, pebbles, granules
102
unstained to weakly stained
103
subangular to subrounded
104
calcium carbonate coatings beneath many clasts,
867b 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,
867c 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,
867d 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,
867e 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,
867f 25-44
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,
867g 44-46cm
701
light olive grey to pale olive (5Y 6/2 - 6/3) gravelly sand
702
very hard
703
ice-cemented
704
on
705
hard ice-cemented ground
No
Hard ice-cemented
44
1
(44cm)
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 fourth 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 1d and was immediately alongside LTER 1c |
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 noticeable more coarse clasts at the surface |
Soluble Salt |
Concentration |
86700001
867a
1-0cm
-1
0
1.93
40.00
0.09
12.30
none
86700002
867b
0-2cm
0
2
1.97
60.00
0.35
10.60
none
86700003
867c
2-10cm
2
10
1.90
65.00
0.45
8.90
none
86700004
867d
10-18cm
10
18
1.77
82.00
1.20
7.90
none
86700005
867e
18-25cm
18
25
1.57
85.00
1.73
7.80
none
86700006
867f
25-44cm
25
44
1.53
93.00
1.87
7.40
none
86700007
867g
44-46cm
44
46
78.00
10.44
9.80
none
12-Dec-2005
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