Antarctic soils
Antarctic Soils Explorer
A platform to celebrate Antarctic soils, and the pioneers who set out to research them
This website provides access to historic (1964-1999) soil sample data, recently collated by Manaaki Whenua, allowing for ongoing scientific and cultural research.
Other historic records, such as photographs, field books, publications and verbal accounts have recently been curated and are also presented here to ensure Aotearoa’s Antarctic soils heritage is preserved.
Other historic records, such as photographs, field books, publications and verbal accounts have recently been curated and are also presented here to ensure Aotearoa’s Antarctic soils heritage is preserved.
Data sources and soil reports
Historic and recent soil site and soil pit horizon data
The database contains historic and recent soil site and soil pit horizon data from thirty-five years of soil studies by Drs Iain Campbell and Graeme Claridge, and their colleagues. As well as investigation since 2005 by Dr Malcolm McLeod, Dr Megan Balks, Prof Jim Bockheim and colleagues in Wright Valley, Cape Hallett, and the Darwin Mountains.
Data sources and soil reports
Soils Map Viewer - Ross Sea Region soils sites
View site locations for the Ross Sea Region Soils Database
The Ross Sea Region Soils Database is a 'point' database containing descriptions of over 1,000 soil pits, together with their chemical, physical, and mineralogical characteristics, at soil sites clustered around ice-free areas. Site descriptions include observations of the surrounding geological, topographic and climatic contexts, and local surface features, site moisture, parent material and biology.
