Antarctic soils

Antarctic soils

Manaaki Whenua has conducted research in Antarctica for several decades and manages and curates the Antarctic soils database and related materials.

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.

Key features of the Antarctic soils datasets

  • Over 1,000 soil pits at soil sites clustered around ice-free areas.
  • Extending as far south and east as 87º S, 150º E and as far north and west as 72º S, 170º E.
  • For each soil pit, site and soil horizons are described in detail.
  • Site descriptions include observations of the surrounding geological, topographic and climatic contexts, and local surface features, site moisture, parent material and biology.

Data sources and soil reports

14 October 2021

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.

Coverage: Ross Sea Region Antarctica Date: Varies from 1960s to 2000 License: CC-BY-ND 3.0 NZ