Distribution, genesis, and properties of Arctic soils : a case study from the Fuglebekken catchment, Spitsbergen

This paper presents distribution and properties of soils within the Fuglebekken catchment in neighbourhood of the Polish Polar Station in Hornsund, SW Spitsbergen (Svalbard Archipelago). The present study describes 8 representative soil profiles out of 34 profiles studied for the whole catchment. Soils of the Fuglebekken catchment show initial stage of their formation because of very slow rate of chemical and biological weathering in Arctic climate conditions. Upliftedmarine terraces of the Fuglebekken catchment are characterized by domination of Haplic Cryosolswhich are related to stony and gravelly parent material (reworked marine sediments). Such soils constitute of 17% of the studied area. Turbic Cryosols forming characteristic micro−relief occur on flat surfaces and gentle slopes. Such soils (covering 7% of the catchment) are formed from loamy parent material. Along streams Hyperskeletic Cryosols (Reductaquic) and Turbic Histic Cryosols occur. The last two soil units (constituting 11% of the catchment) are mantled by continuous and dense vegetation cover (especially mosses) due to high content of water rich in nutrients flowing from colonies of sea birds located on slopes of Ariekammen and Fugleberget. The studied soils are generally characterized by shallowoccurrence of permafrost (i.e. at 30-50 cm), high content of pebbles, sandy or sandy loam texture, and neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. Soils occurring along streams and near colonies of sea birds show higher content of nutrients (N and P) in comparison with other soils and are covered by more dense vegetation. This indicates important impact of bird guano on chemical composition of soil solution and fertility of such soils

Cyanobacterial and green algal assemblages in various tundra habitats in the high Arctic (West Spitsbergen, Norway)

The diversity of cyanobacteria and algae from various microhabitats in Spitsbergen is comparatively well known. However, the relationships between environmental factors and the structure of microflora communities remain largely unclear. This study was conducted in Hornsund Bay, which exhibits large variability in the physicochemical characteristics of habitats, particularly with regard to the availability of nitrogen and phosphorus. This variability, to a large degree, is caused by seabird colonies, which fertilize nutrient-poor terrestrial ecosystems near their nesting areas. The large variations in ecological conditions and vegetation types in the study area aid assessment of habitats representing different combinations of factors potentially influencing the formation of cyanobacterial and algal assemblages. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of physicochemical parameters on the taxonomic composition and diversity of green algae and cyanobacteria (particularly the coccoid, oscillatorialean, and heterocystous taxa). The study encompassed two groups of habitats – soil surface habitats and water-saturated habitats, both characterized by diverse influences of seabird colonies, vegetation cover, and moisture. Our results showed that taxonomic diversity and composition of cyanobacteria and algae were mainly influenced by P–PO43−, N–NH4+ and Ca2+ (soil surface habitats), and NO3−, as well as moisture (index of wetness) and pH (water-saturated habitats). The variability of these physicochemical properties was largely due to the variability of the seabird colony influence. Taken together, our findings aid in understanding the processes of formation of phycoflora assemblages in Arctic tundra

Feasibility of hyperspectral vegetation indices for the detection of chlorophyll concentration in three high Arctic plants: Salix polaris, Bistorta vivipara, and Dryas octopetala

Remote sensing, which is based on a reflected electromagnetic spectrum, offers a wide range of research methods. It allows for the identification of plant properties, e.g., chlorophyll, but a registered signal not only comes from green parts but also from dry shoots, soil, and other objects located next to the plants. It is, thus, important to identify the most applicable remote-acquired indices for chlorophyll detection in polar regions, which play a primary role in global monitoring systems but consist of areas with high and low accessibility. This study focuses on an analysis of in situ-acquired hyperspectral properties, which was verified by simultaneously measuring the chlorophyll concentration in three representative arctic plant species, i.e., the prostrate deciduous shrub Salix polaris, the herb Bistorta vivipara, and the prostrate semievergreen shrub Dryas octopetala. This study was conducted at the high Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, Norway. Of the 23 analyzed candidate vegetation and chlorophyll indices, the following showed the best statistical correlations with the optical measurements of chlorophyll concentration: Vogelmann red edge index 1, 2, 3 (VOG 1, 2, 3), Zarco-Tejada and Miller index (ZMI), modified normalized difference vegetation index 705 (mNDVI 705), modified normalized difference index (mND), red edge normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI 705), and Gitelson and Merzlyak index 2 (GM 2). An assessment of the results from this analysis indicates that S. polaris and B. vivipara were in good health, while the health status of D. octopetala was reduced. This is consistent with other studies from the same area. There were also differences between study sites, probably as a result of local variation in environmental conditions. All these indices may be extracted from future satellite missions like EnMAP (Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program) and FLEX (Fluorescence Explorer), thus, enabling the efficient monitoring of vegetation condition in vast and inaccessible polar areas

Wartości przyrodnicze, zagrożenia i ochrona ekosystemów wysokogórskich Karkonoskiego Parku Narodowego =Natural values, threats and protection of high mountain ecosystems of the Karkonosze National Park

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Uwagi do dwóch torfowisk subalpejskich w Karkonoszach =Notes on two subalpine mires in the Giant Mountains

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Torfowisko w dolinie Łomnicy :pierwsze pojeziorne torfowisko w polskiej części Karkonoszy = The Łomnica valley peatland : the first lake-fill mire in the Polish part of the Giant Mountains

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