The Nature of Arctic Soils

Soils of the Arctic region occur in one of the coldest parts of the Earth. Therefore, their development is dominated by cryogenic processes, resulting in unique soil properties. In soil classification the permafrost-affected soils are called Gelisols in the USA and Cryosols in Canada. The term Cryosol is also used in the international World Reference Base of soil (WRB) whereas in the Russian soil classification scheme these soils are not recognized as a separate order. Cryoturbation in the active layer is the most important process in turbic permafrost-affected soils. The soils in the Arctic sequestered large amounts of organic carbon and stored this carbon in the subsoil for thousands of years. Most of this carbon is still in a frozen state but has started to be released into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases due to climate warming. These released greenhouse gases in the Arctic then further accelerate the global warming in other parts of the world.