Soilscapes and geoenvironments at Stansbury Peninsula, Nelson Island, maritime Antarctica

Considering that the extreme variation in Antarctica's climate has important effects on soil properties and dis-tribution, characterizing and mapping surface landforms in ice-free areas is strategic. We aimed to evaluate the pedogenetic processes, as well as classify and map the different types of soils at Stansbury Peninsula (ST), Nelson Island. In order to stratify the whole environment area of the Peninsula, we used the geosystems' approach, identifying the landscape unit of geoenvironment. We mapped geoenvironments and soils, performing phys-ical-chemical and mineralogical characterizations. Our results suggest that compared to other islands in the South Shetlands, the active layer at Stansbury is thin, so that it is more susceptible to climate change, repre-senting a Key monitoring site for climate change studies. The northwestern area of Stansbury Peninsula is the preferential area for marine birds, mammals nesting and resting places. Hence, higher values of nutrients are recorded in their soils. The climate at ST is harsh due to strong northwest polar winds, which promote wide-spread wind ablation, erosion and contribute to physical weathering, with a high prevalence of periglacial processes under wet conditions, which is typical of this zone of South Shetlands areas, exposed to the Drake passage. Soils at ST are predominantly skeletal, gravelly, with little organic matter and little fauna activity, poor vegetation cover, and high levels of base saturation suggesting limited weathering of volcanic rocks. Soils display a strong characteristic of physical weathering due freezing and thawing process, resulting in typical patterned ground (cryoturbation forming Cryosols), under active periglacial processes. The unique proglacial and peri-glacial geoenvironments of Stansbury are influenced by melting water and widespread snow banks, under wet polar oceanic climate condition.

Automated summary

Considering the significant influence of Antarctica's extreme climate variation on soil properties and distribution, it is strategically important to characterize and map surface landforms in ice-free areas. The focus of this study was on evaluating the formation processes, classifying, and mapping different soil types in Stansbury Peninsula, Nelson Island. A geosystems' approach was used to stratify the entire environment of the peninsula by identifying the geoenvironmental landscape unit. Geoenvironments and soils were mapped, and their physical-chemical and mineralogical characteristics were analyzed. The results show that Stansbury Peninsula has a thin active layer, making it highly susceptible to climate change and an important monitoring site for climate studies. The northwestern area of the peninsula is a preferred location for marine bird and mammal nesting and resting, resulting in nutrient-rich soils. The harsh climate of Stansbury, characterized by strong northwest polar winds, promotes widespread wind erosion and physical weathering, leading to periglacial processes under wet conditions, typical of the South Shetlands areas exposed to the Drake Passage. The soils in Stansbury are predominantly skeletal, gravelly, with limited organic matter and fauna activity, sparse vegetation cover, and low weathering of volcanic rocks based on high levels of base saturation. They display distinctive physical weathering characteristics due to freezing and thawing processes, resulting in patterned ground (Cryosols) under active periglacial processes. The unique proglacial and peri-glacial geoenvironments of Stansbury are influenced by melting water and widespread snow banks under a wet polar oceanic climate condition.