Chinese Journal of Polar Research

ADVANCES IN POLAR SCIENCE

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Spatial variability of soil nutrients in Punta Fort William, Greenwich Island, maritime Antarctic

Yii Siang Hii1*, Siti Aisyah Alias2, Monica Riofrío3, Nadia Ordóñez4 & Hernán Moreano5   

  1.  
    1 Institute of Oceanography and Environment, University Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu 21030, Malaysia；
    2 Institute of Biological Science, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia；
    3 Instituto Antártico Ecuatoriano, Guayaquil 999165, Ecuador；
    4 Laboratorio de Biomedicina, FIMCM Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litora (ESPOL) Guayaquil, Guayaquil 999165, Ecuador；
    5 Instituto de Investigación Científica y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena, La Libertad, Ecuador
  • Online:1963-12-30 Published:1963-12-30

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Abstract: This study aims to report baseline soil nutrients, specifically the organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus profile, in soil samples collected from Punta Fort William on Greenwich Island in maritime Antarctic. Samples were collected along two transect lines during the early summer of 2008. Ward’s method of hierarchical agglomerative clustering was employed to group the sampling points based on their physico-chemical properties. In this context, the soil samples can be grouped into three major clusters: (1) Samples with intensive biological activities, (2) samples from the area recently exposed by glacial retreat and (3) samples from barren and dried areas. Nutrient contents in Punta Fort William are driven by the intensity of biological activities as well as melt water from the Quito glacier.

Key words: soil nutrients, Antarctic, nitrogen, phosphorus, South Shetland Islands