Entisol Development on Foreshore and Aeolian Dune Sediments in the Hudson Bay Lowlands near Churchill, Manitoba.Abstract: Entisols, located on the coastal region of Hudson Bay Hudson Bay, inland sea of North America, c.475,000 sq mi (1,230,000 sq km), c.850 mi (1,370 km) long and c.650 mi (1,050 km) wide, E central Canada. Hudson Bay and James Bay (its southern extension) and all their islands border Nunavut Territory, Manitoba, Ontario, near Churchill, Manitoba, were investigated to document soil development and to indicate which weathering processes are active. Sampling sites represent the hearth-lichen, stable dune, open dune and strand vegetational communities. Generally the soils reflect the interaction between the tundra and the Hudson Bay coastal climatic environments. The parent materials are derived mostly from Hudson Bay, consisting of sand sized particles having an overall felsic fel·sic adj. Containing a group of light-colored silicate minerals that occur in igneous rocks. [fel(dspar) + s(ilica) + -ic. composition. Sea spray from Hudson Bay contributes a constant flux of elements typically associated with seawater seawater Water that makes up the oceans and seas. Seawater is a complex mixture of 96.5% water, 2.5% salts, and small amounts of other substances. Much of the world's magnesium is recovered from seawater, as are large quantities of bromine. . The cold climate fosters the preservation of organic matter and during the four ice-free months sufficient rainfall guarantees a leaching environment. Root activity stabilizes the parent materials underlying the various plant communities, with the hearth-lichen community showing the greatest soil stabilization, followed by the stable dune communities. The plant communities also co ntribute organic materials to these young soils, increasing the cation exchange capacity In soil science, cation exchange capacity (CEC) is the capacity of a soil for ion exchange of positively charged ions between the soil and the soil solution. A positively-charged ion, which has fewer electrons than protons, is known as a cation due to its attraction to cathodes. and promoting soil fertility. The soils are susceptible to water erosion and especially wind erosion wind erosion n → erosión f del viento . Thus, human activity needs to be monitored to reduce the stress to these fragile systems. Key Words: Soil genesis, gelisols, entisols. Introduction Entisols are soils that have little or no evidence of pedogenic horizons and such soils are common in subarctic sub·arc·tic adj. Of or resembling regions just south of the Arctic Circle. subarctic Relating to the geographic area just south of the Arctic Circle. and arctic regions (Soil Survey Staff, 1975). These soils may contain sufficient levels of organic matter to darken dark·en v. dark·ened, dark·en·ing, dark·ens v.tr. 1. a. To make dark or darker. b. To give a darker hue to. 2. To fill with sadness; make gloomy. 3. or pigment the surface horizon, but not to the extent that the horizon may be termed either a histic or mollic epipedon. Additionally, leaching may occur, but not to the extent that plasma migration produces distinct soil horizons. Gelisols are soils that are impacted by permafrost permafrost, permanently frozen soil, subsoil, or other deposit, characteristic of arctic and some subarctic regions; similar conditions are also found at very high altitudes in mountain ranges. . The lack of permafrost in the study area is attributed to the shallowness of the soils and the hard, relatively unweathered quartzite quartzite, usually metamorphic rock composed of firmly cemented quartz grains. Most often it is white, light gray, yellowish, or light brown, but is sometimes colored blue, green, purple, or black by included minerals. bedrock. Environmental conditions that limit the amount of water and thermal energy thermal energy Internal energy of a system in thermodynamic equilibrium (see thermodynamics) by virtue of its temperature. A hot body has more thermal energy than a similar cold body, but a large tub of cold water may have more thermal energy than a cup of boiling available for chemical weathering, such as in the subarctic, may limit soil profile development and lead to widespread Entisol In USA soil taxonomy, Entisols are defined as soils that do not show any profile development. An Entisol has no diagnostic horizons, and most are basically unaltered from their parent rock. expression. Parent materials that are resistant to chemical weathering because of their extreme hardness or the presence of resistant minerals may also inhibit the development of a soil profile. Frequently, Entisol development is dominated by physical weathering processes and chemical weathering processes are of minor importance. Physical weathering is a climatically dominated set of mechanical processes that result in the disintegration of rock materials into sand and silt separates (Buol et al., 1989). Examples of physical weathering include: (1) ice or salt crystal formation, (2) root pressure from plant growth, (3) abrasion from wave action, and (4) the release of overburden pressures because of glacial ice retreat. Although physical weathering processes are highly evident in arctic and alpine climates, nascent chemical weathering may be expressed as (1) rock etching and metal chelation Chelation The process by which a molecule encircles and binds to a metal and removes it from tissue. Mentioned in: Heavy Metal Poisoning chelation by root exudates from lichens Lichens Symbiotic associations of fungi (mycobionts) and photosynthetic partners (photobionts). These associations always result in a distinct morphological body termed a thallus that may adhere tightly to the substrate or be leafy, stalked, or hanging. and other plant species, (2) leaching of alkaline and alkaline earth alkaline earth n. The oxides of calcium, strontium, radium, and barium, and sometimes magnesium. cations, and (3) the hydration hydration /hy·dra·tion/ (hi-dra´shun) the absorption of or combination with water. hy·dra·tion n. 1. The addition of water to a chemical molecule without hydrolysis. 2. and hydrolysis hydrolysis (hīdrŏl`ĭsĭs), chemical reaction of a compound with water, usually resulting in the formation of one or more new compounds. of selected minerals (Buol et al., 1989). The soils of the coastal region of Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba, represent a natural resource that supports a wide variety of arctic maritime, tundra, and boreal forest boreal forest Noun the forest of northern latitudes, esp. in Scandinavia, Canada, and Siberia, consisting mainly of spruce and pine [Latin boreas the north wind] species, as well as, providing nesting sites for many birds. Recent human settlement is beginning to impact this resource area, as evident by a resumption of wind erosion in selected areas that have been disturbed by vehicles. Thus, baseline data concerning the soils and their vegetational status is important to adequately manage this resource area. The purpose of this investigation was to document the extent of soil development of a representative coastal region of the Hudson Bay lowlands Just as the Innuitian Mountains are not well known, the Hudson Bay Lowlands are also not familiar to most Canadians. This is a small, poorly drained piece of wetlands wedged between the Canadian Shield and southern shores of Hudson Bay and James Bay. and to indicate which weathering processes are most responsible for soil development. Materials and Methods Study Area: The study area is located adjacent to the town of Churchill, Manitoba. Churchill (58[degrees]45' N (Lat (Local Area Transport) A communications protocol from Digital for controlling terminal traffic in a DECnet environment. LAT - Local Area Transport .), 94[degrees]04' W (Long.)) is a part of the Province of Manitoba, Canada, and resides along the western shore of Hudson Bay, corresponding to the juncture of the Arctic Tundra, Boreal Forest and Arctic Marine biomes. The entire region is underlain un·der·lain v. Past participle of underlie. by the Canadian Precambrian Shield. Locally, the Precambrian Shield in the study area consists of a Precambrian quartzite (Churchill quartzite) and recent foreshore foreshore: see beach. sand deposits and backshore backshore: see beach. aeolian Ae·o·li·an adj. 1. Of or relating to Aeolis or its people or culture. 2. Greek Mythology Of or relating to Aeolus. 3. aeolian Variant of eolian. n. 1. sandy deposits (Beals, 1968). With the waning of the Wisconsin Laurentide ice sheet Laurentide Ice Sheet Principal glacial cover of North America during the Pleistocene epoch (1.8 million–10,000 years ago). At its maximum extent it spread as far south as latitude 37° N and covered an area of more than 5 million sq mi (13 million sq km). , the region has experienced isostatic i·sos·ta·sy n. Equilibrium in the earth's crust such that the forces tending to elevate landmasses balance the forces tending to depress landmasses. rebound, currently at a rate of 1 cm [yr.sup.-1]. The intertidal in·ter·tid·al adj. Of or being the region between the high tide mark and the low tide mark. in pool varies locally from several meters to several kilometers. Tidal elevations range from a maximum of 4.3 m to 3.4 m. Portions of the study area have been repeatedly abraded by thrusted ice blocks from Hudson Bay and the entire study area has been exposed to salt spr ay (Johnson, 1987). The subarctic climate Regions having a subarctic climate (also called boreal climate) are characterized by long, usually very cold winters, and brief, warm summers. It is found on large landmasses, away from the moderating effects of an ocean, generally at latitudes from 50° to 70°N. of the study area has long cold winters and short cool summers with variable spring and fall seasons. The average July temperature is 12[degrees]C (54[degrees]F) and the average January temperature is -28[degrees]C (-18[degrees]F). Frost and snow may occur at any time, but such precipitation is rare in the summer season. Precipitation is 40 cm per year, slightly more than half (22 cm) falling as rain. Fog and wind are common. The Hudson Bay coastline is ice-free between four to five months of the year (Johnson, 1989). The landscape of the study area consists of a foreshore bounded by Hudson Bay and either (1) shallow quartzite rock cliffs, possibly supporting aeolian dune formations, or (2) a backshore area containing aeolian dune formations (Fig. 1). The foreshore area is composed of shifting coarse sandy materials that are not considered soil materials because of their constant reworking by wave action. Sandy beach Sandy Beach (location ) is on the South Shore of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi. It is known for its shorebreak for bodyboarding and bodysurfing. The area is also known for its strong current and dangerous shorebreak. areas within the foreshore region that possess halophytes and hardy colonizers of the somewhat unstable sediments constitute the strand community. The aeolian dunes within the backshore region are partitioned into two communities: the open dune community and the stable dune community. Inland from the foreshore region, unstable sand dunes support a sparse and limited range of colonizing plants, most having an extensive system of roots, which assist in anchoring of the sandy sediment. Above and beyond the unstable dunes are stable dunes with a nearly complete canopy of plants. The lush Lichen-Hearth community develops in thin, somewhat poorly drained, peaty soils overlying overlying suffocation of piglets by the sow. The piglets may be weak from illness or malnutrition, the sow may be clumsy or ill, the pen may be inadequate in size or poorly designed so that piglets cannot escape. the Churchill quartzite formations. Table 1 lists the relative abundance of the plants species identified for each community. Other than protosoils, two soil suborders within the Entisol suborder suborder /sub·or·der/ (sub´or-der) a taxonomic category between an order and a family. sub·or·der n. A taxonomic category ranking between an order and a family. have been identified in the study area. Soils of the subgroup Lithic lith·ic 1 adj. Consisting of or relating to stone or rock. Adj. 1. lithic - of or containing lithium 2. lithic - relating to or composed of stone; "lithic sandstone" Cryorthents are associated with the Lichen-Hearth community. These structureless soils are extremely shallow (1015 cm), dark brown (10YR3/3) entisols, consisting of almost entirely fibrous, finely divided, organic materials thoroughly intermixed with a well-sorted, coarse sandy sediment. This horizon abruptly rests on hard, unweathered Churchill quartzite. Soils of the subgroup Pergelic Cryopsamments are associated with the open and stable dune communities. Soils in the open dune community present 10 to 13 cm of sandy textured, light brownish gray (10YR6/3) to very pale brown (lOYR 7/3) soil overlying unconsolidated sandy aeolian parent materials. The soils within the stable dune community present slightly darker surface horizons because of the more intense intermixing of tiny fibers of organic materials. Laboratory Analysis: Sampling sites were selected to represent the hearth-lichen, stable dune, open dune and strand vegetation communities. Plant identification was confirmed using several plant identification guides (Johnson, 1987; Ritchie, 1956; and Scoggan, 1959). Soil sampling and description followed the methods of Soil Survey Staff (1984) and soil classification was based Soil Survey Staff (1975). Samples taken for routine physical and chemical analysis were air-dried and sieved to remove course fragments. Sample splits were oven-dried for chemical analysis. The particle size distribution The particle size distribution[1] ("PSD") of a powder, or granular material, or particles dispersed in fluid, is a list of values or a mathematical function that defines the relative amounts of particles present, sorted according to size. was estimated using the hydrometer hydrometer (hīdrŏm`ətər), device used to determine directly the specific gravity of a liquid. It usually consists of a thin glass tube closed at both ends, with one end enlarged into a bulb that contains fine lead shot or mercury to method with sieving of the sand separate (Carter, 1993). Routine soil characterization (ammonium acetate Ammonium acetate is a chemical compound with the formula NH4C2H3O2. It is a white solid, which can be derived from the reaction of ammonia and acetic acid. It is available commercially, and depending on grade, can be rather inexpensive. extraction of exchangeable bases, KCI KCI Kansas City International (airport) KCI Kennel Club of India KCI Key Club International KCI Korea Concrete Institute KCI Kitchener Collegiate Institute KCI Kids Central, Inc. KCI The Kitchen Collection, Inc. KCI Kodak Canada Inc. extraction of exchangeable acidity, KCI extraction of exchangeable Al, pH, Walkley-Black analysis for organic carbon) are described in Carter (1993) and Soil Survey Staff (1992). Phosphorus extraction was with dilute acid and ammonium fluoride Ammonium fluoride, [NH4]F, may be obtained by neutralizing ammonia with hydrofluoric acid. It crystallizes as small prisms, having a sharp saline taste, and is exceedingly soluble in water. , followed by colorimetric analysis Noun 1. colorimetric analysis - quantitative chemical analysis by color using a colorimeter colorimetry quantitative analysis, quantitative chemical analysis - chemical analysis to determine the amounts of each element in the substance (Soil Survey Staff, 1992). Results and Discussion The type and extent of soil development is commonly considered to be the result of the interaction of five soil forming factors: the parent material, the climate, the activity of plant and animals, the landscape's topography, and the time span since soil development began (Buol et al., 1989). Parent Material: The parent material consists of well sorted, sandy textured sediments deposited in the intertidal areas and then transported a short distance to form aeolian dunes. Optical microscopic observation of the sand grains indicates that quartz is the dominant mineral, followed by smaller amounts of orthoclase orthoclase Common alkali feldspar mineral, potassium aluminosilicate (KAlSi3O8), that usually occurs as variously coloured grains in granite. Orthoclase is used in the manufacture of glass and ceramics; occasionally, transparent crystals are cut as gems. and plagioclase feldspars. Dune materials are well sorted (Table 2) with coarse sand grains (0.4 - 2 mm) constituting approximately 80% of the parent material. The extent of sorting is consistent with dune materials (Blatt et al., 1980). Soils having hearth-lichen communities are generally located in either rock outcrop areas protected from wave activity or on outcrops of the Churchill quartzite. In either case, thin veneers of sandy textured materials, nearly identical to the dune parent materials in terms of their grain size distributions, overlie o·ver·lie tr.v. o·ver·lay , o·ver·lain , o·ver·ly·ing, o·ver·lies 1. To lie over or on. 2. To suffocate (a baby, for example) by accidentally lying on top of it. the Churchill quartzite. The Churchill quartzite is not considered as the parent material because of inconsistencies in grain size, accessory minerals, and silica overgrowths. Isostatic rebound is increasingly isolating the hearth-lichen and dune communities from the intertidal area. The lack of chemical weathering is evident by the absence of clay and the near absence of silt ([less than] 1%), the lack of oxide coatings on the sand grains, and the lack of significant accumulations of humus humus (hy  `məs), organic matter that has decayed to a relatively stable, amorphous state. It is an important biological constituent of fertile soil. . Although considerable quantities of organic material exists
within many of the soils, particularly in the Lithic Cryorthents, the
degree of organic matter decomposition is limited. Microscopic
examination of the finely divided organic matter reveals a fibrous
texture with easily detachable organic coatings on sand grains.
The Influence of Climate: The frigid temperatures reduce biomass productivity and foster its preservation. Additionally, the influence of ice wedging and ice crystal formation inhibits the formation of soil structure. Many of the typical active layer processes involving pattemed ground and permafrost (French, 1988; Harry, 1988) are not evident because of the shallowness to bedrock. The presence of fog is common in summer, further reducing evapotranspiration evapotranspiration Loss of water from the soil both by evaporation from the soil surface and by transpiration from the leaves of the plants growing on it. Factors that affect the rate of evapotranspiration include the amount of solar radiation, atmospheric vapor pressure, rates and maintaining moist soil conditions. Salt spray from Hudson Bay provides additional quantities of [Na.sup.+], [C1.sup.-], and [[SO.sub.4].sup.=] to the study area. The Influence of Plant Communities: Two major consequences of plant activity on soil development are evident within the study area. The extensive root systems of broadleaf broad·leaf adj. Broad-leaved. Adj. 1. broadleaf - having relatively broad rather than needlelike or scalelike leaves broad-leafed, broad-leaved and grass-sedges within the open and stable dune communities protect the dune deposits from wind erosion and permit the inception of soil development. The presence of organic matter, even if not completely humified hu·mi·fied adj. Converted into humus. Adj. 1. humified - converted to humus; "humified soil" , dramatically increases the soil's cation exchange capacity (CEC (Central Electronic Complex) The set of hardware that defines a mainframe, which includes the CPU(s), memory, channels, controllers and power supplies included in the box. Some CECs, such as IBM's Multiprise 2000 and 3000, include data storage devices as well. ), particularly for soils of the Lithic Cryorthents series (Table 3). Figure 2 demonstrates that organic matter is significantly correlated with the CEC. The soil's CEC has traditionally been associated with retaining cations ([Ca.sup.2+], [Mg.sup.2+], [K.sup.+], [[NH.sub.4].sup.+], [Zn.sup.2+], [Mn.sup.2+], [Fe.sup.2+], [Cu.sup.2+], [Co.sup.2+]) that are important nutrients for plant growth and development (Brady, 1990). Additionally, the mineralization Mineralization The process by which the body uses minerals to build bone structure. Mentioned in: Rickets mineralization, n the bioprecipitation of an inorganic substance. of organic matter provides for the release of [[NH.sub.4].sup.+], [[HPO HPO 1. hyperbaric (high-pressure) oxygenation. 2. hypertrophic pulmonary osteodystrophy. .sub.4].sup.=] and [[SO.sub.4].sup.=] (Brady, 1990). Th us, the incorporation of organic materials is a important soil forming process that not only modifies soil profile development, but also enhances the soil's fertility status. The exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP (1) (Enhanced Service Provider) An organization that adds value to basic telephone service by offering such features as call-forwarding, call-detailing and protocol conversion. ) is the ratio of exchangeable sodium to the soil's CEC (Stuum and Morgan, 1981). All soils show significant levels of exchangeable sodium, particularly the strand community. The elevated sodium expression in the strand community may easily be attributed to the daily innundation of marine waters from Hudson Bay. The Hearth-Lichen and dune communities possess ESP values ranging from 1.8 to 5.4. The abundance of [Na.sup.+] may be attributed to salt spray from Hudson Bay; however, the relative consistency of the ESP in soils with a variable CEC suggests that sodium leaching is a significant soil process (stuum and Morgan, 1981). Relief: The relief of a landscape may have a profound influence on soil profile development by modifying soil water relationships, erosional tendencies, and soil temperatures. Sites #6 and #8 represent summit positions within the stable dune and open dune communities, respectively, whereas sites #5 and #7 represent concave Concave Property that a curve is below a straight line connecting two end points. If the curve falls above the straight line, it is called convex. , sideslope positions within these respective dune communities. Organic matter contents reflect the soil's topographic position; in that, concave positions exhibit darker soil colors and higher organic matter contents. Two mechanisms may be presented to account for the influence of topography on organic matter contents. Summit positions are more prone to wind erosion and organic matter concentrations may be preferentially destroyed. Secondly, concave positions likely have slightly higher soil moisture contents, thus supporting a greater plant biomass and a higher potential for the production of soil carbon. Conclusions Soil development is extremely limited because of the extremes of climate and the resistance of the parent material to weathering. The major soil forming processes are the leaching of soluble ions and the incorporation of organic materials to darken and stabilize the soil surface. Given the unstable nature of the study area, protection should include limiting access to the area of all-terrain vehicle all-ter·rain vehicle n. Abbr. ATV A small, open motor vehicle having one seat and three or more wheels fitted with large tires. It is designed chiefly for recreational use over roadless, rugged terrain. to protect the vegetation and limit accelerated wind erosion. Future research should be directed to the flux of metals through the soil systems and erosion abatement. Literature Cited Beals, C.S. 1968. Science, history and Hudson Bay, Vol. II. Canada Dept. of energy, mines and resources. Ottawa, Canada. Blatt, H., G. Middleton, and R. Murray. 1980. Origin of sedimentary rocks. Prentice-Hall. Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Brady, N.C. 1990. The nature and properties of soils. Macmillian, NY. Buol, S.W., F.D. Hole, and R.J. McCracken. 1989. Soil genesis and classification. Iowa State Univ. Press. Ames, Iowa. Carter, M.R. (ed.). 1993. Soil sampling and methods of analysis. Canadian Soc. Soil Sci. CRC (Cyclical Redundancy Checking) An error checking technique used to ensure the accuracy of transmitting digital data. The transmitted messages are divided into predetermined lengths which, used as dividends, are divided by a fixed divisor. Press. Boca Raton, FL. French, H.M. 1988. Active layer processes. p. 151-177. In M.J. Clark (ed.). Advances in periglacial ''You may be looking for paraglacial, meaning unstable conditions related to local glaciation in the recent past. Periglacial is an adjective referring to places in the edges of glacial areas, normally those related to past ice ages rather than those in the modern era. geomorphology geomorphology, study of the origin and evolution of the earth's landforms, both on the continents and within the ocean basins. It is concerned with the internal geologic processes of the earth's crust, such as tectonic activity and volcanism that constructs new . John Wiley and Sons. NY Harry, D.G. 1988. Ground ice and permafrost. p.113-149. In M.J. Clark (ed.). Advances in periglacial geomorphology. John Wiley and Sons. NY. Johnson, K.L. 1987. Wildflowers of Churchill and the Hudson Bay region. Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature. Winnipeg, Manitoba. Ritchie, J.C. 1956. The native plants of Churchill, Manitoba. National Museums of Canada National museums of Canada are operated by four Crown corporations, established on July 1, 1990, by the Museums Act (1990): The National Gallery of Canada Corporation, the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation, the . Ottawa, Canada. Scoggan, H.J. 1959. The native flora of Churchill, Manitoba. National Museums of Canada. Ottawa, Canada. Soil Survey Staff. 1975. Soil Taxonomy. A basic system of soil classification for making and interpreting soil surveys. Agric. Handbook No. 436. U.S. Gov. Print. Off., Washington, DC. Soil Survey Staff. 1984. Procedures for collecting soil samples and methods for analysis for soil survey. Soil Survey Inves. Report. No. 1., Washington, DC. Soil Survey Staff. 1992. Soil survey laboratory methods manual. Soil Survey Inves. Report. No. 42., Washington, DC. Stumm, W., and J.J. Morgan. 1981. Aquatic chemistry: An introduction emphasizing chemical equilibria in natural waters. Wiley-Interscience. New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , N.Y.
Plant communities in the foreshore
and dune habitats.
Common name Scientific name
Strand and Salt Marsh Communities
Arctic Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum arcticum L.
Four-Leaved Mare's-Tail Hippuris tetraphylla L.f.
Scurvy-Grass Cochlearia officinalis L.
Sea-Beach Sandwort Honckenya peploides (L.) Ehrh.
Seaside-Sedge Carex maritima Gunn.
Seaside Lungwort Mertensia maritima (L.) Gray
Sea-Shore Chamomile Matricaria ambigua Kryl.
Seaside Plantain Plantago juncoides Lam.
Smooth Orache Atriplex glabriuscula Edmon.
Western Dock Rumex occidentalis S. Wats.
Open Dune Communities
Sea-Lime grass Elymus arenarius L. ssp.
Purple Paintbrush Castilleja raupii Pennell
Yarrow Achillea nigrescens E. Mey.
Spike Trisetum Trisetum spicatum (L.) Richter
Alpine Fescue Festuca brachyphylla Schultes
Pygmyflower Androsace septentrionalis L.
Sea-Shore Chamomile [not known]
Red Bearberry Arctostaphylos alpina (L.) Spreng
Cinquefoil Potentilla multifida L.
Sand-Dwelling Rock-Cress Arabis arenicola Gelert (Richards.)
Stable Dunes
Red Bearberry [unknown]
Glacier Sedge Carex glacialis Mack.
Sweet Vetch Hedysarum mackenzii Richards.
Yarrow [unknown]
White Mountain-Avens Dryas integrifolia M. Vahl.
Purple Painbrush [unknown]
Snow Willow Salix reticulata L.
Fireweed Epilobium angustifolium L.
Canada Buffaloberry Shepherdia canadensis (L.) Nutt.
Broad-Leaved Fireweed Epilobium latifolium L.
Lichen-Hearth Community
Red Bearberry [+] [unknown]
Alpine Azalea [+] Loiseleuria procumbens (L.) Desv.
Alpine Milk-Vetch Astragalus alpinus L.
Snow Willow [unknown]
Alpine Bilberry [+] Vaccinium uliginosum L.
Black Crowberry Empetrum nigrum L.
White Mountain-Avens [unknown]
Lapland Lousewort Pedicularis lapponica L.
Dry-Ground Cranberry [+] Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.
Lapland Rose-Bay [+] Rhododendron Lapponicum (L.) Wahlenb.
Common name Abundance
Strand and Salt Marsh Communities
Arctic Chrysanthemum common
Four-Leaved Mare's-Tail common
Scurvy-Grass rare
Sea-Beach Sandwort common
Seaside-Sedge common
Seaside Lungwort rare
Sea-Shore Chamomile common
Seaside Plantain common
Smooth Orache rare
Western Dock common
Open Dune Communities
Sea-Lime grass common
Purple Paintbrush abundant
Yarrow abundant
Spike Trisetum common
Alpine Fescue common
Pygmyflower abundant
Sea-Shore Chamomile common
Red Bearberry abundant
Cinquefoil common
Sand-Dwelling Rock-Cress rare
Stable Dunes
Red Bearberry abundant
Glacier Sedge rare
Sweet Vetch common
Yarrow abundant
White Mountain-Avens abundant
Purple Painbutsh abundant
Snow Willow common
Fireweed common
Canada Buffaloberry common
Broad-Leaved Fireweed rare
Lichen-Hearth Community
Red Bearberry [+] abundant
Alpine Azalea [+] common
Alpine Milk-Vetch common
Snow willow common
Alpine Bilberry [+] common
Black Crowberry abundant
White Mountain-Avens abundant
Lapland Lousewort common
Dry-Ground Cranberry [+] common
Lapland Rose-Bay [+] abundant
(+.)= Health family
Soil physical properties at the
study area of Churchill, Manitoba.
Sand Separate Partition
Site Texture [greater than]2mm 0.4-2mm
% %
Hearth-Lichen Community
2 sand 0.0 81.3
3 sand 0.0 71.2
4 sand 0.1 80.4
Stable Dune Community
5 sand 0.0 27.6
6 sand 0.3 78.9
Open Dune Community
7 sand 0.0 87.5
8 sand 0.0 81.5
Strand Community
9 sand 14.3 84.9
Sand Separate Partition
Site 0.25-0.4mm 0.15-0.25mm 0.05-0.15mm
% % %
Hearth-Lichen Community
2 16.4 2.0 0.3
3 22.6 5.2 0.9
4 15.5 1.0 0.3
Stable Dune Community
5 5.4 0.3 0.2
6 19.3 0.6 0.1
Open Dune Community
7 11.1 0.3 0.2
8 17.8 0.2 0.0
Strand Community
9 19.3 0.6 0.0
Sand Separate Partition
Site [less than]0.05mm
%
Hearth-Lichen Community
2 0.0
3 0.1
4 0.1
Stable Dune Community
5 0.1
6 0.1
Open Dune Community
7 0.1
8 0.0
Strand Community
9 0.0
All values are referenced to the
non-organic (inorganic) fraction.
Soil chemical properties at the
study area of Churchill, Manitoba.
Site pH Ca Mg K Na CEC
cmol(P+)/kg-soil
Hearth-Lichen Community
1 6.4 15.4 6.3 0.6 0.4 22.6
2 6.5 14.1 4.6 0.4 0.4 19.5
3 6.6 13.4 5.7 0.3 0.4 19.8
4 6.9 6.7 1.9 0.2 0.5 9.3
Stable Dune Community
5 6.6 7.2 1.5 0.2 0.3 9.2
6 6.4 5.0 0.4 0.1 0.2 5.7
Open Dune Community
7 6.5 6.2 0.6 0.1 0.2 7.1
8 6.7 4.4 0.7 0.1 0.2 5.4
Strand Community
9 6.6 6.9 1.0 0.1 1.5 9.6
Site Organic Matter ESP
% %
Hearth-Lichen Community
1 22.7 1.8
2 18.1 2.1
3 23.4 2.0
4 2.3 5.4
Stable Dune Community
5 2.4 3.3
6 0.1 3.5
Open Dune Community
7 0.4 2.8
8 0.2 3.7
Strand Community
9 0.1 15.6
ESP = Exchangeable Sodium Percentage = Na .100/CEC.
[Graph omitted] |
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