Polar Desert Soils

Abstract

Abstract The northern extremeties of ice‐free land are mantled primarily with Polar Desert soils. Polar Desert soils are sparsely colonized by vascular plants and in many instances the organic component scarcely enters the soil system. Low temperature, relatively dry soil conditions, a desert pavement, mildly acid to alkaline reaction, and salt efflorescences commonly characterize the Polar Desert soils.