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New Zealand soil and
permafrost research
Dr Megan Balks,
Earth Sciences, University of Waikato,
N.Z.
McCraw and Claridge• First New Zealand soils work in Ross Sea Region
1959-60
• Visited a number of areas – exploratory/descriptive work
• Soil Map of Taylor Valley (first presented to soils congress, Madison, 1960)
Campbell and Claridge• Commenced 1964/65
• Studied soils throughout the RSR
• Established weathering stage concept
• Shifted focus to human impacts on soils and permafrost in 1990s
• Published book in 1987 & over 70 papers, basis of NZ Ant soil database.
Recent/current work• Paul Augustinus – GPR (high res. 3-D) to determine permafrost and
stratigraphy on raised beaches (80 transects). Jan ’05 on delta at New Harbour. (Post glacial uplift, mechanisms of polygon development).
• Warren Dickenson – Past – Sirius Formation – geochem of waters and diagenic minerals. 3 yrs of Temp data from deep bore-hole at Table Mountain. ‘Jan 05 – resistivity to image ice bodies + drilling old ice and permafrost – Victoria and Beacon Valleys (with Ron Sletten).
• K123 (Aislabie, Balks, Paetzold, McLeod et al) – impacts of human activities on soils. Soil and permafrost mapping – LGP sites, Wright Valley. Nov. ’05 proposed boreholes with Mauro at Marble Point and Bull Pass., active layer monitoring
Latitudinal Gradient Programme• AntarcticaNZ supported • Interdisciplinary, international, collaboration • goals of:
– a. Understanding the complex ecosystems that exist along the Victoria Land coast; and
– b. Determining the effects of environmental change on these ecosystems.
• Expressions of interest currently invited for Darwin Glacier area.• www.lgp.aq
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