Pergelic soils of the western contiguous United States: distribution and taxonomy

Pergelic soils have a mean annual soil temperature (50-cm depth) lower than 0°C and may have permafrost. Although the distribution of these soils in the western contiguous United States is poorly understood, pergelic soils are common in alpine areas of the Rocky Mountains. In alpine areas, permafros...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Arctic and alpine research 1991-05, Vol.23 (2), p.206-212
Main Authors: Bockheim, J.G. (University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI), Burns, S.F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural soils
CARACT MORFOLOGICAS DEL SUELO
CLASIFICACION DE SUELOS
CLASSIFICATION DES SOLS
Desert soils
DISTRIBUCION NATURAL
DISTRIBUTION NATURELLE
ESTADOS DEL OESTE (EUA)
ETATS DE L'OUEST (EU)
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
Loam soils
Mountain soils
NATURAL DISTRIBUTION
PERMAFROST
Sedimentary soils
SOIL CLASSIFICATION
Soil ecology
SOIL MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES
SOIL TAXONOMY
SOIL TEMPERATURE
Soil temperature regimes
SOIL TYPES
Soil water
TEMPERATURA DEL SUELO
TEMPERATURE DU SOL
TERMINOLOGIA
TERMINOLOGIE
TERMINOLOGY
TIPOS DE SUELO
TRAIT MORPHOLOGIQUE DU SOL
TYPE DE SOL
WESTERN STATES (USA)
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Summary:Pergelic soils have a mean annual soil temperature (50-cm depth) lower than 0°C and may have permafrost. Although the distribution of these soils in the western contiguous United States is poorly understood, pergelic soils are common in alpine areas of the Rocky Mountains. In alpine areas, permafrost may be a poor diagnostic feature of pergelic soils because it commonly exists below 50 cm, is difficult to detect in hand-excavated pits, and may be relict. The use of ground-ice features to identify pergelic soils is problematic because they may reflect seasonal frost effects or be relict. Soil temperature data are needed to definitively classify pergelic soils. In the United States Soil Taxonomy, pergelic soils are identified at the subgroup level within cryic great groups (e.g., Pergelic Cryorthents). To avoid this mixing of soil temperature classes, pergelic soils should be identified at the great group level (e.g., Geliorthents). Soils containing "dry" permafrost and ice-cemented permafrost could be separated as subgroups.
ISSN:0004-0851
2325-5153
DOI:10.1080/00040851.1991.12002838