Pedosphere 5(4): 305--314, 1995
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©1995 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
| Role of lichens in weathering and soil-forming processes in Fildes Peninsula, Antarctic |
| HEN Jie and GONG Zi-Tong |
| Institute of Soil Science, Academia Sinica, Nanjing 210008 (China) |
| ABSTRACT |
| Lichens play an unparalleledly vital role in weathering and soil-forming processes in Antarctic region. In this study some related chemical components and micromorphological analyses have been carried out on the samples of the weathered rocks and the lichens grown on them from Fildes Peninsula, Antarctic. The results indicated that the major chemical components in the bioweathering surface layer of the sampled rocks have been obviously altered and the weathering potential in this layer has greatly decreased by an average range around 4.66 percent in 4 samples. In the weathering surface layer ferruginization of some minerals in varying degrees was seen by means of microscopic examination through the thin section of the weathered rocks, and its products proved to be dominated by hematite, limonite, goethite and free iron oxides Meanwhile, the study suggested that the dissolution and absorption of lichens by their secretion accelerated the process of calcitization of minerals in the bio-weathering surface layer. Eventually, the results also show that different species of lichens play different roles in weathering and soil-forming processes. |
| Key Words: Antarctic, lichens, weathering and soil-forming processesf, weathering potential |
| Citation: Hen, J. and Gong, Z. T. 1995. Role of lichens in weathering and soil-forming processes in Fildes Peninsula, Antarctic. Pedosphere. 5(4): 305-314. |
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