Chemical and bacteriological analysis of soil from the Middle and Late Weichselian from Western Spitsbergen, Arctic

This paper discusses temporal variability in the biogeochemical properties of the deeper permafrost soils of Western Spitsbergen, Arctic, that dates back up to the Middle Weichselian period (44.8 ka BP). Results indicate that during the mid of the last interstadial (∼37 ka BP) the chemical and biological properties of the soils were different from the stadial period that followed. Trace element concentration during the period remained low. Electrical conductivity along with K, Mg, Na, SO4−2, Cl− and HCO3− content of the soils during this period was high. Mineralizable nitrogen, organic carbon, biomass nitrogen and total bacterial counts were also high. These observations concurrently lead to a conclusion that the soils of Western Spitsbergen during the interstadial period were under marine influence. The culturability of bacterial cells was low which increased later with the onset of the stadial.