Geomorphology, vegetation succession, soil characteristics and permafrost in retrogressive thaw slumps near Mayo, Yukon Territory

Abstract

Floors of the active thaw slumps contain well-defined vegetation successional communities that are distinct from the local, mature boreal forest. Although a few clumps of mature forest vegetation survive the fall into the slump, a birch/white spruce sere, similar to the original forest, is re-established after a period of 35-50 yr. Changes in soil CaCO3 and soil structure profiles on distributed surfaces of varying age demonstrate the initiation of pedogenesis in the floor of the stabilized slump, but assays of pH, organic C and total N indicate that after c40 yr the new soils remain immature. -from Authors