Relationships of Soil Acidity and Air Temperature to the Wind and Vegetation at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska

Abstract

Investigations in the Prudhoe Bay vicinity suggest that prevailing winds from the east combined with the shape of the coastline and a source of calcareous materials in the Sagavanirktok River delta cause distinct patterns of soil reaction and temperature. Areas downwind from the river have basic soil pH values ranging from 7.1 to 8.4, whereas wet tundra sites outside the path of loess-laden winds have acidic values ranging from 5.3 to 7.0. The winds also affect the local climate by blowing moist cold air and fog further inland in the western part of the Prudhoe Bay oil field. Air temperatures are correlated with distance to the ocean measured in the direction of the prevailing wind vector. The temperature differences also influence the depth of the active layer. The differences in pH and temperatures affect the vegetation of the region. The areas with basic soils show relative abundance of calciphiles, whereas areas with lower pH values have acidophilous plants. Lower temperatures near the coast affect the distribution of many taxa as well as the phenology and stature of the vegetation.