Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 4.4
Vegetation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (Source: Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology,
CAS)
4.2.2
Animals
Animals play a dominant role in pedogenesis in coastal areas of both the arctic
and Antarctic, including migrating birds, penguins (Antarctica), seals, microtines
(arctic), and other organisms.
Ornithogenic soils have been studied extensively in Antarctica and contain high
levels of organic C and N, and calcium phosphates (Tatur
1989
). Contributions of
these constituents are important for the establishment of vegetation in the polar
regions (Convey and Smith
2006
).
4.2.3
Microorganisms
Microorganisms are ubiquitous in cryosols and include gram-positive and gram-
negative bacteria, archaea, yeasts, fi lamentous fungi, and cyanobacteria (Margesin
and Miteva
2010
).
