Abstract

Water extracts from soils of the Barents Sea coast (the Khaipudyr Bay) were analyzed for the contents of organic carbon and total nitrogen by the method of high-temperature catalytic oxidation with non-dispersive IR registration; the contents of low-molecular-weight acids, carbohydrates, and alcohols were determined by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass-spectrometry. The mass fraction of inorganic carbon $$\left( {{\text{HCO}}_{3}^{ - }} \right)$$ was measured potentiometrically, and the content of inorganic nitrogen (N–$${\text{NO}}_{3}^{ - },$$ N–$${\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + }$$) was determined by photometry. In marsh soils (Tidalic Fluvisols (Arenic or Loamic, Epiprotosalic)), = 0.1–0.8, $${\omega }{{\left( {{{{\text{N}}}_{{{\text{org}}}}}} \right)}_{{{{{\text{H}}}_{{\text{2}}}}{\text{O}}}}}$$ = 0.01–0.05 g/kg, $${\omega }{{\left( {{{{\text{N}}}_{{{\text{org}}}}}} \right)}_{{{{{\text{H}}}_{{\text{2}}}}{\text{O}}}}}$$ = + 0.01, and $${{\left( {{\text{C/N}}} \right)}_{{{{{\text{H}}}_{{\text{2}}}}{\text{O}}}}}$$ = 7–21. The content of individual components does not exceed 20 mg/kg, including carbohydrates (50–90%), acids (10–50%), and alcohols (<3%). In peat horizons of tundra soils (Cryic Histosols and Histic Cryosols), = 4–10, $${\omega }{{\left( {{{{\text{N}}}_{{{\text{org}}}}}} \right)}_{{{{{\text{H}}}_{{\text{2}}}}{\text{O}}}}}$$ ~ 0.2 g/kg, and $${{\left( {{\text{C/N}}} \right)}_{{{{{\text{H}}}_{{\text{2}}}}{\text{O}}}}}$$ = 25–56. Litter and peat horizons accumulate both individual humus components and total dissolved organic carbon. The total weight of the identified substances is 200–300 mg/kg, 80–90% of them are carbohydrates, 10–20% are acids, and 0–9% are alcohols. The accumulation of and (N–$${\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + }{{)}_{{{{{\text{H}}}_{2}}{\text{O}}}}}$$ takes place above the permafrost table. It is argued that the ratios of organic forms of carbon and nitrogen in soil water extracts and the content of low-molecular weight organic compounds in soils can be used as indicators of pedogenic processes in the Far North.

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