In 1972 all the determinations, except Ca, 
Mg, Na, and K, were made in Prudhoe Bay using 
the same methods. For the aforementioned 
cations, separate 125 ml samples were taken at 
the same sampling dates and returned to Rutgers 
University for determination by atomic absorp- 
tion. 
On the soils, organic matter was estimated 
by loss of weight between 110°C and 450°C. 
Particle size distribution was determined by the 
hydrometer method (Day 1965). Conductivity 
and soluble cations were determined on the 
solution phase of a 1:7 soil to water mixture. 
Sodium exchange capacity was determined at 
pH 8.2 (Richards 1954), and ammonia exchange 
capacity was determined at pH 7.0 (Busenberg 
and Clemency 1973). 
Two 0.4-hectare plots on opposite sides of a 
small stream on the Tundra Biome intensive site 
were selected for fertilizer-runoff studies (site 
76-02). On 14 July 1971 and also in 1972, 
113.4 kg of 10-10-10 fertilizer were placed on 
each of these plots, nitrogen being in the form 
of nitrate. A 3m border on which no fertilizers 
were applied was maintained on both sides of 
the stream. Water samples were collected from 
different locations upstream and downstream 
from this site for comparison. 
Results and Discussion 
Soils 
The Prudhoe Bay area, part of the Arctic 
Coastal Plain of Alaska, is an unglaciated area of 
marine and nonmarine sediments (Brown 1969; 
Tedrow and Brown 1967; O'Sullivan 1961). It is 
dominated by oriented lakes, some of which are 
connected to one another with small drainage 
channels. These lakes migrate across the frozen 
land surface, eroding the old basins and creating 
new ones (Carson and Hussey 1959, 1960). 
In recent studies, the poorly drained soils of 
the Arctic Coastal Plain have been classified as 
Tundra soils and Bog soils (Brown 1969; 
Douglas and Tedrow 1953, 1960; Tedrow and 
Brown 1967; Tedrow et al. 1958). Depending on 
the drainage and wetness, Tundra soils have been 
classified as Upland Tundra, which defines the 
well-drained conditions, and Meadow Tundra, 
where wetter conditions exist. 
The sediments of the area are calcareous 
63 
(Douglas and Tedrow 1960) and are often 
capped with a calcareous loess less than 30 cm 
thick. The area is characterized by long slopes of 
2-4% and Upland Tundra soils. Although the 
soils show uniformity in some general character- 
istics, they vary significantly in the depth of the 
active layer, organic matter content, degree of 
wetness, texture, structure, and chemical and 
geomorphic characteristics. Well-drained, deep, 
sandy soils are dominant on the banks and 
terraces along the Kuparuk, Putuligayuk and 
Sagavanirktok Rivers, on beach ridges, and along 
the coast, while shallowly thawed, organic-rich, 
silty soils dominate the poorly drained lowlands. 
The depth of thaw varies considerably within 
short distances, depending on topography, tex- 
ture, degree of wetness, and amount of organic 
matter. 
The presence of permafrost under a shallow 
active layer influences soil formation in the 
arctic region (Hill and Tedrow 1961). The glei 
process dominates the lowlands where the soils 
are in a saturated condition during the summer, 
while maximum profile development exists in 
the relatively deeper, well-drained upland soils. 
Generally, bogs are mildly to strongly acid, 
but due to the carbonate-bearing sediments, 
some bogs in the Prudhoe Bay area tend to be 
alkaline in reaction. Depending on moisture and 
amount of organic matter, these soils are classifi- 
ed as Bogs and Half-Bogs. 
Within these general soil types, patterned 
ground is widespread in the area (Brown 1967; 
Drew and Tedrow 1962; Tedrow 1962: Tedrow 
and Harries 1960; Webber and Walker, this 
volume; Everett, this volume). The distribution 
and type depend on geomorphic setting, age, 
and soil texture. Ice-wedge polygons are com- 
mon in wetter soils and along the old shorelines 
of drained lakes, while nonsorted polygons and 
frost scars are dominant in the drier Upland 
Tundra soils (Brown 1967, 1969; Tedrow 1965). 
In this study soils were classified according 
to the system of Tedrow et al. (1958). Everett's 
report (this volume) contains the National Soil 
Taxonomy equivalents. Since the study area is 
relatively small, data presented in Table 1 may 
be considered representative of most of the soils 
of the interfluve between the Sagavanirktok and 
Kuparuk Rivers within 12 to 20 km of the 
Arctic Ocean. These soils have many character- 
istics that have been previously reported for soils 
