IPSCARP22 (2014)

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Aeolian soil erosion is a major concern in the deflation patches of Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland, where researchers are actively investigating erosional and ecological processes. These deflation patches cover nearly a quarter of the local landscape, revealing the dynamic effects of katabatic winds off the Greenland Ice Sheet. The strong winds remove fine-grained loess soil, exposing underlying glacial till and creating an ever-expanding patch edge that advances as it undercuts both soil and vegetation. Researchers from Dartmouth are taking the lead in this investigation, with experts like Ruth Heindel, Ross Virginia, Jonathan Chipman, Becca Novello, and Phoebe Racine contributing their knowledge to better understand the ecological impacts of aeolian soil erosion. The research team has discovered that within these deflation patches, a biological soil crust forms, hindering future erosion and promoting soil recovery. The study conducted by Heindel, Chipman, Virginia, and published in 2015 in the Annals of the Association of American Geographers (Vol. 105), highlights the spatial distribution and ecological impacts of aeolian soil erosion in Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland.