Cold region soils: Part II – Genesis and classification

Cold region soils are strikingly beautiful, highly diverse, globally important and increasing affected by anthropogenic activities and climatic change. In this chapter, we examine the global distribution and unique and diverse characteristics of these soils through a focus on their genesis and classification in each of the three major zones of cold region soils (the Northern Circumpolar, Southern Circumpolar, and Qinghai–Tibet Plateau). By highlighting the variable formation of cold region soils around the world, we can identify gaps in our knowledge of them and enable better prediction of the future trajectory of these soils as they respond to change.