Enzymatic activity of cryoconites from glaciers and high-altitude glacial soils in the Central Caucasus
Vol.16,No.1(2026)
Nowadays, in light of research into glacial cryoconites and glacial soils has become particularly relevant due to ongoing global warming and the accelerated deglaciation of high-altitude glaciers. This study presents the research into enzyme activity in cryoconites from the Maly Azau Glacier and in glacial soils of the Central Caucasus. It was shown that the enzymes studied in the cryoconites exhibited virtually no activity, with the exception of a sample taken from a cryoconite cup, in which very weak invertase activity (1.71 mg glucose / (g day)) and weak phosphatase activity (8.62 mg TPF / (10 g day). Vertical distribution of enzyme activity in the studied glacial soils indicated a decrease in the activity of all studied enzymes (dehydrogenase, catalase, invertase, phosphatase) down the profile. In the surface layer of the studied soils, redox enzymes exhibited relatively low activity. Thus, catalase (CAT) activity ranges from 0.50 to 3.63 ml O2 / (g min)), and dehydrogenase activity from 0.07 to 1.52 mg TPF / (10 g day). In contrast to oxidases, hydrolytic enzymes exhibit high and very high activity, ranging from 27.98 to 81.94 mg glucose / (g day) for invertase and from 93.16 to 167.43 mg P2O5 / (100 g h) for phosphatase. The results indicated that despite the adverse and extreme climatic conditions, biochemical processes occur within glacial cryoconites. Furthermore, as deglaciation continues, cryoconites-whether washed away or left behind following glacial retreat-may influence soil formation processes in areas newly freed from ice. Our research has confirmed that biological processes are actively taking place in high-altitude soils and as the climate warms and glaciers retreat, areas adjacent to glaciers in mountainous regions, located above 2.000 m a. s. l., can be used for agriculture.
periglacial soils; cryoconites; enzymatic activity; high-altitude regions; climate change; permafrost thaw
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