TY - JOUR N2 - Organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the soils of the High Arctic play an important role in the context of global warming, biodiversity, and richness of tundra vegetation. The main aim of the present study was to determine the content and spatial distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (N tot ), and total phosphorus (P tot ) in the surface horizons of Arctic soils obtained from the lower part of the Fuglebekken catchment in Spitsbergen as an example of a small non−glaciated catchment representing uplifted marine terraces of the Svalbard Archipelago. The obtained results indicate that surface soil horizons in the Fuglebekken catchment show considerable differences in content of SOC, N tot , and P tot . This mosaic is related to high variability of soil type, local hydrology, vegetation (type and quantity), and especially location of seabird nesting colony. The highest content of SOC, N tot , and P tot occurs in soil surface horizons obtained from sites fertilized by seabird guano and located along streams flowing from the direction of the seabird colony. The content of SOC, N tot , and P tot is strongly negatively correlated with distance from seabird colony indicating a strong influence of the birds on the fertility of the studied soils and indirectly on the accumulation of soil organic matter. The lowest content of SOC, N tot , and P tot occurs in soil surface horizons obtained from the lateral moraine of the Hansbreen glacier and from sites in the close vicinity of the lateral moraine. The content of N tot ,P tot , and SOC in soil surface horizons are strongly and positively correlated with one another, i.e. the higher the content of nutrients, the higher the content of SOC. The spatial distribution of SOC, N tot , and P tot in soils of the Hornsund area in SW Spitsbergen reflects the combined effects of severe climate conditions and periglacial processes. Seabirds play a crucial role in nutrient enrichment in these weakly developed soils. L1 - http://www.journals.pan.pl/Content/99622/PDF/10183_Volume37_Issue1_03_paper.pdf L2 - http://www.journals.pan.pl/Content/99622 PY - 2016 IS - No 1 EP - 66 DO - 10.1515/popore−2016−0006 KW - Arctic KW - Svalbard KW - soil organic carbon KW - nitrogen KW - phosphorus KW - Cryosols A1 - Szymański, Wojciech A1 - Wojtuń, Bronisław A1 - Stolarczyk, Mateusz A1 - Siwek, Janusz A1 - Waścińska, Joanna PB - Polish Academy of Sciences PB - Committee on Polar Research VL - vol. 37 DA - 2016 T1 - Organic carbon and nutrients (N, P) in surface soil horizons in a non-glaciated catchment, SW Spitsbergen SP - 49 UR - http://www.journals.pan.pl/dlibra/publication/edition/99622 T2 - Polish Polar Research ER -