Geography of Extreme Soils and Soil-Like Systems

Extreme environmental conditions in high mountains, on the surface of glaciers, in deserts, and in the Arctic and Antarctica, as well as those associated with shallow waters, toxic or nutrient-poor substrates, intense anthropogenic impacts, a specific atmosphere or its absence in extraterrestrial systems, lead to the formation of soils and soil-like systems (soloids) that do not correspond to the traditional canons of modern soil science and soil geography. A new scientific direction is proposed—the geography and genesis of soils of extreme conditions with its own theory, conceptual apparatus, and methodological basis. The total area occupied by extreme soils and soloids is estimated at ~20% of the Earth’s soil cover.