Striated Soil in an Andean Paramo of Venezuela: Its Origin and Orientation

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Abstract
The orientation of striated soil, a pattern produced by needle ice, was explained with 2 theories: the stripes could be oriented with the wind direction or with the alignment of the early sun''s rays. This study presents the temperature fluctuations of the air and the upper soil profile during the actual formation of stripes and discusses the physical properties of the soils associated with this ground pattern in the Andean Paramo de Piedras Blancas, Venezuela, at 4260 m elevation. Stripe orientations, (80) from 8 plots with 3 different aspects were statistically analyzed in relation to the dominant winds and the early sun''s rays. The orientations were coincident with the sun''s rays but were not influenced by wind; aspect and time of illumination by the sun were correlated with mean stripe orientation, which veered from the south- to the north-facing plots and with later time of needle ablation. After 10 days, stripes formed on all areas where they were erased by raking; experimental exclusion of sunlight prevented the formation of the pattern, while wind interception did not affect the process.

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