permafrost
(noun)
permanently frozen ground
Examples of permafrost in the following topics:
-
Boreal Forests and Arctic Tundra
- The soils of the Arctic tundra may remain in a perennially frozen state referred to as permafrost.
- The permafrost makes it impossible for roots to penetrate deep into the soil and slows the decay of organic matter, which inhibits the release of nutrients from organic matter.