Pedoclimate monitoring in the Central Andes is key to understanding climatic change in arid high‐mountain low‐latitude environments. We carried out a study of the thermal–hydric regimes of three soils along an altitudinal gradient in the Licancabur Volcano, northern Chile. In situ measurements of soil and air temperature and water content were collected over 19 months, via temperature and moisture probes installed from 5 to 100 cm depths, at 5,061, 4,728 and 4,426 m a.s.l. All soils show a periglacial thermal regime, but without permafrost. The contrasting behavior regarding soil water content and temperature regime along the gradient was attributed to climate, geomorphic features and varying soil attributes. Altitude‐related factors (air temperature and precipitation) drive the overall thermal regime of soils, but the mid‐altitude site showed the coldest soil thermal regime. Here, local landform characteristics (south aspect, mid‐slope location) impose lower solar radiation, influencing the soil thermal regime. Aridity drives unusual periglacial processes, with low frost shattering, no cryoturbation and particular landscape evolution. The thermal behavior affects soil moisture, with the lowest water contents recorded in the winter period due to water freezing at colder sites. Higher clay content results in greater soil moisture, despite the lower rainfall, shallow depth of the wetting front and large variability in water content. The study period included an extreme climatic event, and as such the monitored data do not represent the typical regional seasonal variation. Pedoclimate is more important in driving soil development than altitude‐related factors.

中文翻译：

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智利北部阿塔卡马沙漠的冰缘高山土壤中的Pedoclimate监测

安第斯山脉中部的小气候监测是了解干旱高山区低纬度环境中气候变化的关键。我们对智利北部利坎卡布尔火山沿高度梯度的三种土壤的热-水态进行了研究。通过在5,061、4,728和4,426 m asl上安装5至100 cm深度的温度和湿度探头，在19个月内对土壤，空气温度和水含量进行了现场测量。所有土壤均表现出冰川期热状态，但没有永久冻土。关于土壤水含量和温度沿梯度变化的对比行为归因于气候，地貌特征和变化的土壤属性。与海拔高度有关的因素（气温和降水）决定着土壤的总体热状况，但是中海拔地区显示出最冷的土壤热状况。在这里，当地的地形特征（南坡，中坡位置）强加了较低的太阳辐射，从而影响了土壤的热状况。干旱导致异常的冰川期过程，霜冻破碎少，无冷冻扰动，且景观演化特殊。热行为会影响土壤湿度，由于寒冷地区的水冻结，冬季的含水量最低。尽管降雨较少，湿润锋深度较浅且水分含量变化较大，但较高的粘土含量会导致土壤湿度更高。研究期包括一个极端气候事件，因此监测数据并不代表典型的区域季节性变化。