Most soils formed in deposits of volcanic ash or scoria over basaltic bedrock. Bare rock and rubble occur on the steep slopes of volcanic cones, peaks, and high ridgetops. With increasing distance from active volcanoes, volcanic material generally grades from coarse lapili and scoria to fine sands. Organic soils occupy depressions and some broad valley bottoms. Potential Natural Vegetation.
Vegetation consists of alpine tundra heath meadows.
Lichen communities prevail on windswept ridges. Moist tundra meadows occur at lower elevations and are dominated by grass, sedge, and scattered willows and birch. This Section is rich in bird life and marine mammals, but has few large land mammals. The whiskered auklet is an uncommon breeder but occurs only in this Section in Alaska. Red-legged kittiwakes are also unique to this Section, nesting mainly on Buldir and Bogoslof Islands.