1
12
23
34
45
56
67
78
89
100
111
1000
112
2
13
24
35
46
57
68
79
90
101
900
113
3
14
25
36
47
58
69
80
91
102
800
114
4
15
26
37
48
59
70
81
92
103
700
115
5
16
27
38
49
60
71
82
93
104
600
116
6
17
28
39
50
61
72
83
94
105
500
7
95
106
18
117
84
29
73
40
51
62
400
118
8
19
30
41
52
63
74
85
96
107
300
9
20
31
42
53
64
75
86
97
108
119
200
10
21
32
43
54
65
76
87
98
109
120
100
11
22
33
44
55
66
77
88
99
110
121
0
0
1000
300
400
100
200
500
600
700
800
900
Easting (m)
Figure 2. Sampling grid for the seven Alaska sites.
substantial amount of organic materials, and is classi-
frozen water (pond). More than half of the area con-
fied as Euic Pergelic Cryosapriest (Ping et al. 1994). The
sists of moist acidic tundra (soil pH < 5.0) dominated
vegetation includes sedge, shrub, lichens, and mosses.
by tussock-sedges, dwarf shrubs, and mosses. The
Happy Valley is on a slight slope with a western
remaining area is moist non-acidic (soil pH > 5.0) and
aspect. The soil is classified as a fine-loamy, mixed
dry acidic tundra vegetation (Walker 1998). The soils
Pergelic Cryaquept, which is composed of silt loam with
in Toolik Lake are classified as a coarse-loamy, mixed
organic materials and a layer of peat on top (Ping et al.
Pergelic Cryochrepts composed of layers of peat, loam,
1994). Area vegetation includes grasses, shrubs, lichens,
and sandy loam (Ping et al. 1994).
and mosses.
West Dock is at an elevation of 3 m above mean sea
The landform at Imnaviat Creek is mostly a hill slope
level. The soil is composed of layers of peat, loamy
(more than 20% slope), with a portion of the area in a
sand, and fine sandy loam (Ping et al. 1994) and is classi-
basin. The aspect of the slope ranges from west to north.
fied as coarse-loamy, mixed Pergelic Ruptic-Histic
Soils of Imnaviat Creek consist of about 10 cm of live
Cryaquept. The vegetation consists of sedge shrubs,
and dead organic material over 5 to 10 cm of partially
mosses, and lichens.
decomposed organic material mixed with silt, all over
Betty Pingo and West Dock are located in a wetland
glacial till, and are listed as Histic Pergelic Cryaquepts
complex with little topographic relief near Prudhoe Bay
(Hinzman et al. 1991). Vegetation in Imnaviat consists
and are considered part of the upper Kuparuk River
of mostly water-tolerant plants such as tussock-sedges,
drainage basin (Walker et al. 1980). West Dock, Betty
mosses associated with lichens, and shrubs such as
Pingo, Happy Valley, Imnaviat Creek, and Toolik Lake
dwarf birch, alder, and willows (Kane et al. 1994). Tus-
are located on the Kuparuk River drainage basin (Nel-
sock-sedges are common on the ridge tops and on
son et al. 1997).
slopes, but lacking in the valley bottom. Mosses are
dominant in the valley bottom where the environment
Fort McCoy, Wisconsin
is wettest.
In contrast to the Alaska sites, this site is in a non-
The Toolik Lake site is contained on a hillslope (up
permafrost area. The average freezing season is 117 days
to 20% slope with an aspect ranging from east to north)
and expected frost depth is 0.50 m. Thaw depths were
on colluvial deposits and a portion of the area is on
collected on 23 March 1995, at Fort McCoy, Wiscon-
3
to contents
Previous Page
