Toolik Lake Permanent Vegetation Plots

Walker D.A. and Barry N. 1991. Toolik Lake permanent vegetation plots: site factors, soil physical and chemical properties, plant species cover, photographs, and soil descriptions. Data Report 48, Department of Energy R4D Program, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.

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Table 3. Legend for the environmental variables

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Landforms
1Glaciofluvial and other fluvial terraces
2Floodplains
3Talus slope
4Colluvial basin
5Drained lakes and flat lake margins
6Lake or pond
7Hills (including kames and moraines)
8Disturbed
Microsites
1Frost-scar element
2Inter-frost scar element
3Strang or hummock
4Flark or interstrang area
5Polygon center
6Polygon trough
7Stripe element
8Inter-stripe element
9Animal den
10Blockfield
 
Surficial Geology
1Glacial till
2Glaciofluvial deposit
3Active alluvium
4Stabilized alluvium
5Stream
6Undifferentiated hill slope colluvium
7Basin colluvium and organic deposits
8Drained lake or lacustrine deposits
9Lake or pond
10Roads and gravel pads
Topographic Position
1Hill crest or shoulder
2Side slope
3Footslope or toeslope
4Flat
5Drainage channel
6Depression
7Lake or pond
 
Glacial Geology
1Itkillik I till
2Itkillik II till
3Itkillik I outwash
4Itkillik II outwash
5Bedrock
Estimated Snow Duration
1.0Snow free all year
2.0Snow free most of the winter; some snow cover persists after storm but is blown free soon afterward
3.0Snow free prior to melt out but with snow most of winter
4.0Snow free immediately after melt out
5.0Snow bank persists 1-2 weeks after melt out
6.0Snow bank persists 3-4 weeks after melt out
7.0Snow bank persists 4-8 weeks after melt out
8.0Snow bank persists 8-12 weeks after melt out
9.0Very short snow free period
10.0Deep snow all year
 
Surficial Geomorphology
1Frost scars
2Wetland hummocks
3Turf hummocks
4Gelifluction features
5Strangmoor or aligned hummocks
6High centered polygons or flat centered polygons
7Sorted and non-sorted stripes
8Palsas
9Thermokarst pits
10Featureless or with < 20% frost scars
11Well-developed hillslope water tracks and small streams > 50 cm deep
12Poorly developed hill slope water tracks, < 50 cm deep
13Gently rolling or irregular microrelief
14Stoney surface
15Lakes and ponds
16Disturbed
17Blockfield
 
Exposure Scale
1.0Protected from winds
2.0Moderate exposure to winds
3.0Exposed to winds
4.0Very exposed to winds
Stability
1.0Stable
2.0Subject to occasional disturbance
3.0Subject to prolonged but slow disturbance such as solifluction
4.0Annually disturbed
5.0Disturbed more than once annually
 
Site Moisture (modified from Komárková 1983)
1.0Extremely xeric - almost no moisture; no plant growth
2.0Very xeric - very little moisture; dry sand dunes
3.0Xeric - little moisture; stabilized sand dunes, dry ridge tops
4.0Subxeric - noticeable moisture; well-drained slopes, ridges
5.0Subxeric to mesic - very noticeable moisture; flat to gently sloping
6.0Mesic - moderate moisture; flat or shallow depressions
7.0Mesic to subhygric - considerable moisture; depressions
8.0Subhygric - very considerable moisture; saturated but with < 5 % standing water < 10 cm deep
9.0Hygric - much moisture; up to 100% of surface under water 10 to 50 cm deep; lake margins, shallow ponds, streams
10.0Hydric - very much moisture; 100% of surface under water 50 to 150 cm deep; lakes, streams
Soil Units
1Pergelic Cryorthent, acid
2Pergelic Cryohemist, euic
3Pergelic Cryosaprist, euic
4Lithic Pergelic Cryosaprist
5Pergelic Cryofibrist, euic
6Histic Pergelic Cryaquept, acid
7Histic Pergelic Cryaquept, nonacid
8Pergelic Cryaquept, acid
9Pergelic Cryaquept, nonacid
10Pergelic Cryochrept
11Pergelic Cryumbrept
12Ruptic-Lithic Cryumbrept
13Pergelic Cryaquoll
14Histic Pergelic Cryaquoll
15Pergelic Cryoboroll
 
Animal and Human Disturbance
0.0No sign present
1.0Some sign present; no disturbance
2.0Minor disturbance or extensive sign
3.0Moderate disturbance; small dens or light grazing
4.0Major disturbance; multiple dens or noticeable trampling
5.0Very major disturbance; very extensive tunneling or large pit
Soil Moisture (modified from Komárková 1983)
1.0Very dry - very little moisture; soil does not stick together
2.0Dry - little moisture; soil somewhat sticks together
3.0Damp - noticeable moisture; soil sticks together but crumbles
4.0Damp to moist - very noticeable moisture; soil clumps
5.0Moist - moderate moisture; soil binds but can be broken apart
6.0Moist to wet - considerable moisture; soil binds and sticks to fingers
7.0Wet - very considerable moisture; drops of water can be squeezed out of soil
8.0Very wet - much moisture can be squeezed out of soil
9.0Saturated - very much moisture; water drips out of soil
10.0Very saturated - extreme moisture; soil is more liquid than solid