The Anaktuvuk River Fire occurred in 2007 on the North Slope of Alaska. In 2008, three eddy covariance towers were established at sites representing unburned tundra, moderately burned tundra, and severely burned tundra. Eriophorum vaginatum flowers were counted from annual photographs of each site during peak flowering season (6/17-7/20).
Data Set Results
The Anaktuvuk River Fire occurred in 2007 on the North Slope of Alaska. In 2008, three eddy covariance towers were established at sites represent ing unburned tundra, moderately burned tundra, and severely burned tundra. During the 2008-2014 growing seasons, canopy vegetation within the footprint of each of these towers was scanned with a handheld spectrophotometer several times throughout the growing season. Average reflectance spectra per site and collection day are presented here.
A study investigating the mechanisms that control long-term response of tussock tundra to fire and to increases in air temperature, CO2, nitrogen deposition and phosphorus weathering. The MBL MEL was used to simulate the recovery of three types of tussock tundra, unburned, moderately burned, and severely burned in response to changes in climate and nutrient additions. The simulations indicate that the recovery of nutrients lost during wildfire is difficult under a warming climate because warming increases nutrient cycles and subsequently leaching within the ecosystem.
This file contains plant-available
This file contains plant-available
Eriophorum vaginatum flower counts from annual photographs at the severe, moderate, and unburned Anaktuvuk River, Alaska, USA flux tower sites during
This file contains leaf area index (LAI) measurements from an nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P)
This file contains point-frame measurements from a
We deployed three eddy covariance towers along a burn severity gradient (i.e.
This dataset consists of Eriophorum vaginatum tussock height and width (diameter) measurements, and was used to evaluate differences in physical strucutre of previously burned tundra (2007 Anaktuvuk River fire) and nearby unburned tundra. At each site, all tussocks that intersected four 100 meter transects were measured from soil surface to tussock top in four cardinal directions, and diameter was measured in two directions.
This dataset consists of tussock density, mortality rates and causes, and an assesment of rodent-herbivore activity levels in previously burned (2007 Anaktuvuk River fire) and unburned tussock tundra. Eriophourm vaginatum tussocks were counted every meter within a 1 square meter quadrat along three transects. Cause of tussock mortality, as well as level of rodent herbivory was assessed for each tussock, and rodent herbivore activity was assessed for each quadrat.
This file contains leaf area index (LAI) based on biomass measurements from an aboveground pluck in the southern portion of the Anaktuvuk River fire scar, and a nearby unburned site in late July 2017. Vegetation was sampled randomly at 10-m intervals along two 100 meter transects at both the burned and unburned sites. Vegetation was sampled within a 10X40 cm quadrat to the mineral layer, and plant material was sorted into new and old aboveground leaf and woody biomass by species.
This file contains maximum plant heights from point frame measurements made in the southern section of the 2007 Anaktuvuk River fire scar, at a severely burned site and a nearby unburned site. Pin-vegetation contact was recorded using a 0.56 m2 frame with 41 evenly spaced sampling points. Data were collected during peak green in summer 2019.
Small mammals (rodents and shrews) were sampled 7-12 years following the Anaktuvuk River Fire to examine how post-fire ecological changes influence small mammal abundance. Small mammals were snap-trapped in August 2014, 2017-2019 at the site of the 2007 Anaktuvuk River Fire, and a nearby unburned control site. At each site, 120 traps were set in 3 parallel lines spaced 40m apart. Each trap was spaced 10m apart, baited, and set to rodent sign within one meter of the trap station. Traps were checked the following two mornings with all captures collected and sprung traps reset.
Tillers from 24 Eriophorum vaginatum individuals were sampled in late July 2019 to examine differences in percent nitrogen between previously burned (Anaktuvuk River Fire) and unburned tussocks at a nearby unburned control site. At the burned site tussocks exhibiting evidence of rodent grazing were also sampled to separate herbivore effects from those of the fire. From each tussock, 3-4 new leaves were sampled (as indicated by lack of brown tips) and dried at 60°C for 24 hours, before being ground and analyzed for percent nitrogen.
This file contains biomass measurements from vole-grazed and ungrazed Eriophorum vaginatum tussocks taken from the 2007 Anaktuvuk River Fire scar in 2019. Rodent-grazed and ungrazed tussocks were harvested to assess the impact voles have on biomass. Eighteen grazed tussocks and seven ungrazed tussocks were harvested and taken back to the lab. Ungrazed tussocks were subsampled to make seperation faster. Eight additional ungrzed tussocks were measured in the field and biomass estimates were made using allometry equations based on diameter.
This file contains Eriophorum vaginatum rhizome biomass from a 2017 biomass pluck of previously burned tundra (2007 Anaktuvuk River Fire) and nearby unburned tundra. Rhizome biomass from the pluck was combined with rhizome percent nitrogen estimates (2.47% at the Anaktuvuk River Fire, and 1.05% at the nearby unburned site) to estimate grams of nitrogen per meter squared, to evaluate differences in winter forage quality for the rodent herbivore, Microtus oeconomus. Percent nitrogen estimates were derived from pooled rhizome samples collected from the two sites in late 2018.