We used radiocarbon dating of the organic soil surface remaining post-fire to examine whether the fire burned into ancient and likely irreplaceable soil C pools. Suprisingly, it did not; all radiocarbon dates from burned soil surfaces contained bomb carbon, setting the maximum age of the burned soil surfaces at ~50 years.
Data Set Results
This file contains the soil profile data for burned and unburned moist acidic tundra sites used to estimate C and N loss from the Anaktuvuk River Fire (2007). These sites were sampled in summer of 2008. Unburned sites were used to develop a method for estimating soil organic layer depth and plant biomass, and for determining the characteristics of unburned soil organic layers. In burned sites, we characterized residual organic soils and used biometric measurements of tussocks to reconstruct pre-fire soil organic layer depth.
Estimated mean pre-fire C and N pools, and C and N loss from 20 sites in the Anaktuvuk River Fire (2007). These sites were sampled in summer of 2008. In each site, we characterized residual organic soils and used biometric relationships developed in unburned sites to reconstruct pre-fire soil organic layer depth, and plant and soil C and N pools. We then estimated fire-driven losses of C and N from plant and soil organic layer pools.
Surface organic and mineral soil layers were sampled in retrogressive thaw slump disturbance scars and nearby undisturbed tundra to estmate the influence of this thermo-erosional--thermokarst--disturbance type on soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. Within six independent sites, we identified multiple thaw slump scars and determined time after disturbance for each scar by (1) aging the population of tall deciduous shrubs rooted in the mineral soil and (2) by dating the basal layer of the re-accumulating soil organic matter.
Burned and unburned moist acidic tundra sites used to estimate C and N loss from the Anaktuvuk River Fire (2007). These sites were sampled in summer of 2008. Unburned sites were used to develop a method for estimating soil organic layer depth and plant biomass, and for determining the characteristics of unburned soil organic layers. In burned sites, we characterized residual organic soils and used biometric measurements of tussocks to reconstruct pre-fire soil organic layer depth.
Above ground plant and below ground stem biomass were measured in 2011 from three sites at and around the Anaktuvuk River Burn: severely burned, moderately burned and unburned. These samples were analyzed for carbon and nitrogen concentrations.
A summary of below ground root biomass, carbon and nitrogen concentrations, measured at three sites at and around the Anaktuvuk River Burn: severely burned, moderately burned and unburned.
Below ground soil bulk density, carbon and nitrogen was measured at various depth increments in mineral and organic soil layers at three sites at and around the Anaktuvuk River Burn: severely burned, moderately burned and unburned. This data corresponds with the aboveground biomass and root biomass data files: 2011ARF_AbvgroundBiomassCN, 2011ARF_RootBiomassCN_byDepth, 2011ARF_RootBiomassCN_byQuad, 2011ARF_RootBiomassCN_byQuad.
Above ground plant and below ground stem biomass were measured in 2011 from three sites at and around the Anaktuvuk River Burn: severely burned, moderately burned and unburned. These samples were analyzed for carbon and nitrogen concentrations.
Summarized below ground soil carbon and nitrogen concentrations measured in quadrats at three sites at and around the Anaktuvuk River Burn: severely burned, moderately burned and unburned. This data corresponds with the aboveground biomass and root biomass data files: 2011ARF_AbvgroundBiomassCN, 2011ARF_RootBiomassCN_byDepth, 2011ARF_RootBiomassCN_byQuad, 2011ARF_SoilCN_byDepth.
Below ground root biomass was measured by depth increments at three sites at and around the Anaktuvuk River Burn: severely burned, moderately burned and unburned. Roots were also analyzed for carbon and nitrogen concentrations.
Above ground plant and below ground stem biomass were measured in 2011 from three sites at and around the Anaktuvuk River Burn: severely burned, moderately burned and unburned. These samples were analyzed for carbon and nitrogen concentrations.