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Documentation Revision Date: 2024-06-14
Dataset Version: 1
Summary
This dataset provides measurements of vegetation biomass from 11 locations across Alaska during 2016 to 2018. Vegetation was harvested from plots that were located at the end of previously established 30-m transects at each site, except at one site where plots were randomly selected. Vascular vegetation was clipped from 50 cm x 50 cm plots, and non-vascular vegetation was clipped from 25 cm x 25 cm plots. All harvested vegetation was sorted by functional group or by species where identification was possible. The sorted vegetation was dried and then weighed to determine biomass. Locations were selected to investigate fire disturbance, to span the range of permafrost regions from continuous to sporadic, and to cover vegetation types from boreal forests, tussock tundra, upland willow/herbaceous scrub, and lowland fen and wet tundra sites across Alaska. The data are provided in comma separated values (CSV) format.
There is one data file in comma separated values (CSV) format with this dataset.
Figure 1. Image showing the understory vegetation at a boreal forest site in interior Alaska (Hess Creek Unburned).
Citation
Minions, C., S. Ludwig, and S. Natali. 2024. Understory Vegetation Biomass from Selected Burned and Unburned sites in Alaska. ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/2340
Table of Contents
- Dataset Overview
- Data Characteristics
- Application and Derivation
- Quality Assessment
- Data Acquisition, Materials, and Methods
- Data Access
- References
Dataset Overview
This dataset provides measurements of vegetation biomass from 11 locations across Alaska. Vegetation was harvested from plots that were located at the end of previously established 30-m transects at each site, except at one site where plots were randomly selected. Vascular vegetation was clipped from 50 cm x 50 cm plots, and non-vascular vegetation was clipped from 25 cm x 25 cm plots. All harvested vegetation was sorted by functional group or by species where identification was possible. The sorted vegetation was dried and then weighed to determine biomass. Locations were selected to investigate fire disturbance, to span the range of permafrost regions from continuous to sporadic, and to cover vegetation types from boreal forests, tussock tundra, upland willow/herbaceous scrub, and lowland fen and wet tundra sites across Alaska.
These data are part of a larger study to investigate how the magnitudes, fates, and land-atmosphere exchanges of carbon pools are responding to environmental change, and the biogeochemical mechanisms driving these changes. Sites were selected to investigate fire disturbance, to span the range of permafrost regions from continuous to sporadic, and to cover vegetation types from boreal forests, tussock tundra, upland willow/herbaceous scrub, and lowland fen and wet tundra sites across Alaska.
Project:Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment
The Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) is a NASA Terrestrial Ecology Program field campaign being conducted in Alaska and western Canada, for 8 to 10 years, starting in 2015. Research for ABoVE links field-based, process-level studies with geospatial data products derived from airborne and satellite sensors, providing a foundation for improving the analysis, and modeling capabilities needed to understand and predict ecosystem responses to, and societal implications of, climate change in the Arctic and Boreal regions.
Related Datasets
Minions, C., S. Natali, J.D. Watts, and S. Ludwig. 2021. ABoVE: Soil Temperature and VWC at Unburned and Burned Sites Across Alaska, 2016-2022. ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1869
- Soil temperature and volumetric water content data collected at the same sites
Minions, C., S. Natali, J.D. Watts, S. Ludwig, and D. Risk. 2019. ABoVE: Year-Round Soil CO2 Efflux in Alaskan Ecosystems, Version 2.1. ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1762
- CO2 Eflux data collected at the same sites
Natali, S., S. Ludwig, C. Minions, and J.D. Watts. 2023. ABoVE: Thaw Depth at Selected Unburned and Burned Sites Across Alaska. ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1579
- Thaw depth measurements collected at the same sites
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by NASA's Terrestrial Ecology: Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) program (grant NNX15AT81A).
Data Characteristics
Spatial Coverage: Alaska, USA
ABoVE Reference Locations
Domain: Core ABoVE
State/Territory: Alaska
Grid Cells:Ah001v000,Bh006v004, Bh006v005, Bh007v005, Bh008v003,Ch036v033, Ch039v032, Ch040v029, Ch042v032, Ch048v019, Ch048v021
Spatial Resolution: multiple points
Temporal Coverage: 2016-08-09 to 2018-07-11 (see Table 3 for site-level dates)
Temporal Resolution: One time samples during June, July, and August.
Study Area: Latitude and longitude are given in decimal degrees.
| Site | Westernmost Longitude | Easternmost Longitude | Northernmost Latitude | Southernmost Latitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| full extent | -150.27978 | -146.55757 | 68.99103 | 63.87992 |
Data File Information
There is one data file in comma separated values format with this dataset:Alaska_Vegetation_Biomass.csv
The file contains measurements of biomass and details about the understory vegetation cover.
Missing numeric data are noted as -9999; missing text data are noted as "NA".
Table 1. Variables in Alaska_Vegetation_Biomass.csv.
| Column Name | Units/Format | Description |
|---|---|---|
| sampling_date | YYYY-MM-DD | Date of sample harvest. |
| site_name | - | Name of study site where samples were collected. |
| site_code | - | Abbreviated site name. See codes in Table 2. |
| transect | - | Transect number:1 to 3. |
| meter | m | Meter location along 30 m transect. Most samples were collected at the 0 m and 30 m locations. |
| burn_history | - | Fire history at the study site. |
| latitude | decimal degrees | Latitude oftransect sampleor of general plot location. |
| longitude | decimal degrees | Longitude oftransect sampleor of general plot location. |
| species | - | Abbreviated name of plant species or functional group. See vegetation codes in Table 4. |
| plot_size | m2 | Area of the harvested plot. |
| mass | g | Mass of dried sample in grams. |
| notes | - | Notes regarding the sample. |
Table 2. Study site locations.
| Site Name (Code) | Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|---|
| Hess Creek Burned (HCB) | 65.568762 | -148.92344 |
| Hess Creek Unburned (HCU) | 65.567389 | -148.925157 |
| Nome Creek Burned – Old (NCB-OLD) | 65.340087 | -146.910072 |
| Nome Creek Unburned – Old (NCU-OLD) | 65.285561 | -146.560019 |
| Eight Mile Lake (EML) | 63.880123 | -149.256008 |
| Bonanza Creek (BNZ) | 64.695999 | -148.325677 |
| Nome Creek Burned – New (NCB-NEW) | 65.28603 | -146.55833 |
| I-Minus High (IMNH) | 68.557159 | -149.532908 |
| I-Minus Low (IMNL) | 68.5593 | -149.51605 |
| Anaktuvuk Burned (AKB) | 68.990797 | -150.2702 |
| Anaktuvuk Unburned (AKU) | 68.929906 | -150.2798 |
Application and Derivation
These data are part of a larger study to investigate how the magnitudes, fates, and land-atmosphere exchanges of carbon pools are responding to environmental change, and the biogeochemical mechanisms driving these changes.
Quality Assessment
All harvested vegetation was sorted following the same methodology and naming conventions. Any suspect values within the data set were flagged and removed. Any vegetation that could not be confidently identified to species or functional group were listed as ‘UNKNOWN’.
Data Acquisition, Materials, and Methods
Sites were selected to investigate fire disturbance (USDA, 2023), to span the range of permafrost regions from continuous to sporadic, and to cover vegetation types from boreal forests, tussock tundra, upland willow/herbaceous scrub, and lowland fen and wet tundra sites across Alaska.
Vegetation was harvested from plots at previously established, 30-meter transects at each site, except for one site where plots were randomly selected. Most samples were collected at the 0 m and 30 m locations along transects. Vascular vegetation was clipped from 50 cm x 50 cm plots, and non-vascular vegetation was clipped from 25 cm x 25 cm plots. Clipped vegetation was put into plastic sample bags, and samples were kept frozen until they could be sorted in the lab. All harvested vegetation was sorted into species where identification was possible (Viereck and Little, 2007) or sorted into families and functional groups (ex. Graminoids). The sorted vegetation was dried and then weighed to determine biomass.
Table 3. Site names and descriptions.
| Site Name | Sampling Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Hess Creek Burned | 2016-08-09 | The site is located just off the Dalton Highway between mile 11 and 12 within a burned boreal black spruce forest (1995). |
| Hess Creek Unburned | 2016-08-09 | The site is located just off the Dalton Highway between mile 11 and 12 within an unburned boreal black spruce forest. |
| Nome Creek Burned – Old | 2016-08-10 | The site is located within the White Mountain Recreation Area on a south facing slope characterized by willow/herbaceous scrub vegetation which had been previously burned (2004). |
| Nome Creek Unburned – Old | 2016-08-10 | The site is located within the White Mountain Recreation Area on a south facing slope characterized by willow/herbaceous scrub vegetation. |
| Eight Mile Lake | 2016-08-11 | The site is located off the Stampede Trail in Healy. The area is characterized by moist tundra and sedge/shrub vegetation. |
| Bonanza Creek | 2017-06-08 | The site is located near the Bonanza Creek LTER Site within a boreal black spruce stand. |
| Nome Creek Burned – New | 2018-07-07 | Located less than a 1 km off the Steese Highway near mile 63. The station is in a burned area (2004), and the vegetation is characterized by willow/herbaceous scrub. |
| I-Minus High | 2016-08-18 | The site is located approximately 1-km off the Dalton Highway a few miles south of Toolik Field Station. The station is located on top of a hillside and is characterized by tussock tundra. |
| I-Minus Low | 2018-07-10 | The site is located approximately 1-km off the Dalton Highway, a few miles south of Toolik Field Station. The station is in a lowland, wet sedge fen area (Riparian). |
| Anaktuvuk Burned | 2018-07-11 | Located near the Anaktuvuk river north of Toolik field station within the severely burned area of the 2007 Anaktuvuk river fire. The vegetation is characterized by moss and tussock tundra. |
| Anaktuvuk Unburned | 2018-07-11 | Located in an undisturbed area near the Anaktuvuk river north of Toolik field station. The vegetation at the site is characterized by moss and tussock tundra. |
Table 4. Vegetation classification.
| Vegetation Code | Name | Common Name/Description |
|---|---|---|
| BENA | Betula nana | Dwarf birch. Low, spreading deciduous shrub. Leaves are thick and leathery, often having fine, wavy teeth. Twigs are resinous and slightly hairy. |
| CHCA | Chamaedaphne calyculata | Leatherleaf. Evergreen Shrub. Leaves are wide, thick and leathery, and oblong in shape. Surface of leaves are dark green in color. Twigs are light to dark brown in color. |
| COST | Cornus stolonifera | American dogwood. Deciduous shrub. Leaves are broadly ovate to oblong in shape, and dull green in color. Branches are dark red. Cluster flowers that are white. |
| DAFR | Dasiphora fruticosa | Bush (shrubby) cinquefoil. Deciduous shrub with yellow flowers. Alternate, pinnate leaves that are narrowly oblong and dull green in color. |
| EMNI | Empetrum nigrum | Crowberry. Evergreen, creeping, mat-forming subshrub. Shiny green leaves and has bright red berries. |
| EPAN | Epilobium angustifolium | Fireweed. Perennial forb with tall, leafy stems. Plant may have 15 or more flowers that are pinky-purple in color. |
| EQUIS | Equisetum spp. | Horsetail. Have round, jointed stems. They are grass-like in appearance. |
| FORB | Forbs | Various forb species. Forbs are herbaceous flowering plant species. |
| GRAM | Graminoids | Herbaceous plants with grass-like morphology. Leaves are generally long and linear in form (ex. Eriophorum vagin*tum – tussock) |
| LICH | Lichens | All types of lichen present within the sample plot (ex. reindeer lichen, trumpet lichen, finger lichen, etc.). Did not separate into species. |
| LITTER | Litter | Litter material – various. Includes small sized plant material that is not identifiable. |
| MOSS | Moss & Liverworts | All types of moss and liverworts (bryophytes) present within a sample plot. Did not separate into species. |
| OXMI | Oxycoccus microcarpus | Bog cranberry (also Vaccinium oxycoccos). Evergreen shrub. Small, vine-like with very slender stems and green lance-shaped leaves. Has red, juicy berries. |
| PEPA | Petasites frigidus v. palmatus | Arctic sweet coltsfoot. Low-growing perennial with white cluster flowers, and large basal leaves. Leaves can be deeply clefted into palmate leaflets. |
| PIGL | Picea glauca | White spruce. Type of coniferous tree prevalent across Alaska. Seedling stage. |
| RHSU | Rhododendron subarcticum | Labrador tea (also Ledum Palustre). Evergreen shrub with narrow oblong leaves and upright branches. Leaves are fragrant, leathery, dark green colored on the upper surface and reddish-brown on the underside. |
| ROAC | Rosa acicularis | Prickly Rose. Deciduous shrub. Main stems are usually covered with prickles. Alternate, pinnate leaves with mostly 5 leaflets. Flowers are pink in color. |
| RUCH | Rubus chamaemorus | Cloudberry. Herbaceous perennial forb with green leaves that are 1 to 3 inches. Has aggregate fruits that are composed of 6 to 18 large drupelets and are often orange in color. |
| SASP | Salix spp. | Willow species. Willows were not identified to the species levels. Deciduous shrubs usually having narrow leaves with slender or wiry twigs. Catkins are upright or slightly spreading. |
| Freckle Pelt | Peltigera spp. | Type of lichen commonly known as freckle pelt. Characterized by a large thallus. Green in color becoming pale as it dries. |
| UNKNOWN | Unknown spp. | Unknown species. Could not be identified based on visual inspection. |
| VAUL | Vaccinium uliginosum | Bog blueberry. Deciduous shrub that is low and highly branched. Twigs are brown and slender with leaves that are oval and leathery. Has berries that are blue to black in color. |
| VAVI | Vaccinium vitis-idaea | Lingonberry. Evergeen shrub that is low, creeping and mat-forming. Has shiny, thick, oval-shaped green leaves and bright red berries. |
Data Access
These data are available through the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC).
Understory Vegetation Biomass from Selected Burned and Unburned sites in Alaska
Contact for Data Center Access Information:
- E-mail: uso@daac.ornl.gov
- Telephone: +1 (865) 241-3952
References
Minions, C., S. Natali, J.D. Watts, and S. Ludwig. 2021. ABoVE: Soil Temperature and VWC at Unburned and Burned Sites Across Alaska, 2016-2022. ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1869
Minions, C., S. Natali, J.D. Watts, S. Ludwig, and D. Risk. 2019. ABoVE: Year-Round Soil CO2 Efflux in Alaskan Ecosystems, Version 2.1. ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1762https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1762
Natali, S., S. Ludwig, C. Minions, and J.D. Watts. 2023. ABoVE: Thaw Depth at Selected Unburned and Burned Sites Across Alaska. ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1579
USDA. 2023. Fire Effects Information System (FEIS): Syntheses about fire ecology and fire regimes in the United States.U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station; Missoula, Montana. https://www.feis-crs.org/feis/
Viereck, L.A. and E.L. Little. 2007. Alaska Trees and Shrubs. Second Edition. University of Alaska Press, Fairbanks, Alaska.
