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.

Home // Plot location map // Preliminary vegetation classification // Communities and microsites // Environmental variables // Environmental information: Abiotic data, Biotic data // Soils Characteristics // Species Composition // Selected Soil Descriptions // Plot Photos

Soil Description, Plot SWT-27

	Classification: Pergelic Cryohemist, euic. Location: West side of Toolik Lake, in water track, 68°38' N, 149°38' W. Physiographic position: Midslope of small drainage, gentle (5 percent) N-facing slope. Topography: Well defined hill slope water track. Microrelief Height: Hummocks up to 20 cm. Drainage: Very poorly drained. Vegetation: Wet Eriophorum angustifolium s.l., Sphagnum sp., Salix planifolia ssp. pulchra, sedge, low-shrub tundra Parent material: Retransported fine alluvium. Sampled by: D.A. Walker and C. Westberg, August 6, 1989. Remarks: Frozen at 60 cm. Weather: Clear, very warm. Horizons: Colors are for the wet soil. Oi 0-9 cm. Loose mat of sedge leaves and moss (Eriophorum angustifolium and Sphagnum squarrosum); clear and smooth boundary. Oa 9-19 cm. Very dark brown (7.5YR 2/2) sapric material, mainly composed of dead sedge leaves, after rubbing est. 5 percent recognizable plant fibers; saturated; loose, highly porous; abrupt, smooth boundary. B/O 19-40+ cm. Predominantly very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) highly organic loam, mixed with pockets of pure sapric organic material; few brown (10YR 4/3) mottles, particularly around dead Sphagnum; weak, medium, subangular blocky structure; saturated; gritty, slightly plastic, slightly sticky (wet); pH = 4.6; few sedge roots. (Sample T-062).
Enlarge soil photo