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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Soil Description, Plot SWT-51

soil photo
Classification:Pergelic Cryaquoll, loamy-skeletal, mixed.
Location:Northwest side of Toolik Lake. North slope of hill, directly above and to the north of lake S-5. Part of toposequence SWT-47 to 58. 68°38' N, 149°38' W.
Physiographic position:Lower backslope of N-facing 20 percent slope.
Topography:Solifluction features.
Microrelief Height:To 30 cm.
Drainage:Somewhat poorly drained.
Vegetation:Moist Salix rotundifolia, Hylocomium splendens, dwarf­-shrub, moss tundra
Parent material:Itkillik II glacial till.
Sampled by:D.A. Walker and C. Westberg, August 10, 1989.
Remarks:Lower part of snowbed. Ground frozen at 53 cm. Water is seeping out of wall of soil pit at 18 cm depth (base of Oa).
Weather:Partly cloudy, warm, windy.
Horizons:Colors are for the wet soil.
Oi0-4 cm. Mat of live and dead Hylocomium splendens and Salix rotundifolia litter; smooth abrupt boundary.
Oe4-9 cm. Black (7.5YR 2/1) hemic material; loose structure; wet; pH = 6.4; very many very fine and common fine roots; smooth clear boundary. (Sample T-124).
Oa9-24 cm. Very dark brown (10YR 2/2) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky, breaking to a weak fine granular structure; at the base of horizon there is a band of dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/5) mottles; wet; smooth, slightly sticky, slightly plastic (wet); pH = 6.7; roots penetrate to about 18 cm; abrupt wavy boundary. (Sample T-125).
IIBw24-45 cm. Brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly sandy clay loam; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; wet; gritty, sticky, plastic (wet); pH = 7.3; est. 40 percent gravel to 3-4 cm diameter; clear irregular boundary. (Sample T-126).
IIC45-53+ cm. Brown (10YR 4/3) to dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) very gravelly sandy loam; single grain structure; very wet; gritty, nonsticky, nonplastic (wet); pH = 7.9; est. 50 percent gravel to 3 cm diameter. (Sample T-127).
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