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-57

	Classification: Pergelic Cryohemist, euic. Location: Northwest side of Toolik Lake, in wetland at bottom of the north-facing toposequence. Stake is in the water. 68°38' N, 149°38' W. Physiographic position: Small colluvial basin. Topography: Strangmoor and aligned hummocks in fen. Plot is in the inter-hummock element of the fen. Microrelief Height: 15 cm. Drainage: Very poorly drained. Vegetation: Wet Carex chordorrhiza, Carex rotundata, Carex aquatilis s.l., Scorpidium scorpioides, sedge tundra Parent material: Colluvial deposit. Sampled by: D.A. Walker and C. Westberg, August 11, 1989. Remarks: Ground frozen at 56 cm. Water table at 10 cm. Very complex microtopography in wetland. Inter-hummock element of strangmoor complex. Paired with plot SWT-58. Weather: Mostly cloudy. Horizons: Colors are for the saturated soil. Oi Black (7.5YR 1.7/1) mat of sedge bases and root fibers; abrupt smooth boundary. Oe 2-36 cm. Very dark brown (7.5YR 2/3) very tight mat of peat, composed of very fine roots; est. 25 percent recognizable plant fibers after rubbing; pH = 5.6; saturated; abrupt smooth boundary. (Sample T-145). Cg 36+ cm. Dark gray (10YR 4/1) clay; saturated; smooth, sticky, plastic (wet); pH = 5.2. (Sample T-146).
Enlarge soil photo