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-41

	Classification: Pergelic Cryosaprist, euic. Location: Northwest side of Toolik Lake. South-facing slope on toposequence upslope from little lake between S-7 and Toolik. 68°38' N, 149°36' W. Physiographic position: Midslope on lower part of nonsorted stripe complex. Backslope of 10 percent SSE-facing hill. Topography: Interstripe area of nonsorted stone stripe complex. Hummocks to 20 cm height with frost scars (lower part of stonestripe complex). Microrelief Height: 20 cm. Drainage: Somewhat poorly drained. Vegetation: Moist Carex bigelowii, Salix reticulata, Tomentypnum nitens, Equisetum arvense, sedge, horsetail, dwarf-shrub tundra Parent material: Retransported Itkillik II glacial till. Sampled by: D.A. Walker and C. Westberg, August 9, 1989. Remarks: Soil frozen at 53 cm. Interstripe areas are elevated above stripes, possibly due to build up of organic material. Stripe adjacent to this site has 10 cm of organic material; whereas, this site has 53 cm. Thaw depth on stripe is > 100 cm; thaw in interstripe areas is ~ 50 cm. Considerable evidence of cryoturbation in Oa/A horizon. Weather: Cloudy, cool. Horizons: Colors are for the wet soil. Oi 0-3 cm. Mat of Tomentypnum nitens, Ditrichum flexicaule, Ptilidium ciliare; wavy abrupt boundary. Oa1 3-7 cm. Very dark brown (7.5YR 2/1.5) sapric material with est. 10 percent by volume loamy fine sand; loose structure; moist to wet; slightly sticky, slightly plastic, smooth (wet); pH = 7.2; wavy clear boundary. (Sample T-094). Oa2 7-53+ cm. Very dark brown (7.5YR 2/2) sandy loam, mixed with sapric material; weak, medium, platy structure due to compressed organics; wet; smooth, slightly sticky, slightly plastic (wet); pH = 6.9; areas of more mineral-rich material and pockets of loose organic material, that have been stirred into the horizon; occasional live roots at 50 cm depth; est. 10 percent fine gravel to 2 cm diameter. (Sample T-095).
Enlarge soil photo