Data Report
Biocomplexity Of Patterned Ground
Mould Bay Expedition, July 2004

Corinne Munger, Martha K. Raynolds, Anja Kade, Donald A. Walker

Alaska Geobotany Center
Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska
Fairbanks Alaska 99775
March 2005

Funding: U.S. National Science Foundation, grant OPP-0120736
Online Link: http://www.geobotany.uaf.edu/library/reports/mouldbay2004_dr0503.pdf


Table of Contents

List of Figures ............................................................ 1
List of Tables ............................................................. 2
Summary .................................................................... 3
Description of Mould Bay ................................................... 4
Methods and Types of Data Collected ........................................ 6
Inuvik grid ................................................................ 6
Climate .................................................................... 7
Grids ...................................................................... 8
Vegetation mapping ......................................................... 9
Thaw depth ................................................................. 9
Plant biomass .............................................................. 9
LAI & NDVI ................................................................. 9
Soil pits .................................................................. 9
Vegetation relevés ......................................................... 9
N-factor .................................................................. 10
Biogeochemistry ........................................................... 10
Decomposition ............................................................. 11
Mycorrhizae ............................................................... 11
Turf hummocks ............................................................. 12
Measurement of mound and polygon diameter ................................. 14
Class transects ........................................................... 17
Studies of Puccinellia and Parrya arctica ................................. 17
Microbial biomass and population density measurements ..................... 18
Results ................................................................... 18
Grid data ................................................................. 18
LAI & NDVI ................................................................ 22
Soils ..................................................................... 23
Relevé data ............................................................... 26
N-factor .................................................................. 56
Biogeochemistry ........................................................... 56
Mycorrhizae data .......................................................... 57
Microbial biomass and population density measurements ..................... 58
Acknowledgments ........................................................... 59
References ................................................................ 59
Participant list .......................................................... 60

List of Figures
Figure 1. Map of patterned ground study sites along climate gradient .............................. 3
Figure 2. Photos of Mould Bay camp and crew ....................................................... 5
Figure 3. Photo of Inuvik 10 x 10 m grid, Joe Bickley measuring tree height, flags every meter .... 6
Figure 4. False-CIR satellite image of Mould Bay area, with sampling sites marked ................. 7
Figure 5. Photos of Mould Bay grids: (a) grid 1, (b) grid 2 ....................................... 8
Figure 6. Photos of turf-hummocks  ............................................................... 13
Figure 7. Photos of earth-hummocks ............................................................... 15
Figure 8. Diagram of earth hummock configuration at Mould Bay .................................... 16
Figure 9. Map of plant communities at Inuvik Grid ................................................ 18
Figure 10. Maps of plant communities at Mould Bay (a) Grid 1, (b) Grid 2; and (c) chart of
   percent area of each plant community type ..................................................... 19
Figure 11. Photos of vegetation types mapped on grids ............................................ 19
Figure 12. Maps of 1x1-m at (a) Grid 1 and (b) Grid 2, showing polygonal cracking and
   vegetation .................................................................................... 20
Figure 13. Maps of thaw depth on 10x10-m grids: (a) Inuvik, (b) Mould Bay Grid 1, (c) Mould
   Bay Grid 2 .................................................................................... 21
Figure 14. NDVI values for the three Mould Bay transects on bare, mixed, and vegetated
   surfaces ...................................................................................... 22
Figure 15. Proportion of vegetation types along Mould Bay 50 m transects ......................... 23
Figure 16. Photos of 2003 soil pit ............................................................... 23
Figure 17. Photo of soil crust on small non-sorted polygon ....................................... 25
Figure 18. Photos of vegetation relevés .......................................................... 26
Figure 19. Relevé biomass of each vegetation type ................................................ 55
Figure 20. Soil-surface temperatures ............................................................. 56
Figure 21. Chart of aboveground biomass by plant functional type at biogeochemistry sites ........ 57

List of Tables
Table 1. Definitions of patterned ground features studied ......................................... 6
Table 2. Locations of turf hummock study sites ................................................... 12
Table 3. Types and numbers of turf hummock samples collected ..................................... 13
Table 4. (a) Earth hummock count in 10 x 10 m grid; (b) non-sorted polygon diameter,
   (c) finescale cracking diameter ............................................................... 16
Table 5. Grid thaw depth data .................................................................... 22
Table 6. Inuvik LAI and vegetation canopy height ................................................. 23
Table 7. Analysis of 2003 soil pit samples ....................................................... 24
Table 8. Analysis of soil crust, July 2003 ....................................................... 25
Table 9. Relevé type and location ................................................................ 33
Table 10. Relevé site characteristics ............................................................ 35
Table 11. Relevé soil moisture ................................................................... 37
Table 12. Relevé lifeform percent cover .......................................................... 38
Table 13. Inuvik relevé plant species list ....................................................... 39
Table 14. Mould Bay relevé plant species list .................................................... 39
Table 15. Relevé species cover abundance ......................................................... 42
Table 16. Relevé biomass data .................................................................... 54
Table 17. NDVI, soil moisture, thaw depth and biomass at biogeochemistry sites ................... 56
Table 18. Aboveground biomass by plant functional type at biogeochemistry sites .................. 57
Table 19. Species sampled for micorrhizae at Mould Bay (2004) .................................... 58
Table 20. Number of micorrhizal morphotypes from Mould Bay ....................................... 58


Summary

A team of 24 people from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and other
organizations worked at Inuvik, NWT and Mould Bay, Prince Patrick Island, NWT
during the period 12-27 July 2004, as part of the "Biocomplexity associated with
biogeochemical cycles in arctic frost-boil ecosystems” project. The field party
consisted of 11 research scientists, 1 teacher participating in the TREC
(Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) program, 5 graduate
students, 4 students in an Arctic Field Ecology course, 2 native hunters from
the village of Sachs Harbor, and a cook (see Participant List and Contact
Information). This year’s work was the third in a 5-year project. The main
objective of the research is to investigate the properties of small-patterned-
ground ecosystems along a climate gradient from the coldest parts of the Arctic
to the northern boreal forest (Fig. 1). We are studying earth hummocks, non-
sorted circles, small non-sorted polygons, and turf hummocks – how they form,
how they vary with climate and substrate, and their role in total ecosystem
functions. The project is examining five subzones of the circumpolar Arctic
(Subzone A is the coldest, and Subzone E is the warmest). In 2002, the project
examined non-sorted circles and earth hummocks along the Dalton Highway in
Northern Alaska (Subzones C-E). The second year focused at Green Cabin on Banks
Island (Subzone C), and this year the team worked at Mould Bay (Subzone B). In
subzone B and C, turf hummocks and small non-sorted polygons are dominant on
zonal sites. This year the research team also worked at Inuvik (northern boreal
forest), where large earth hummocks are common, and also revisited Green Cabin
to collect data from research plots established in 2003. In 2005, the project
will examine Subzone A at Isachsen on Ellef Ringnes Island

The team is investigating the complex interactions between climate, permafrost,
geomorphology, soils, vegetation, and soil invertebrates within these unique
ecosystems. One goal is to examine how these systems might change in different
parts of the Arctic as the climate warms. This year the project established
three new 10 x 10-m grids: one near Inuvik in a lichen-woodland with well
developed mounds, and two at Mould Bay. We mapped the vegetation and thaw-layer
depth within the grids, and characterized the vegetation of the patterned ground
by collecting vegetation, site, and soil information from 41 relevé sites in the
vicinity of the grids. We also established a climate station near one of the
grids. The major accomplishment this year was the identification of how three
major processes related to patterned-ground formation vary and interact along
the climate gradient and within major soil-texture classes. The processes
include the formation of contraction cracks, differential frost heave, and the
development of a vegetation mat. The strength of these processes vary across the
climate gradient and interact to form turf hummocks, sorted and non-sorted
circles, and large well-vegetated mounds.

One teacher participated in the project as part of the NSF-sponsored TREC
program that incorporates teachers into field research teams, integrating
research, education, and outreach, and expanding the teacher’s scientific
knowledge base.

Students are a major part of the project. Four graduate students participated in
the project this summer, and four undergraduate students were involved from the
Arctic Field Ecology course organized by Dr. Bill Gould. The first two weeks of
the course were spent along the Mara River near Bathurst Inlet and culminated in
a camp with local Inuit. Students studied the local natural history, current
trends in ecological research and Inuit traditional knowledge. The class then
traveled to Inuvik to meet the biocomplexity team, and worked on field projects
with the science team at Inuvik, Green Cabin, and Mould Bay.

This research is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, grant no.
OPP-0120736. We also thank VECO Polar Resources, the Aurora Research Institute,
the Polar Continental Shelf Program, Parks Canada, and the village of Sachs
Harbor Hunters and Trappers Committee for help with logistics and information.