TITLE:

Toolik Snowfence Experiment: Plant species list


PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:

Dr. Marilyn Walker Leader, Boreal Ecology Cooperative Research Unit
USFS PNW Research Station and University of Alaska Fairbanks

Boreal Ecology Cooperative Research Unit
School of Agriculture and Land Resources Management
P.O. Box 756780
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK 99775-6780
Phone: 907-474-2424 
Fax: 907-474-6251
E-mail: ffmdw@uaf.edu


FUNDING SOURCE:

National Science Foundation 


ARCTIC SYSTEM SCIENCE PROGRAM:

Land-Atmosphere-Ice Interactions (LAII) and The International Tundra Experiment (ITEX)


GRANT TITLES AND GRANT NUMBERS:

1994 - 1998: OPP-9400083 -- ITEX / Comparative Responses of Moist and Dry Arctic Tundra to Altered Snow and Temperature Regimes

1999 - 2003: OPP-9907127 -- ITEX / Collaborative Research: Species Responses to Changes in Climate Across Arctic Gradients Using the North America ITEX Network (NATEX): Influences On Community and Ecosystem Processes

1999 - 2003: OPP-9996383 -- ITEX / Comparative Responses of Moist and Dry Arctic Tundra to Altered Snow and Temperature Regimes


CONDITIONS FOR USE AND CITATION:

For permission to use these data, contact the Principal Investigator.  Grant numbers must be cited in any manuscripts resulting from these data.  In addition, a copy of the manuscript must be sent to the PI.


DATA SET OVERVIEW:

This file contains a key to plant species and growth form codes used within the Toolik Snowfence Experiment. The Toolik Snowfence Experiment (part of the International Tundra Experiment network) examines the short- and long-term effects of increased snow depth (shortened growing season) and increased summer temperature on arctic tundra vegetation.  The goal of this project is to assess potential changes in tundra plant communities in response to global climate change.

Time period covered by data: Corresponds with 1994 to 2001 data files
Physical location of measurement:  Toolik Field Station, Alaska USA (68.62710 N, 149.59322 W)


DATA COLLECTION AND PROCESSING: 

Species names were verified using the USDA PLANTS database and, if necessary, changed to reflect current accepted nomenclature.  Vascular plant species names were further verified by David Murray (University of Alaska Museum Herbarium).

The Toolik Snowfence Experiment's design and manipulation are described further in: 

Walker, M. D., D. A. Walker, J. M. Welker, A. M. Arft, T. Bardsley, P. D. Brooks, J. T. Fahnestock, M. H. Jones, M. Losleben, A. N. Parsons, T. R. Seastedt and P. L. Turner.  1999.  Long-term experimental manipulation of winter snow regime and summer temperature in arctic and alpine tundra.  Hydrological Processes  13: 2315-2330.


DATA FORMAT:

File name: USTOOLIK_specieslist.txt

SUMMARY OF VARIABLES FOR DATA

1. SITE: country/site/project title
2. CODE: 6-8 character species or ground condition code
3. SPECIES: complete species name or ground condition
4. GROWTH_FORM_NARROW: narrow growth form category
5. GROWTH_FORM_BROAD: broad growth form category
6. NOTES

DESCRIPTION OF SELECT VARIABLES:

SITE
USTOOLIK: Toolik Field Station, Alaska, USA; Comparative responses of moist and dry arctic tundra to altered snow and temperature regimes

GROWTH FORM NARROW CODES
Shrub: SEVER (evergreen), SDECID (deciduous), SHRUBU (unknown shrub)
Grass: GRASS
Sedge: SEDGE
Rush: RUSH
Unknown Graminoid: GRAMINU
Forb: FORB
Seedless vascular plant: SLVASC (Lycophyta, Sphenophyta, Pteropyta)
Lichen: LFOLI (foliose), LFRUT (fruticose), or LCRUS (crustose), LICHENU (unknown lichen)
Moss: SPHAG (Sphagnum), MACRO (acrocarp), MPLEU (pleurocarp), MSEMI (semi-prostrate), MPOLY (Polytrichale), MOSSU (unknown moss).
Liverwort: LIVERTH (thalloid), LIVERLE (leafy), LIVERU (unknown liverwort)
Unknown Bryophyte: BRYOU
Fungus: FUNGUS
Algae: ALGAE

GROWTH FORM BROAD CODES
Shrub: SHRUB
Graminoid: GRAMIN
Forb or Seedless Vascular: FORBSV
Lichen: LICHEN
Moss: SPHAG (Sphagnum), MOSS
Liverwort: LIVER
Unknown Bryophyte: BRYOU
Fungus: FUNGUS
Algae: ALGAE

CODES USED IN DATA SET
In all years "-9999" indicates missing data.


DATA REMARKS:

If a code or species name differs among datasets, that difference is noted in the NOTES column.


LOCATION OF ORIGINAL DATA SHEETS:

Boreal Ecology Cooperative Research Unit, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA


DOCUMENTATION AUTHOR:

Original: Amy Breen Carroll, 9 January, 2001
Updated by: Amy Breen Carroll, 2 January, 2002
Updated by: Amy Breen Carroll, 18 February, 2002

PRINCIPAL FIELD WORKERS:

Andrew Borner


PRINCIPAL POSTDOCS:

Michael H. Jones
Anna Arft