Standing crop and net production of sedge meadows of an ungrazed polar desert oasis
Standing crop and net production were measured in sedge meadow communities of a coastal lowland at Alexandra Fiord, Ellesmere Island (79°N), a high arctic oasis. The meadows are dominated by Carex aquatilis stans, Carex membranacea, and Eriophorum angustifolium triste. Dwarf shrubs (Dryas integrifol...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b90-336 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/b90-336 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/b90-336 2023-12-17T10:18:06+01:00 Standing crop and net production of sedge meadows of an ungrazed polar desert oasis Henry, G. H. R. Svoboda, J. Freedman, B. 1990 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b90-336 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/b90-336 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Botany volume 68, issue 12, page 2660-2667 ISSN 0008-4026 Plant Science journal-article 1990 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/b90-336 2023-11-19T13:39:17Z Standing crop and net production were measured in sedge meadow communities of a coastal lowland at Alexandra Fiord, Ellesmere Island (79°N), a high arctic oasis. The meadows are dominated by Carex aquatilis stans, Carex membranacea, and Eriophorum angustifolium triste. Dwarf shrubs (Dryas integrifolia and Salix arctica) are also important constituents. Total standing crop ranged from 1400 to 3200 g/m 2 and was largely (50–80%) composed of attached dead matter. The accumulation of litter and dead roots and rhizomes is attributed to low rates of decomposition, and to a lack of grazing by large herbivores such as muskox. Net production (100–200 g/m 2 ) was similar to more southerly tundra meadows, emphasizing the oasis-like nature of this high arctic location. Furthermore, net production did not vary significantly among sites or years. The consistent net production was due to similar edaphic and climatic conditions, the concentration of biomass belowground, and the apparently fixed growth period of arctic sedges. Key words: sedge meadows, high arctic, net production, standing crop, Carex. Article in Journal/Newspaper Alexandra Fiord Arctic Carex aquatilis Ellesmere Island Eriophorum muskox polar desert Tundra Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) Arctic Ellesmere Island Alexandra Fiord ENVELOPE(-75.797,-75.797,78.885,78.885) Canadian Journal of Botany 68 12 2660 2667 |
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Open Polar |
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Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Plant Science |
spellingShingle |
Plant Science Henry, G. H. R. Svoboda, J. Freedman, B. Standing crop and net production of sedge meadows of an ungrazed polar desert oasis |
topic_facet |
Plant Science |
description |
Standing crop and net production were measured in sedge meadow communities of a coastal lowland at Alexandra Fiord, Ellesmere Island (79°N), a high arctic oasis. The meadows are dominated by Carex aquatilis stans, Carex membranacea, and Eriophorum angustifolium triste. Dwarf shrubs (Dryas integrifolia and Salix arctica) are also important constituents. Total standing crop ranged from 1400 to 3200 g/m 2 and was largely (50–80%) composed of attached dead matter. The accumulation of litter and dead roots and rhizomes is attributed to low rates of decomposition, and to a lack of grazing by large herbivores such as muskox. Net production (100–200 g/m 2 ) was similar to more southerly tundra meadows, emphasizing the oasis-like nature of this high arctic location. Furthermore, net production did not vary significantly among sites or years. The consistent net production was due to similar edaphic and climatic conditions, the concentration of biomass belowground, and the apparently fixed growth period of arctic sedges. Key words: sedge meadows, high arctic, net production, standing crop, Carex. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Henry, G. H. R. Svoboda, J. Freedman, B. |
author_facet |
Henry, G. H. R. Svoboda, J. Freedman, B. |
author_sort |
Henry, G. H. R. |
title |
Standing crop and net production of sedge meadows of an ungrazed polar desert oasis |
title_short |
Standing crop and net production of sedge meadows of an ungrazed polar desert oasis |
title_full |
Standing crop and net production of sedge meadows of an ungrazed polar desert oasis |
title_fullStr |
Standing crop and net production of sedge meadows of an ungrazed polar desert oasis |
title_full_unstemmed |
Standing crop and net production of sedge meadows of an ungrazed polar desert oasis |
title_sort |
standing crop and net production of sedge meadows of an ungrazed polar desert oasis |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1990 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b90-336 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/b90-336 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-75.797,-75.797,78.885,78.885) |
geographic |
Arctic Ellesmere Island Alexandra Fiord |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Ellesmere Island Alexandra Fiord |
genre |
Alexandra Fiord Arctic Carex aquatilis Ellesmere Island Eriophorum muskox polar desert Tundra |
genre_facet |
Alexandra Fiord Arctic Carex aquatilis Ellesmere Island Eriophorum muskox polar desert Tundra |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Botany volume 68, issue 12, page 2660-2667 ISSN 0008-4026 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/b90-336 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Botany |
container_volume |
68 |
container_issue |
12 |
container_start_page |
2660 |
op_container_end_page |
2667 |
_version_ |
1785544325502861312 |