Plant species, biomass and environmental characteristics of relevés along the North America Arctic bioclimate gradient ...

• Main Authors: Walker, Donald A, Kuss, Patrick, Epstein, Howard E, Kade, Anja N, Vonlanthen, Corinne M, Raynolds, Martha K, Daniëls, Frederikus J A
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2011
• Subjects: International Polar Year 2007-2008 IPY; Banks Island; Ellef Ringnes Island; International Polar Year; IPY; Prince Patrick Island; Alaska
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.837761; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.837761

Question: How do interactions between the physical environment and biotic properties of vegetation influence the formation of small patterned-ground features along the Arctic bioclimate gradient? Location: At 68° to 78°N: six locations along the Dalton Highway in arctic Alaska and three in Canada (Banks Island, Prince Patrick Island and Ellef Ringnes Island).Methods: We analysed floristic and structural vegetation, biomass and abiotic data (soil chemical and physical parameters, the n-factor [a soil thermal index] and spectral information [NDVI, LAI]) on 147 microhabitat releves of zonalpatterned-ground features. Using mapping, table analysis (JUICE) and ordination techniques (NMDS).Results: Table analysis using JUICE and the phi-coefficient to identify diagnostic species revealed clear groups of diagnostic plant taxa in four of the five zonal vegetation complexes. Plant communities and zonal complexes were generally well separated in the NMDS ordination. The Alaska and Canada communities were spatially ... : Data extracted in the frame of a joint ICSTI/PANGAEA IPY effort, see http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.150150 ...