Effects of aufeis on the structure and function of Arctic river-floodplain ecosystems, Alaska, 2016-2017

• Main Authors: Huryn, Alexander, Gooseff, Michael
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: NSF Arctic Data Center 2021
• Subjects: aufeis; icing; invertebrates; groundwater; chemistry; nutrients; Arctic; Alaska
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.18739/a2ww7713n; https://arcticdata.io/catalog/view/doi:10.18739/A2WW7713N

The goal of this study is to assess the potential effects of aufeis (i.e., river icings) on the structure and function of arctic river-floodplain ecosystems in a warming climate. Aufeis are massive accumulations of ice that are features of many arctic rivers. They form during freeze-up when thickening surface ice causes local overflows. Successive cycles of overflow result in accumulations of enormous volumes of ice, with aufeis on some Alaskan rivers attaining thicknesses of 3-5 meters, covering more than 20 square kilometers, and storing as much as 30% of the annual river discharge. Although aufeis have been studied by hydrologists and are known to be required for winter and spawning habitat for some fish, understanding of their ecology is poor. We propose that aufeis be viewed as winter oases due to their wet bases that supply water and heat to otherwise frozen habitats. Aufeis function as summer oases by providing a stable supply of water to hyporheic and downstream habitats. These data come from intensive study of the Kuparuk River aufeis field. We collected subsurface invertebrate community and water chemistry data during 12-17 August 2017 from 45 ~0.7-meter (m) deep ground-water wells that were installed in the aufeis field. These data are were collected coincidentally with those provided in: doi: 10.18739/A20P0WR15.