White spruce demography and herbivory by snowshoe hares measured at latitudinal treeline in the Brooks Range, AK I - Site Data

• Main Authors: Olnes, Justin R, Bonanza Creek LTER
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Environmental Data Initiative 2018
• Subjects: Brooks Range; Alaska
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/82211e0447cf3a1f77291e32d3975c9a; https://portal.edirepository.org/nis/mapbrowse?packageid=knb-lter-bnz.697.2

Treelines in Alaska are advancing in elevation and latitude because of climate warming, which is expanding the habitat available for boreal wildlife species, including snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus). Snowshoe hares are already present in tall shrub communities beyond treeline and are the main browser of white spruce (Picea glauca), the dominant tree species at treeline in Alaska. We investigated the processes involved in a 'snowshoe hare filter' to white spruce establishment near latitudinal treeline in the Brooks Range, Alaska. Site variables collected included latitude, landscape position, vegetative cover, and the density of white spruce seedlings, saplings and trees.