Soil data for cores from a transect from the center of the BBC collapse scar into the surrounding burn

• Other Authors: F.S.Chapin, JenniferHarden, A.McGuire
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: Bonanza Creek LTERBoreal Ecology Cooperative Research Unit University of Alaska FairbanksP.O. Box 756780 FairbanksAK99775USA907-474-6364907-474-6251 2005
• Subjects: density; carbon; nitrogen; charcoal; soil horizon; fibric; mesic; humic; Bonanza; Fairbanks; permafrost; Alaska
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10255/dryad.18149; http://metacat.lternet.edu/knb/metacat/knb-lter-bnz.192.8/xml

This data set contains soil data for cores from a transect from the center of the BBC collapse scar (0 m) into the surrounding burn (30 m). Thirty-five cores were collected soil cores along the transect in March 2003. We drilled cores using a gasoline powered, permafrost corer while soils were frozen. Two to four cores were drilled every 3 m along the transect, yielding a total of 35 cores. We stored cores frozen and cut sample sections using a radial saw. Cores were sampled at the interfaces between different soil layers. We classified soils using the Canadian Soil Classification system (Soil Classification Working Group 1998) identifying fibric, mesic, and humic organic horizions and the A and C mineral horizons. Nine cores were sampled only to the mineral boundary. We measured bulk density, %C and %N for all soil samples. The pH of sample was determined using litmus paper. We oven-dried at 50 - 65°C and ground all samples before analysis. We analyzed samples for %C and %N using a Carlo Erba EA1108 CHNS analyzer (CE Instruments, Milan, Italy) and a COSTECH ECS 4010 CHNS-O analyzer (Costech Analytical Technologies Inc., Valencia, CA,USA). Sample standard errors were ± 0.01% for nitrogen, ± 0.45% for carbon. To indicate fire events in the surrounding ecosystem, charcoal layers in the cores were quantified. We estimated charcoal by emptying dried samples of a known volume and depth (on mean 4.5 cm3) over a 10 cm x 10 cm grid and counting macroscopic charcoal fragments (greater than 0.05 mm in diameter) in each cm grid cell.