Aggregated ground vegetation above-ground biomass at 31 sites in Northwestern Canada, in Summer 2022 (CA-Land_2022_NWCanada)

• Main Authors: Schild, Laura, Kruse, Stefan, Schildt, Katharina, Ewald, Peter, Gloy, Josias, Haupt, Sarah
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2023
• Subjects: Achillea millefolium; biomass as dry weight; Alnus alnobetula; biomass; dry mass; Andromeda polifolia; Apiaceae; Arctostaphylos uva-ursi; Arctous rubra; AWI_Envi; AWI Arctic Land Expedition; Betula glandulosa; aboveground; boreal forest; British Columbia; Canada; Burnt vegetation; CA-Land_2022_NWCanada; Carex sp.; Chamaenerion angustifolium; Cornus canadensis; Cyperaceae; DATE/TIME; Diphasiastrum complanatum; ELEVATION; Empetrum nigrum; Alfred Wegener Institute; Northwest Territories; permafrost; Yukon
• Online Access: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.959405; https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.959405

Above-ground biomass for ground vegetation is given in g per m² for each taxon and different vegetation types at 31 sites. Vegetation surveys were carried out in Northwest Territories, Yukon and British Columbia in Canada. The study area is within the boreal forest biome and is partially underlain by permafrost soils. The aim was to record the ground vegetation above-ground biomass in different boreal forest types studied during the CA-Land_2022_NWCanada field campaign in July and August 2022. The ground vegetation above-ground biomass was measured for different vegetation types within a circular forest plot of 15m radius. Depending on the heterogeneity of the forest plot, multiple vegetation types (VA, VB, or VC) were chosen for the survey. One quadrat of 50x50 cm was harvested per vegetation type. All vegetation smaller than 40 cm was harvested. Biomass harvest was conducted just outside the circular forest plots, which will serve as long-term monitoring sites. Fresh weights were recorded in field and sub sampling conducted if necessary. Samples were later dried at 60°C until a constant weight was achieved and dry weight was recorded. Average ground vegetation biomass per plot was calculated by using a weighted average for each vegetation type. In total 31 forest plots were investigated. All data were collected by scientists from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) Germany, and the University of Potsdam Germany.