METEOROLOGY

Meteorological parameters were monitored on the polar desert plateau during the summers of 1991-1995

SOILS

Basic soil analysis were undertaken, including soil structure, pedogenesis, solution chemistry, nutrient concentrations, temperature, moisture, active zone dynamics, and near-surface soil movement from cryogenic processes.

Investigators:

David Anderson, Warren Gold, Ron Sletten, Fio Ugolini

    Measuring Soil Heave            Rock thrust out of soil surface

CRYPTBIOTIC CRUST ORGANISMS & FUNCTION

The biological composition, conditions and function of cryptobiotic surfaces were analyzed.  This included measures of crust temperature relations, nutrient concentration dynamics, moisture relations, carbon dioxide exchange, nitrogen fixation activity, and dynamics of nitrogen transfer with 15-N tracers.

Investigators:

Leal Dickson,  Margareta Getsen, Warren Gold,

Nadya Matveyeva

Injecting N-15 gas tracer                     N-fixation measurements

VASCULAR PLANTS & PLANT FUNCTION

The composition of plant communities, environmental conditions and plant function analyzed.  This included measures of community composition, species distribution, plant temperature relations, water relations, gas exchange, nutrient uptake and concentration dynamics, biomass & nutrient allocation patterns, reproduction, seedbank characteristics.

Investigators:

David Anderson, Larry Bliss, Warren Gold, Nadya Matveyeva, Astrid Volder

Polar desert plant species with 6-inch ruler  

Gas exchange of Saxifraga oppositifolia

MANIPULATIVE FIELD EXPERIMENTS

To better understand the function and development and constraints of polar desert ecosystems, we undertook a number of manipulative field experiments - including nutrient additions and crust removal.

Investigators:

Warren Gold and Astrid Volder

Fertilizing the polar desert with N & P

Measuring surface temperatures following crust removal