Toolik Field Station NEON / TOOL

The climate at TOOL is characterized by long, cold winters; short, cool summers; and extreme seasonal variation. In the absence of sunlight, winters are long and bitterly cold, with temperatures sometimes reaching -40°C (-40°F) or lower. The summer period brings 24-hour solar input for much of June-August; as a result, it is the only time of year where average temperatures exceed 0°C (32°F). TOOL has an average mean temperature of -9°C (16°F) and it receives a mean annual precipitation of 316 mm (12.4 in). [2] [7]

The majority of TOOL is located on rolling till plains and moraines with various superposed periglacial features that include stripes, non-sorted circles and thermokarst pits. Glacial and alluvial deposits from the Holocene age blanket the area. The site is also located in a continuous permafrost zone; however, taliks - pockets of non-frozen material - often underlie lakes and rivers. [13] [14]

TOOL is located on rolling till plains and moraines. The lowlands have a thick organic layer, while the higher located soils are gelic (frost-churned) and exposed at the surface. Soils at TOOL contain permafrost as the site is located in the zone of continuous permafrost. The soils are characterized as Typic Histoturbels in the order Gelisols. These soils have a thick layer of organic matter at the surface and are often saturated for long periods of time. The high organic matter in the soils at TOOL is mostly due to persistent cold temperatures, which limit decomposition and promote the accumulation of organic material from vegetation. This organic material insulates the underlying permafrost. [8] [9] [14] [15]

The landscape’s permafrost plays a major role in soil hydrology at TOOL. Climate warming brings increasing disruption to soil moisture and water table connectivity from melting permafrost layers. While solid permafrost plays a role in directing water flow, subsurface flow also impacts permafrost volume through the transfer of thermal energy via heat advection. [16] [17]

TOOL is dominated by tussock tundra, a vegetation type that covers some 80% of arctic Alaska. Bigelow Sedge (Carex bigelowii) and tussock cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum) are especially abundant. Low shrubs, including dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa or nana) and diamond-leaf willow (Salix pulchra), grow between the tussocks and along the streams. Vaccinium vitis-idaea is also common. NEON evaluates plant diversity and percent cover in various plots across the site on an annual basis. [1]

The station has a long list of notable wildlife, but mammals commonly seen in the area include caribou (Rangifer tarandus), muskox (Ovibos moschatus), and red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Terrestrial field technicians collect data on small mammals, beetles, ticks, and mosquitoes, the last of which emerge in great numbers during the peak of the growing season. Aquatic field technicians collect fish data from the nearby creek and Toolik Lake. Finally, bird surveys are performed annually to collect data on breeding land birds, including species coming from Africa and Asia, such as northern wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) and bluethroats (Luscinia svecica). The logo for Toolik Field Station features a yellow-billed loon (Gavia adamsii), which can be commonly seen or heard on Toolik Lake during the breeding season. [10]

Human inhabitation in Alaska has been dated back to at least the Pleistocene (11,500 years ago), with evidence of Paleo-Arctic Tradition at the Upper Sun River archaeological site.

Scientific research at Toolik began in 1975, providing baseline aquatic data as part of the National Science Foundation’s project called Research on Arctic Tundra Environments. With consistent collaboration between the National Science Foundation and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, infrastructure developed over the years to make Toolik Field Station one of the premier arctic research lab and support facilities in the world today. [18] [20] [21]

Owned by the Bureau of Land Management, the land which supports NEON’s terrestrial sampling is protected as both a Resource Natural Area and an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). The 335 km² (129 sq. mi.) unit does not allow for recreational camping nor commercial mining. Largely, the land is undisturbed and preserved for field research. For that reason, Toolik Field Station is one of the premier locations to study arctic science. TFS supports researchers from all around the world, with a capacity of over 100 users. Despite the remoteness and lack of development in the sampling area, there is one manmade structure that cannot go unnoticed. Built between 1975 and 1977, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System precedes the establishment of the reserve; however, it has little direct environmental impact. Running from Prudhoe Bay near the Arctic Ocean to Valdez, on the Southern Coast of Alaska, the 1.21 m (4 ft.) diameter, 1287 km (800 mi.) pipeline can be seen from various parts of the sampling boundary. [1] [4] [5]

The plot establishment and initial sampling readiness review in TOOL began in July 2017. Dry runs of observational sampling began in late 2017. Instrumentation systems went online and began producing data in March 2017.