Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge NEON / WOOD

Woodworth (WOOD) is a terrestrial NEON field site located just east of Woodworth, North Dakota. The land is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey as part of the larger Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). WOOD is ecompassed in the heart of the Missouri Coteau, on a 10.4 km² (2561 acre) Waterfowl Production Area dedicated to research by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. NEON sampling at WOOD occurs across a sampling area of 11 km2 (2718 acres). The region includes a patchwork of grasslands, agricultural, and wetland/aquatic communities embedded in small agrarian communities. The site is a restored prairie located in an undulating matrix of small lakes, ponds, and ephemeral prairie potholes formed by glaciers 10,000 years ago. It is part of NEON's Northern Plains Domain (D09), which includes two other terrestrial field sites and two aquatic field sites. [1] [2] [12]

North Dakota has continental climate characterized by vast variations in both seasonal and daily temperatures. Air flow throughout the region creates windy conditions. In the winter, arctic air masses create cold and dry conditions. Summer airflow from the Northern Pacific air masses bring warmer dry conditions, while occasional tropical air flow creates warm and wet conditions. This highly variably shift in air masses ultimately provides North Dakota with moderate precipitation annually of around 330-508 mm (13-20 in.). Average annual temperature ranges from 2.8-6.1°C (37-43°F), with winters often below -17.8°C (0°F) and summers above 32°C (90°F). The mean annual temperature in the vicinity is 4.9°C (40.8°F) and mean annual precipitation is 495 mm (19.5 in.). Preipitation varies from year to year, with more precipitation falling during the summer months when thunderstorm activity is the highest. Weather exhibits extreme variability, with periodic droughts, hailstorms, fluctuations in temperature, and frequent strong winds. The most severe storms can produce hail, tornadoes, or damaging straight-line winds. [4] [7] [16]

The geology at this site is composed of river sediments (sand and gravel), underlain by the Coleharbor Formation. Parent materials at WOOD consist of late Wisconsin glacial deposits and outwash. [8] [14]

Soils at this site are dominated by Mollisols in the subgroup Typic Haplustolls, with lesser proportions classified in the Inceptisols Order. The soils have textures of Fine-Loamy with lesser proportions of fine, fine-loamy over sandy, sandy-skeletal, and sandy textures. There is no major stream drainage and surface runoff flows into many pothole depressions that are typically inundated for several weeks in spring and summer. [1] [8] [12]

WOOD lies in a region characterized by an undulating matrix of small lakes, ponds, and ephemeral prairie potholes. The colocated aquatic site PRPO is a year-long depressional freshwater wetland which fills with snowmelt and rain during the spring and summer storms. [1] [5 [13]

The Northern Plains Domain is dominated by prairie grasslands, including a combination of short and mid-stature grasses, and croplands. Dominant vegetation types include blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) and green needle grass (Nassella viridula). Tame grasses, legumes, and many species of wildflower are also present. [1] [12]

Chase Lake NWR where WOOD is located is home to the largest breeding colony of American White pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) and several other species of water birds such as California gulls (Larus californicus), snowy egrets (Egretta thula), and double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus). Other fauna include elk (Cervus canadensis), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), coyote (Canis latrans), plains spadefoot toad (Spea bombifrons), smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis), sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus), and several other species of birds and small mammals. NEON provides data on five types of wildlife at WOOD: birds, small mammals, ground beetles, mosquitoes, and ticks. [3] [10]

Native American presence in the area dates back to 10,000 years ago, following the retreat of the continental glaciers. Before European settlers arrived, the Dakota or Lakota nation, as well as the Assiniboine, Cheyenne, Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara groups were present in what is now North Dakota. Native Americans and Euro-Americans came into contact in the 18th Century and further American settlement commenced in 1861 following the establishment of North Dakota as a territory. WOOD is part of the larger Chase Lake NWR, which was established in 1908 as a reserve and breeding ground for native birds and is the fifteenth oldest refuge in the country. Since 1969, this site has been used for studying the response of wildlife to applied treatments of grazing, burning, idling, and annual cropping. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducts annual wildlife surveys to determine the size and health of nesting bird populations around the lake. The site has been historically tilled, cultivated, and grazed. [1] [3] [11] [12] [15]

The U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manage the Larger Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge where WOOD is located. At Chase Lake NWR, all but 1 km2 (230 acres) of the 19.5 km2 (4,835 acres) are designated as wilderness area. Land management at Chase NWR is focused on maintaining the biological diversity, integrity, and overall environmental health of the ecosystem in and around the lake. Private landowners play a role in protecting the wetlands and grasslands in the Prairie Pothole Region, which serve as critical migration and breeding habitat for birds. The primary human activities here are research and wilderness recreation, including bird watching. Limited trapping is allowed in the NWR with proper permits. Historically, grazing bison and wildfires caused by lightning helped evolve and shape the mixed-grass prairie. Current land management at WOOD is focused on continuing this cycle by re-seeding with native plant species and using light cattle grazing and prescribed burns to promote the growth of native species. [1] [3] [6] [9] [11]

NEON site characterization at WOOD was completed in 2014. Plot establishment was completed and terrestrial observations and sampling began in 2014. The site transitioned to operations in October 2015, and the terrestrial instrumentation system came online and started streaming data in 2016.