Windirsch, Torben; Forbes, Bruce C; Grosse, Guido; Wolter, Juliane; Treat, Claire C; Ulrich, Mathias; Stark, Sari; Fuchs, Matthias; Olofsson, Johan; Macias-Fauria, Marc; Kumpula, Timo; Strauss, Jens (2022): Peat and sediment characteristics from Reindeer winter ranges in Northern Finland [dataset bundled publication]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.952470

These data originate from 10 soil profiles sampled in northern Finland in June 2022 as part of the PeCHEc project. All sites were sampled on the Kutuharju Field Research Station, a reindeer research station run by the Reindeer Herders' Association of Finland. 8 sites are located on the reindeer winter ranges, while 1 site (S-2P) located on the reindeer summer ranges. 1 site (E-1M-B) is a reindeer exclosure site. In total, 5 sites with mineral soil (profiles with fixed volume cylinders) and 5 sites with peat (peat corer) were sampled in tundra, grassland and birch forest landscapes, covering a range of 5 different reindeer grazing intensities: - exclosure site with no grazing (intensity 1) - occassional migration route (intensity 2) - regular migration route (intensity 3) - frequent migration route (intensity 4) - pasture / supplementary feeding site (intensity 5). Analysis took place at the facilities of AWI between July and October 2022. All samples taken from the cores were analyzed for water content, bulk density, TOC, TN, δ13C and THg (total mercury). Additional radiocarbon measurements were done for selected samples. For mineral soil samples, both from mineral soil sites as well as from the bottom of the peat cores, grain size composition was determined. TN was measured at AWI Potsdam CARLA Laboratory using a rapidMAX N Element Analyzer. TOC was measured at the same laboratory using a soliTOC cube Element Analyzer. δ13C was measured at AWI Potsdam Stable Isotope Laboratory and GFZ Potsdam Stable Isotope Laboratory using Delta V Advantage Isotope Ratio MS supplements equipped with Flash 2000 Organic Elemental Analyzers. THg was determined using a DMA-80 evo Direct Mercury Analyzer. Grain size composition was determined using a Malvern Mastersizer 3000 equipped with a Malvern Hydro LV wet-sample dispersion unit. Statistics were calculated for this using Gradistat 8.0. Radiocarbon dating was carried out using the Mini Carbon Dating System (MICADAS) at AWI Bremerhaven.