Haupt, Sarah; Kruse, Stefan; Wei, Linfeng; Enguehard, Léa; Charlé, Luise Wilhelmine (2025): Forest inventory and tree genetic sampling across 92 sites in Alaska in summer 2023 (AK-Land_2023_Alaska-transect) [dataset]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.982233
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Published: 2025-06-12 • DOI registered: 2025-07-11
Abstract:
During the AK-Land_2023_Alaska-Transect field campaign in June and July 2023, a comprehensive forest inventory was conducted across 21 full inventory plots and 71 additional short stops for genetic sampling in Alaska. The study area, located within the boreal forest biome and partially underlain by permafrost soils, was surveyed by scientists from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), and the University of Potsdam, Germany. The primary objectives were to document tree and forest characteristics to support research on treeline migration, stand infilling, natural disturbances, and succession processes, as well as to initialize and validate a forest model. Approximately 750 trees were inventoried within circular plots of 15 m radius, covering different vegetation types. Detailed measurements were recorded for around 10 individuals per tree species and 3 per shrub species. Tree parameters included species, position, height, crown base, diameter at the base (DBS), diameter at breast height (DBH), minimum and maximum crown diameter (DC min, DC max), and the presence of green cones. For shrubs, species, position, height, and minimum and maximum diameters were documented. Additionally, genetic samples were collected from 714 trees and shrubs in the form of needles, leaves, or cambium tissue, dried on silica gel, and stored at 4°C for future analysis.This dataset provides a valuable resource for studying boreal forest dynamics in the context of environmental change.
Keyword(s):
References:
Olson, David; Dinerstein, Eric; Wikramanayake, Eric; et al. (2001): Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World: A New Map of Life on Earth: A new global map of terrestrial ecoregions provides an innovative tool for conserving biodiversity. BioScience, 51(11), 933-938, https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051%5B0933:TEOTWA%5D2.0.CO;2
Project(s):
Coverage:
Median Latitude: 64.399451 * Median Longitude: -147.664282 * South-bound Latitude: 60.945549 * West-bound Longitude: -150.811533 * North-bound Latitude: 68.032731 * East-bound Longitude: -141.059218
Date/Time Start: 2023-06-22T00:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2023-07-15T00:00:00
Minimum Elevation: 15.0 m * Maximum Elevation: 1064.0 m
Event(s):
EN23601 * Latitude: 61.136366 * Longitude: -149.703038 * Date/Time: 2023-06-22T00:00:00 * Elevation: 418.0 m * Location: Southcentral Alaska, USA * Campaign: AK-Land_2023_Alaska_Forests (Forest Change Northwest America Leg I) * Basis: AWI Arctic Land Expedition * Method/Device: Vegetation survey (VEGSUR) * Comment: Plot for full vegetation survey; Open mountain forest + shrubs + dense ground vegetation; Chugach State Park (Alaska)
EN23602 * Latitude: 60.945766 * Longitude: -149.365874 * Date/Time: 2023-06-23T00:00:00 * Elevation: 173.0 m * Location: Southcentral Alaska, USA * Campaign: AK-Land_2023_Alaska_Forests (Forest Change Northwest America Leg I) * Basis: AWI Arctic Land Expedition * Method/Device: Vegetation survey (VEGSUR) * Comment: Plot for full vegetation survey; Disturbed forest + southwest slope + mixed forest; Chugach State Park (Alaska)
EN23603 * Latitude: 61.697112 * Longitude: -149.982310 * Date/Time: 2023-06-24T00:00:00 * Elevation: 78.0 m * Location: Southcentral Alaska, USA * Campaign: AK-Land_2023_Alaska_Forests (Forest Change Northwest America Leg I) * Basis: AWI Arctic Land Expedition * Method/Device: Vegetation survey (VEGSUR) * Comment: Genetic sampling; Lowland forest; Willow (Alaska)
Parameter(s):
| # | Name | Short Name | Unit | Principal Investigator | Method/Device | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Event label | Event | Kruse, Stefan | Plot name | ||
| 2 | Sample code/label | Sample label | Kruse, Stefan | Tree ID | ||
| 3 | Species | Species | Kruse, Stefan | If species not available, genus or family | ||
| 4 | LATITUDE | Latitude | Kruse, Stefan | Handheld GPS, Garmin | Geocode | |
| 5 | LONGITUDE | Longitude | Kruse, Stefan | Handheld GPS, Garmin | Geocode | |
| 6 | Landform | Landform | Kruse, Stefan | Physiogeographic feature or landform description, the sample was taken in | ||
| 7 | Biome | Biome | Kruse, Stefan | Name of the biome, the sample was taken in. According to Olson et al. (2001) | ||
| 8 | Tree height | Tree height | m | Kruse, Stefan | Clinometer, Suunto, PM-5/360 | |
| 9 | Tree height | Tree height | m | Kruse, Stefan | Clinometer, Suunto, PM-5/360 | If tree is forked |
| 10 | Tree, crown base | Tree crown base | m | Kruse, Stefan | Folding ruler | |
| 11 | Tree, diameter, at base | Tree D base | cm | Kruse, Stefan | Tape measure | |
| 12 | Tree, diameter, at base | Tree D base | cm | Kruse, Stefan | Tape measure | Diameter at basal height of second tree, if tree is forked |
| 13 | Trees, diameter at breast height | DBH | cm | Kruse, Stefan | Tape measure | Diameter at breast height (1.3 m) |
| 14 | Trees, diameter at breast height | DBH | cm | Kruse, Stefan | Tape measure | Diameter at breast height (1.3 m) of second tree top if tree is forked |
| 15 | Tree crown diameter | Crown diam | m | Kruse, Stefan | Folding ruler | Crown diameter in direction 1 |
| 16 | Tree crown diameter | Crown diam | m | Kruse, Stefan | Folding ruler | Crown diameter in direction 2 |
| 17 | Reproduction | Reproduction | Kruse, Stefan | Presence of green cones YES or NO | ||
| 18 | Comment | Comment | Kruse, Stefan | |||
| 19 | Data collection date | DC date | Kruse, Stefan | |||
| 20 | Method comment | Method comm | Kruse, Stefan | Availability of genetic sample | ||
| 21 | Proposed International Geo Sample Number | Prop IGSN | Kruse, Stefan | Proposed IGSN of tree; only if genetic sample is registered as IGSN | ||
| 22 | Sample code/label 2 | Sample label 2 | Kruse, Stefan | If genetic sample is registered as IGSN | ||
| 23 | Proposed International Geo Sample Number | Prop IGSN | Kruse, Stefan | Proposed IGSN of genetic sample; only if If genetic sample is registered as IGSN |
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY-4.0)
Status:
Curation Level: Enhanced curation (CurationLevelC)
Size:
9439 data points
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