Application of space-based technologies and models to address land-cover/land-use change problems on the Yamal Peninsula, Russia: 2007 field studies along the bioclimate gradient
Donald
A. (Skip)
Walker, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, ffdaw@uaf.edu
(Presenting)
Howard
E.
Epstein, Department of Environmental Sciences, Univ. of Virginia, hee2b@virginia.edu
Elina
Kaarlejärvi, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland, elina.kaarlejarvi@gmail.com
J.
Patrick
Kuss, Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Switzerland, patrick.kuss@ips.unibe.ch
Mariina
O.
Leibman, Earth Cryosphere Institute, Moscow, Russia, moleibman@gmail.com
George
V.
Matyshak, Department of Soil Science, Lomonosov Moscow State University, ,, matyshak@ps.msu.ru
Nataliya
G.
Moskalenko, Earth Cryosphere Institute, Moscow, Russia, nat-moskalenko@hotmail.com
Vladimir
E.
Romanovsky, Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, ,, ffver@uaf.edu
The Yamal Peninsula in northern Russia has undergone extensive changes during the past 20 years due to gas and oil development, grazing and trampling by reindeer herds, and changes in climate. We are using a combination of ground-based studies, remote-sensing studies, and studies of land-use activities to help develop vegetation-change models. In 2007-2008 we are establishing a latitudinal transect of six locations in the Yamal Peninsula region. Here we present a summary of ground-based measurements of vegetation, soil, permafrost, active-layer, and spectral reflectance at three sites visited in Aug 2007: Nadym (northern boreal forest), Laborovaya (southern tundra), and Vaskiny Dachi (typical tundra). Biomass varies from about 1800-2300 g m-2 for tundra and forest understory at Nadym to about 1000-1300 g m-2 at Vaskiny Dachi). Areas with sandy soils have 250-350 g m-2 less biomass than comparable clayey sites, with less mosses and graminoids, and much more lichen biomass than nearby areas with more clayey soils. Lichen biomass was especially large in the ungrazed areas near Nadym - over 1000 g m-2 in two areas studied at Nadym compared to less than 250 g m-2 in areas where reindeer grazing has occurred annually. Ground-based measurements of NDVI and optically-measured LAI showed little correspondence to the biomass data, demonstrating the difficulty of linking ground-based measurements of NDVI and LAI to biomass data at the plot level. However, space-based measurements of NDVI along the climate gradient in both North America and Eurasia show clear latitudinal trends that correspond to the biomass data. Summaries of soil, vegetation, and active layer information are also presented. The baseline of information established along the Yamal transect could be extremely useful for monitoring long-term changes in plant biomass, permafrost temperatures, and active layer depths as temperatures warm in the region.
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