Description
This study aims to do a repeated survey along two proglacial chronosequences near Kongsfjorden, Svalbard. This study will revisit and sample the same sites as those studied by Hodkinson et al. (2004) in their work "invertebrate community assembly along proglacial chronosequences in the high Arctic". their study demonstrated that the succession was predictable, directional and deterministic closely linked to plant colonisation, soil development and species specific traits.
Since the study was conducted in 2004 climate change has increased temperatures causing the glacier to further retreat. With temperatures in Svalbard increasing with approximately four degrees in the past century. The Arctic is particularly vulnerable to climate change due to a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification, whereby the region is warming up to four times faster than the global average.
In addition to analysing community assembly and assessing explanatory abiotic/biotic factors, we're also evaluating potential climate-driven shift in colonisation patterns.
Data Records
The data in this occurrence resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 228 records.
This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.
Versions
The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.
Rights
Researchers should respect the following rights statement:
The publisher and rights holder of this work is The University Centre in Svalbard. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License.
GBIF Registration
This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: a93a9b5b-1240-4163-8eb4-b4775620d91e. The University Centre in Svalbard publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by GBIF Norway.
Keywords
Earth Science > Biosphere > Ecosystems > Terrestrial ecosystems > Alpine/Tundra > Arctic tundra; Earth science > Biological classification > Animals/invertebrates; Earth science > Human dimensions > Climate change responses; Earth science > Biosphere > Ecological dynamics > Community dynamics > Plant succession; Earth science > Agriculture > Soils > Soil pH; Earth science > Agriculture > Soils > Soil moisture/water content; Earth science > Agriculture > Soils > Carbon; Occurrence; Observation
Contacts
- Originator
Geographic Coverage
Kongsfjorden NYA - Lovénbreen, Storholmen, Midtholmen.
| Bounding Coordinates | South West [78.892, 12.072], North East [78.935, 12.299] |
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Taxonomic Coverage
No Description available
| Kingdom | Animalia |
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| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Enthognatha, Insecta, Arachnida |
| Order | Acari, Araneae, Collembola |
Project Data
No Description available
| Title | UNIS AB-201 |
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| Identifier | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q119442230 |
The personnel involved in the project:
- Principal Investigator
Sampling Methods
At each site three plots were established, selected based on the presence of either Saxifraga oppositifolia or Salix polaris and each plot had to be at least 10 meters apart. From each plot, two invertebrate samples were extracted containing one of the two focal plant species. Moisture content of the local sample area was measured and noted with a Delta-T SM150 moisture-meter. Afterwards, the samples were cut 10x10x10 centimeters with a knife, using a piece of cardboard as template and extracted with the help of a trowel where the organic layer depth was measured with a ruler (average of 4 sides of the square) as well as determining the observed parental soil type as described in the field protocol, appendix XX. Furthermore, UTM coordinates and date and time were noted for each sample. The samples were stored in, partially closed (sufficient breathing room for the invertebrate species), zip-lock bags in a 5 degrees Celsius fridge to be used for Tullgren-funnel-extraction of invertebrates. In addition to the six invertebrate samples, 3 soil samples were also sampled from each site. The soil sample’s requirements were to be extracted next to Saxifraga oppositifolia and Salix polaris with the third soil sample being extracted from a “random” spot within the site. The soil samples were handled with latex gloves to prevent human contamination, as skin flakes and sweat contain organic carbon and nitrogen, which could alter the sample's C/N ratio and make the analysis unreliable. Furthermore, UTM coordinates and date and time were noted for each sample. The soil samples were stored in labeled zip-lock bags, unrefrigerated and airtight, to be used for pH measurement, C/N analysis and organic matter content.
| Study Extent | In total, our study included ten different sampling sites (Fig. 1). Site one through seven were the same sites used by Hodkinson et al. (2003), as shown in figure 1. The sampling sites form a chronosequence in the proglacial area of a land-terminating glacier, the Midtre Lovénbre SE of Ny-Ålesund, and represent a gradient of time exposed to the atmosphere, post-glacial retreat, where new land can be colonized by the surrounding flora and fauna. Site one to seven were located in-field via the coordinates cited in Hodkinson et al. (2003), using a Garmin eTrex GPS. Site zero, not featured in existing studies, was chosen based on recent satellite images and confirmed in the field as a suitable and relatively flat area. The age of this site was determined using Landsat 8-9 satellite imagery, identifying the absence of snow during summer months from 2023 onwards (EROS, 2013). The two additional sample sites, Midtholmen and Storholmen, located NE of Ny-Ålesund, are small islands in Kongsfjord that were released successively from beneath the ice during the regression of the main valley glacier, the Kongsbre. These islands lie 3 km from the mainland shore and are separated by approximately 1 km of open water. Unlike the mainland sites, the Lovén Island communities developed on glacial diamicton, receiving a substantial influx of nutrients from surrounding marine ecosystems (Alsos, Elvebakk & Gabrielsen 1998; Hodkinson et al. 2003). While the general sampling protocol for the islands was identical to that used at the glacier sites, the three plots for each island were intentionally spread out to ensure coverage of the whole island. |
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Method step description:
- N/A
Additional Metadata
| Acknowledgements | Thank you to Anna Seniczak for her expertise and guidance in invertebrate identification. |
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| Alternative Identifiers | https://ipt.gbif.no/resource?r=chronosequence_invertebrates |