2022 Field Season Updates

Week of July 27, 2022

Julian Day 202-208

ITEX Plots


Toolik ITEX MAT plots NDVI values have leveled off at peak season

Dry Heath OTCs have leveled off, but controls have decreased slightly (possible senescence)

Toolik ITEX NDVI 07.27

Imnavait ITEX sites and treatments NDVI values have dropped significantly following the hail storm

Imnavait ITEX NDVI 07.27

Atqasuk ITEX site NDVI values have leveled off with little difference between OTC and control plots

Atqasuk ITEX NDVI 07.27

Utqiagvik ITEX site NDVI values have leveled off at peak season with OTC plots slightly higher than control plots

Barrow ITEX NDVI 07.27

Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platform


NDVI values hold fairly steady at peak season levels

Ahead of schedule on runs (37/35)

Toolik MISP NDVI 07.27

NDVI values have dropped following a major hail storm

Ahead of schedule for runs (38/35)

Imnavait MISP NDVI 07.27

NDVI values have leveled off, although wet meadow have decreased somewhat

Atqasuk MISP NDVI 07.27

Utqiagvik NDVI values leveled off at peak season

Barrow MISP NDVI 07.27

Photos of the Week


Emma smiles though the pain while pointframing

Emma smiles though the pain while pointframing

The Toolik team says goodbye to Caroline, a member of the pollination crew

The Toolik team says goodbye to Caroline, a member of the pollination crew

Hana, Jenna, Emma, and Scott soak up some Barrow sun

Hana, Jenna, Emma, and Scott soak up some Barrow sun


Week of July 20, 2022

Julian Day 195-201

ITEX Plots


Toolik ITEX MAT plots NDVI values have leveled off at peak season.

Dry Heath controls are increasing but more slowly.

Toolik ITEX NDVI 07/20

Imnavait ITEX sites and treatments NDVI values have dropped significantly following the hail storm.

Imnavait ITEX NDVI 07/20

Atqasuk ITEX Wet Meadow site NDVI values have leveled off at peak season with little difference between OTC and control plots.

Atqasuk ITEX NDVI 07/20

Utqiagvik ITEX site NDVI values have leveled off at peak season with control plots slightly higher than OTC plots.

Utqiagvik ITEX NDVI 07/20

Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platform


NDVI values hold fairly steady at peak season levels

Ahead of schedule on runs (32/30)

Toolik MISP NDVI 07/20

NDVI values have dropped following a major hail storm

Ahead of schedule for runs (34/30)

Imnavait MISP NDVI 07/20

NDVI values continue to increase, although wet meadow seems to have somewhat leveled off

Atqasuk MISP NDVI 07/20

Utqiagvik NDVI values have slowed their increase and started to level off at peak season

Utqiagvik MISP NDVI 07/20

Photos of the Week


Hana, Justin, and Taylor enjoy the bugs in Atqasuk

Hana, Justin, and Taylor enjoy the bugs in Atqasuk

Taylor focuses on a Point Frame while Justin records

Taylor focuses on a Point Frame while Justin records

Justin and Taylor show off their (inert) bear spray

Week of July 13, 2022

Julian Day 188-194

ITEX Plots


Toolik ITEX MAT plots NDVI values have started to level off in the OTCs but continue to increase in the controls.

Dry Heath OTCs and controls are increasing but more slowly.

Toolik ITEX NDVI 07/13

Imnavait ITEX sites and treatments mostly continue to increase in NDVI values, with the exception of Dry Heath OTCs which appear to be leveling off.

Imnavait ITEX NDVI 07/13

Atqasuk ITEX Wet Meadow site NDVI values are increasing with green-up and will likely surpass Dry Heath site soon which have leveled off.

Atqasuk ITEX NDVI 07/13

Utqiagvik ITEX site NDVI values continue to increase.

Dry Heath plots are increasing at a faster rate than the Wet Meadow, likely due to later snow melt.

Utqiagvik ITEX NDVI 07/13

Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platform


NDVI values are starting to level off

Ahead of schedule on runs (28/25)

Toolik MISP NDVI 07/13

NDVI values have started to level off

Ahead of schedule for runs (29/25)

Imnavait MISP NDVI 07/13

NDVI values continue to increase with Dry Heath communities increasing at the fastest rates

Atqasuk MISP NDVI 07/13

Utqiaġvik is getting consistent runs now and NDVI values are increasing

Utqiagvik MISP NDVI 07/13

Photos of the Week


Hana and Taylor on their way to the Atqasuk site

Hana and Taylor on their way to the Atqasuk site

Emma celebrates a finished Point Frame plot in Utqiagvik

Emma celebrates a finished Point Frame plot in Utqiaġvik

Sarah poses with rare white morph fireweed

Sarah poses with rare white morph fireweed


Week of July 6, 2022

Julian Day 181-187

ITEX Plots


Toolik ITEX MAT plots NDVI values continue to increase while Dry Heath plots have leveled off.

Warmed plots continue to outpace control plots. 

Toolik ITEX NDVI 07/06/22

Imnavait ITEX sites NDVI values are increasing with warmed plot values consistently higher than control plots.

Fastest increase in dry heath site, likely driven by A. alpina leaf out

Imnavait ITEX NDVI 07/06

Atqasuk ITEX Wet Meadow site NDVI values are increasing with green-up and will likely surpass Dry Heath site soon which have leveled off.

Atqasuk ITEX NDVI 07/06

Utqiagvik ITEX site NDVI values have started to increase.

Dry Heath plots are increasing at a faster rate than the Wet Meadow, likely due to later snow melt.

Utqiagvik ITEX 07/06

Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platform


NDVI values continue to increase

Ahead of schedule on runs (22/20)

Toolik MISP NDVI 07/06

NDVI values have started to increase

Ahead of schedule for runs (22/20)

Imnavait MISP NDVI 07/06

NDVI values continue to increase with Dry Heath communities increasing at the fastest rates

Atqasuk MISP NDVI

Utqiagvik holds at one run due to power issues

Utqiagvik MISP NDVI 07/06

Photos of the Week


Sarah and Caroline wrap up the Imnavait tram in the rain

Sarah and Caroline wrap up the Imnavait tram in the rain

Emma and Jenna collect NDVI and IR measurements at Utqiagvik

Emma and Jenna collect NDVI and IR measurements at Utqiaġvik 

Sarah protects herself from wildfire smoke

Sarah protects herself from wildfire smoke


Week of June 29, 2022

Julian Day 180-186

ITEX Plots


Toolik ITEX sites NDVI values continue to increase with the warmed plots outpacing control plots and moist acidic site much higher than dry heath site

NDVI at Toolik ITEX plots week of 6.29

Imnavait ITEX site NDVI values are increasing with warmed plot values consistently higher than control plots.

The fastest increase is seen at the dry heath site, likely driven by A. alpina leaf out

NDVI at Imnavait ITEX plots week of 6.29

Atqasuk ITEX site NDVI values are increasing with green-up.

Warmed plots are slightly higher than control plots.

NDVI at Atqasuk ITEX plots week of 6.29

Utqiagvik ITEX site NDVI values have not started to increase much due to late snowmelt.

There is little/no difference between warmed and control plots.

NDVI at Barrow ITEX plots week of 6.29

Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platform


NDVI values continue to increase

Ahead of schedule on runs (17/15)

NDVI at Toolik MISP week of 6.29

NDVI values have not begun to increase much

Ahead of schedule for runs (17/15)

NDVI at Imnavait MISP week of 6.29

NDVI values are beginning to increase

NDVI at Atqasuk MISP week of 6.29

Snow has melted and first run of the year has been done

NDVI at Barrow MISP week of 6.29

Photos of the Week


Emma and Jenna work together to conduct growth measures in Utqiaġvik

Emma and Jenna work together to conduct growth measures in Utqiaġvik 

Bob and Justin ride ATVs around Utqiaġvik

Bob and Justin ride ATVs around Utqiaġvik 

Justin and Marianna take reflectance measurements

Justin and Marianna take reflectance measurements


Week of June 22, 2022

Julian Day 173-179

ITEX Plots


Toolik ITEX sites NDVI have all started to increase with the warmed plots outpacing control plots.

NDVI at Toolik ITEX plots week of 6/22/22

Imnavait ITEX site NDVI values are increasing with warmed plot values consistently higher than control plots as plants leaf out

NDVI at Imnavait ITEX plots week of 6/22/22

ITEX sites at Utqiaġvik and Atqasuk are set up but do not have NDVI data.


Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platform


First Toolik run was on May 30, NDVI is increasing as temperatures warm.

Ahead of schedule on runs (11/10)

NDVI at Toolik MISP week of 6/22

First run on May 30, later snowmelt so NDVI has not increased much.

On schedule for runs (10/10)

NDVI at Imnavait MISP week of 6/22

Atqasuk tram is set up and running.

Later crew arrival, so not many runs yet.

NDVI at Atqasuk MISP week of 6/22

Utqiaġvik tram is setup but has not melted out to get any runs yet.


Photos of the Week


Sarah, Caroline, Zach, and Luca conduct phenology measurements at Imnavait Creek

Sarah, Caroline, Zach, and Luca conduct phenology measurements at Imnavait Creek

Steve shows the MISP rebar who's boss

Steve shows the MISP rebar who's boss

Steve and Sarah supervise during OTC setup at Imnavait Creek

Steve and Sarah supervise during OTC setup at Imnavait Creek




Page last modified July 27, 2022