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)
Imnavait ITEX sites and treatments NDVI values have dropped significantly following the hail storm
Atqasuk ITEX site NDVI values have leveled off with little difference between OTC and control plots
Utqiagvik ITEX site NDVI values have leveled off at peak season with OTC plots slightly higher than control plots
Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platform
NDVI values hold fairly steady at peak season levels
Ahead of schedule on runs (37/35)
NDVI values have dropped following a major hail storm
Ahead of schedule for runs (38/35)
NDVI values have leveled off, although wet meadow have decreased somewhat
Utqiagvik NDVI values leveled off at peak season
Photos of the Week
Emma smiles though the pain while pointframing
The Toolik team says goodbye to Caroline, a member of the pollination crew
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.
Imnavait ITEX sites and treatments NDVI values have dropped significantly following the hail storm.
Atqasuk ITEX Wet Meadow site NDVI values have leveled off at peak season with little difference between OTC and control plots.
Utqiagvik ITEX site NDVI values have leveled off at peak season with control plots slightly higher than OTC plots.
Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platform
NDVI values hold fairly steady at peak season levels
Ahead of schedule on runs (32/30)
NDVI values have dropped following a major hail storm
Ahead of schedule for runs (34/30)
NDVI values continue to increase, although wet meadow seems to have somewhat leveled off
Utqiagvik NDVI values have slowed their increase and started to level off at peak season
Photos of the Week
Hana, Justin, and Taylor enjoy the bugs in Atqasuk
Taylor focuses on a Point Frame while Justin records
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.
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.
Atqasuk ITEX Wet Meadow site NDVI values are increasing with green-up and will likely surpass Dry Heath site soon which have leveled off.
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.
Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platform
NDVI values are starting to level off
Ahead of schedule on runs (28/25)
NDVI values have started to level off
Ahead of schedule for runs (29/25)
NDVI values continue to increase with Dry Heath communities increasing at the fastest rates
Utqiaġvik is getting consistent runs now and NDVI values are increasing
Photos of the Week
Hana and Taylor on their way to the Atqasuk site
Emma celebrates a finished Point Frame plot in Utqiaġvik
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.
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
Atqasuk ITEX Wet Meadow site NDVI values are increasing with green-up and will likely surpass Dry Heath site soon which have leveled off.
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.
Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platform
NDVI values continue to increase
Ahead of schedule on runs (22/20)
NDVI values have started to increase
Ahead of schedule for runs (22/20)
NDVI values continue to increase with Dry Heath communities increasing at the fastest rates
Utqiagvik holds at one run due to power issues
Photos of the Week
Sarah and Caroline wrap up the Imnavait tram in the rain
Emma and Jenna collect NDVI and IR measurements at Utqiaġvik
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
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
Atqasuk ITEX site NDVI values are increasing with green-up.
Warmed plots are slightly higher than control plots.
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.
Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platform
NDVI values continue to increase
Ahead of schedule on runs (17/15)
NDVI values have not begun to increase much
Ahead of schedule for runs (17/15)
NDVI values are beginning to increase
Snow has melted and first run of the year has been done
Photos of the Week
Emma and Jenna work together to conduct growth measures in Utqiaġvik
Bob and Justin ride ATVs around Utqiaġvik
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.
Imnavait ITEX site NDVI values are increasing with warmed plot values consistently higher than control plots as plants leaf out
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)
First run on May 30, later snowmelt so NDVI has not increased much.
On schedule for runs (10/10)
Atqasuk tram is set up and running.
Later crew arrival, so not many runs yet.
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
Steve shows the MISP rebar who's boss
Steve and Sarah supervise during OTC setup at Imnavait Creek