At a low Arctic tundra site (Trail Valley Creek) near Inuvik, Northwest Territories, we measured stem sap flow, stem water potential, and productivity-related functional traits of green alder (Alnus alnobetula) and environmental predictors (water and nutrient availability and seasonal thaw depth) across a toposequence in green alder patches. These data were used to evaluate the role of topographic gradients on upland shrub productivity to understand potential constraints on tundra shrub expansion. Sampled patches of green alder spanned from the top of a hill to the bottom of a slope or drainage channel and were located on south to south-east facing slopes. Eight shrub patches were sampled in 2015 and three were more intensively studied in 2016.
For a detailed description of methods, please see Black et al. (2021) in Related Publication.
Notes: Funding was provided by ArcticNet, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Changing Cold Regions Network), Canadian Northern Studies Trust, Wilfrid Laurier University, the Polar Continental Shelf Program, Polar Knowledge Canada, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, and the Northern Scientific Training Program. J. Rabley, T. Giguere, and E. Way-Nee supported data collection. We gratefully acknowledge logistical support provided by P. Marsh through access to the Trail Valley Creek Research Station. N. Tran provided technical support for sap flow data processing. N. P. Marsh and K. Stevens provided input regarding study design. A. Berg provided soil moisture equipment and E. Wrona developed soil moisture calibrations. Logistical support was provided by the Government of the Northwest Territories – Laurier Partnership. This research was carried out in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region under Aurora Research Institute Scientific Research License #15609.