During August and September 2020 a huge effort was carried out to collect soil samples in the forest-alpine ecotone.

Adriana Calabrese collecting a soil sample from one of the tree line field locations. Photo: Claire Devos

The field campaign was aimed at collecting soil samples at 16 field locations in transition zones between forest and alpine areas covering a latitudinal gradient from 64 to 69 degrees north. The effort was a part of the project “ForestPotential”, and more specifically the outcome in terms of data will be the main data material for PhD student Claire Devos. Claire’s research aims to determine the relationship between magnitude of carbon, nitrogen, and tannins in the organic soil layer, and properties of tree- and ground vegetation cover. This is important in order to analyze effects on carbon storeage as a result of tree line migration.

At each field location, the sample points were distributed across the range of tree cover, from open parts in the alpine zone, to parts with relatvely dense tree corver. There were 34 soil samples collected for each field location. Processing of soil samples includes drying, grinding and homogenization, and determination of carbon, nitrogen and tannins in a element analyzer (Micro Cube, Elementar Analysen, Hanau, Germany).

In 2021, the field effort will continue on additional 20 field locations, going south from 64 degrees north to 60 degrees north.

Dried soil samles ready for grinding and homogenization. Photo: Claire Devos.

Map showing the 36 field locations