Ecological investigations of the tundra Ecological investigations of the tundra biome in the Prudhoe Bay region, Alaska . ecologicalinvest00brow Year: 1975 120 specimens of cryptostigmatid mites occurred in the top cm of the litter and soil. Unlike the north temperate regions, in the arctic soil ani- mals cannot descend to escape the winter freeze. By remaining near the surface, they experience an earlier onset of activity in spring and warmer temperatures during the summer season. 3. Phenology. One of the striking features of tundra ecology is the synchronous emergence of adult insects (
Ecological investigations of the tundra Ecological investigations of the tundra biome in the Prudhoe Bay region, Alaska . ecologicalinvest00brow Year: 1975 120 specimens of cryptostigmatid mites occurred in the top cm of the litter and soil. Unlike the north temperate regions, in the arctic soil ani- mals cannot descend to escape the winter freeze. By remaining near the surface, they experience an earlier onset of activity in spring and warmer temperatures during the summer season. 3. Phenology. One of the striking features of tundra ecology is the synchronous emergence of adult insects (MacLean and Piteika 1971; MacLean, in press). The peak of emergence at Barrow, particularly of the conspicuous Diptera, usually falls in the second week of July approxi- mately one month after melt-off. We were inter- ested in comparing emergence patterns at Prud- hoe Bay where snow melt-off is generally earlier and summer temperatures warmer. 100 -r 90 -- Cumulative Captures 50 - - (%%%%%%%%of Total) 10 -- 0 -L Date Fig. 1. Derivation of tiie figure used to describe seasonal pattern of insect activity. Central line represents date of median capture; bar encloses central 80%%%%%%%% of captures; total length of horizon- tal line indicates total period of capture. An open-ended line (see Fig. 3) indicates that the first (or last) capture occurred in the first (last) period sampled; a closed line, as shown here, indicates that at least one sample period with no captures preceded (or followed) the first (last) capture. The 2 years of observation at Prudhoe Bay yielded very different results. In 1971 melt-off was nearly complete when observations began in early June. The average of the daily mean air temperatures recorded at the BP-Mukluk based camp during the first week of June was °C. In 1972 melt-off was delayed by at least 10 days and occurred at approximately the same time as melt-off at Barrow. The average daily mean temperature for the first week of June 1972 was °
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