ABoVE: Active Layer Soil Characteristics at Selected Sites Across Alaska

This dataset provides soil active layer characteristics from nine locations across Alaska. Soil samples were collected in 2016 except for one site which was sampled in 2018. Soil cores were collected from each site using a steel barrel and plastic sample tube attached to a hand drill. At the majority of sites, samples were taken from each end of three 30-m transects (i.e. samples collected at the 0 m and 30 m location of each transect). The entire thawed horizon (active layer) was sampled where possible, and the length of cores varies among sites. Cores were kept frozen until analysis in the lab. Samples were sectioned by horizon (organic and mineral), and the organic horizon was split into subsections so that no section was longer than approximately 10 cm. Coarse roots were removed, dried and weighed. Soils were measured for gravimetric water content, percent soil organic matter (SOM), pH, and bulk density. Locations were selected to investigate fire disturbance, to span the range of permafrost regions from continuous to sporadic, and to cover vegetation types from boreal forests, tussock tundra, upland willow/herbaceous scrub, and lowland fen and wet tundra sites across Alaska. The data are provided in comma-separated values (CSV) format.

本数据集汇集了阿拉斯加九个地点的土壤活性层特征。土壤样本采集于2016年，除一个地点在2018年采集外。各采样点均采用手钻配合钢制桶和塑料采样管进行土壤芯取样。在大多数地点，样本从三条30米样带的两端采集（即在每个样带的0米和30米位置采集样本）。在可能的情况下，对整个融化层（活性层）进行采样，且各地点土壤芯的长度存在差异。土壤芯在分析前保持冷冻状态。样本根据土层（有机质和矿物质）进行切割，有机质层进一步分割成若干亚层，以确保任何亚层的长度均不超过约10厘米。粗根被去除、烘干并称重。土壤样品进行了质量含水量、土壤有机质百分比（SOM）、pH值和体积密度的测量。采样地点的选择旨在研究火灾干扰，覆盖从连续到间歇性的冻土区域，并涵盖阿拉斯加的针叶林、苔原、高山柳树/草本灌木丛、低地泥炭沼泽和湿地苔原等植被类型。数据以逗号分隔值（CSV）格式提供。