Continuous soil temperature, specific conductance, and volumetric water content measurements from the F6 Active Layer Monitoring Station (ALMS01), McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica (2014-2021, ongoing)

As part of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) project, five Active Layer Monitoring Stations (ALMSs) were established throughout Taylor Valley, Antarctica to support new research foci around the thermal-moisture dynamics of soils that may control habitat conditions and faunal responses to seasonal and annual freezing cycles in this ecosystem. Two ALMSs were established adjacent to streams (Green Creek, Von Guerard Stream), with sensors installed through the active layer from the thalweg out to the shoreline and dry soil beyond. Two ALMSs were similarly established adjacent to water tracks (Wormherder Creek, Water Track B) that are zero-order drainages of snow and ice melt that rarely have surface flow. The remaining station was established in dry soil (F6) to serve as an ambient control. ALMSs measure soil temperature, soil moisture (as volumetric water content; VWC), and specific conductance (as electrical conductivity; EC) through the active layer (soil surface down to the frost table) at several locations from the water’s edge to dry soils. This data package contains measurements from the Active Layer Monitoring Station at F6 (ALMS01), located on the south shore of Lake Fryxell.

本数据集隶属于麦克默多干河谷长期生态研究（Long Term Ecological Research, LTER）项目。为支撑围绕土壤热湿动力学的全新研究方向——该动力学过程或调控本生态系统中控制生境条件以及动物群落对季节、年度冻融循环响应的关键机制，研究团队在南极洲泰勒谷全域布设了5台活动层监测站（Active Layer Monitoring Stations, ALMSs）。其中2台监测站布设于溪流周边（格林溪（Green Creek）、冯·盖拉德溪（Von Guerard Stream）），传感器沿活动层从深泓线向海岸线及外侧干土区域布设。另有2台监测站布设于类似的水迹带周边（沃姆赫德溪（Wormherder Creek）、水迹带B（Water Track B）），此类区域为冰雪融水形成的零级汇水区，几乎无地表径流。剩余1台监测站布设于干土区域（F6），作为本底对照站点。活动层监测站可在从水岸到干土的多个点位，沿活动层（从土壤表面至冻土层顶面）测定土壤温度、土壤湿度（以体积含水量（volumetric water content, VWC）计）及比电导率（即电导率（electrical conductivity, EC））。本数据包包含布设于弗莱克塞尔湖南岸的F6站点（ALMS01）的活动层监测站观测数据。