MONITORING OF THE ACTIVE LAYER, AT KAPP LINNE', SVALBARD 1972-1997. by H. Jonas Akerman Dep. of Physical Geography, Lund University, Sweden CALM DATA COLLECTION 1972-1997 at CALM site S1: Kapp Linne', Svalbard. There are 10 data collection sites reported here; collectively they are considered to be the CALM S1 site. Please cite these data as follows: Akerman, H.J. 1998. Active layer monitoring, Kapp Linne', Svalbard. In: International Permafrost Association, Data and Information Working Group, comp. Circumpolar Active-Layer Permafrost System (CAPS), version 1.0. CD-ROM available from National Snow and Ice Data Center, nsidc@kryos.colorado.edu. Boulder, Colorado: NSIDC, University of Colorado at Boulder. INVESTIGATION SITES Background In 1972 originally 20 investigation sites were chosen for the monitoring of the active layer. Twelve of these were also equipped with thermistor profiles for measurement of the soil temperatures. Ten of these sites has been monitored continuously and the thermistor profiles has been reasonably reliable up to 1997 and the rest have been discontinued. During the first two years 10x10m squares and random sampling at 10 points was used for the measurement and estimation of the mean active layer thickness. From 1974 the sample area at each site was increased to 100x100m and random sampling at 25 points was used up to 1993. One site, AL5, has been keep at 10x10 as the environment here is not uniform for a larger area. From 1994 the proposed ITEX Active Layer sample scheme has been applied. The two sampling methods were compared during the 1994 field season for 5 of the sites and showed no significant differences. Therefore the results from the period 1972 to 1997 are here treated as one continuos record series. The sites monitored are considered as fully representative for the major types of vegetation and land-form types of the investigation area specifically and for the west coast of Svalbard in general. The data can be separated into two components; one being an average for the Kapp Linne' area based upon the 8 most representative sites ( AL3 to AL20) and secondly the 10 sites treated individually. A. The Kapp Linne' area in general 1. Site Name; Kapp Linne', Svalbard, Norge. 2. Responsible Individual for CALM data collection; Dr. H. Jonas Akerman, Department of Physical Geography, Lund University, Solvegatan 13, 22363 LUND , Sweden. +46 46 123212. (+260 1 70 17 17, Fax +260 1 26 44 09, E-mail; agrisys@zamnet.zm ) 3. Latitude and longitude. 78o03'N, 13o37'E 4. Elevation above sea level; From 4-59 m.a.s.l. 5. Slope and aspect of CALM sites; 1-5o, west. 6. Land-form or geomorphological description of the area. 7. The investigation area is situated in central western Spitsbergen in the outer part of Isfjorden, east of Kapp Linne and Isfjord Radio Station (78o03'N, 13o37'E). To the west, the area is limited by the open sea, to the north by Isfjorden, and to the east by the Starostinaksla and Vardeborgaksla mountain ridges. The major part of the area is a wide strandflat characterized by a set of raised beach ridges up to about 60 m above sea level. The area is rich in small lakes and ponds and contains several small bogs. The area has continuous permafrost and an active layer varying between 30 cm in the bogs to 2 m on the exposed beach ridges. 8. Predominant texture of soil. Glaciomarine deposits. The area is dominated by washed raised beach ridges of well drained beach gravel with low free ice conent. The beach gravel material is thin, seldom exceeding 1.5 m, overlaying silty to claey marin deposits. The silty to claey marin deposits are ice rich containing ice wedges. 9. Vegetation classification; The vegetation along the strandflats of western Spitsbergen is fairly uniform, belonging to the 'Dryas zone' (Hinz 1976). The study area lacks a continuous vegetation cover and the vegetation and occurrence of isolated plants are dictated by the microtopography. The regulating factors are the snow cover, wind, ( nutrient availability (location below bird cliffs) and the soil moisture content. Three classes are distinguished: (l) the thermokarst surfaces, (2) the deflation surfaces, and (3) the shallow depressions. The thermokarst surfaces are generally very poor in vegetation as they are subject to intensive disturbances like earth flows, slumps and rill erosion. Some areas which are temporarily more stable have mosses, lichens, and some vascular plants - Saxifraga sp., Ranunculus sp., Draba sp., etc. The deflation surfaces constitute the flattest in the area and the crests of the raised beach ridges. These surfaces appear very poor in vegetation, but the number of lichens and mosses is great and the area studied has a fairly large number of wind eroded tufts of Dryas octopetala and Silene acaulis. Saxifraga oppositifolia, Draba niualis, and Stellaria crassipes are also fairly common at protected 'microsites' on these surfaces. The polygon furrows on the deflation surfaces are also rich in mosses and Salix polaris . The depressions between the smooth ridges (incl. the polygon furrows) have a protective snow cover during winter, also providing moisture to the soil in the early summer, and have a discontinuous vegetation cover dominated by lichens and mosses; the surfaces are comparatively rich in plants. The dominating vascular plants are Salix polaris, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Stellaria crassipes, Silene acaulis, Draba alpina, and Poa alpina. 10. Information on permanent temperature and /or moisture installations etc. All sites have been measured with thermistor profiles during varying periods (see each specific site). One of the sites has been equipped with a datalogger monitoring a thermistor profile from +2 m to -7 m. This site (AL 4) was installed 1994 and is still running. 11. Name and location of closest climate station Isfjord Radio, Kapp Linne' 78o03'N, 13o37'E. Data serie from 1912-1976 (official) and continued within the project 1976-1997. Data submitted as attached file "ISFJhela" (EXCEL) B. The individual sites are described below. They are as follows: Site AL 1. Raised beach ridge with cover sand Site AL 2. Beach Site AL 3. Bog Site AL 4. Raised beach ridge with ice wedge polygons Site AL 5. Sorted net surface Site AL 9. Low deflation surface with sorted net Site AL 10. Slope with small sorted steps Site AL 14. Raised beach ridge with soil wedge polygons Site AL 19. High deflation surface Site AL 20. Dryas dominated deflation surface SITE DESCRIPTIONS: Site AL 1. Raised beach ridge with cover sand. This site is situated not more than 200 m from Isfjord Radio station at 78o03'61''N, 13o37'71''E. The surface is a part of a system of raised beach ridges which here is level and situated 8 m above and 30 m from the coastline. The material is a beach gravel heavily affected by the wind in the surface layer. Apart from a 5-10 cm thick coarser surface material with a thin humus horizon, the vertical profile show a uniform material throughout the active layer. The area is more or less snow free during the winter. The test surface is partly covered by a thin cover of coarse sand and a few small dune features, blown up from the beach below in north east. According to the vegetation map the site is situated on the B3.1.2.Very exposed gravelly ridges type. The dunes have a thin and sparse grass cover and the rest of the surface is only sporadically colonized by different Draba and Saxifraga species. Scattered stands of Salix poaris, Cerastium acticum and Silene accaulis occur on sligtly more protected spots. The average vegetation cover is 60% . 1. Site Name; AL 1. Raised beach ridge with cover sand. Kapp Linne', Svalbard, Norge. 2. Responsible Individual for CALM data collection; Dr. H. Jonas Akerman, Department of Physical Geography, Lund University, Solvegatan 13, 22363 LUND , Sweden. +46 46 123212. (+260 1 70 17 17, Fax +260 1 26 44 09, E-mail; agrisys@zamnet.zm ) 3. Latitude and longitude. 78o03'61''N, 13o37'71''E 4. Elevation above sea level; 8 m.a.s.l. 5. Slope and aspect of CALM sites; Flat- free horizon. 6. Land-form or geomorphological description of the area. Raised beach ridge with cover sand 7. Predominant texture of soil. Coarse beach gravel. Uniform. 8. Vegetation classification; 60% 9. Information on permanent temperature and /or moisture installations etc. Thermistor profile down to 2.5 m during 1972-1994 10. Name and location of closest climate station Isfjord Radio, Kapp Linne' 78o03'N, 13o37'E. Data serie from 1912-1976 (official) and continued within the project 1976-1997. Data submitted as attached file "ISFJhela" (EXCEL) Site AL 2. Beach This site is situated on the sandy beach of Randvika 300 m from Isfjord Radio station at 78o03'61''N, 13o37'71''E. The surface is gently sloping towards north and situated 4-6 m above and 20 m from the coastline. The material is fine gravel and coarse beach sand with basically no vegetation in the lower parts. The vertical profile show a more or less uniform material of fine gravel and coarse sand throughout the active layer. However the stratigraphy and the thaw processes are complicated by the presence of layers of sea-weed, ground ice like embedded ice-flows etc. A few small dunes have a thin and sparse grass cover and the area belongs to the vegetation group B7.2 Sea-shores. Gravel shores.. The average vegetation cover is <5% 1. Site Name; AL 2. Beach 2. Responsible Individual for CALM data collection; Dr. H. Jonas Akerman, Department of Physical Geography, Lund University, Solvegatan 13, 22363 LUND , Sweden. +46 46 123212. (+260 1 70 17 17, Fax +260 1 26 44 09, E-mail; agrisys@zamnet.zm ) 3. Latitude and longitude. 78o03'55''N, 13o38'06''E 4. Elevation above sea level; 4-6 m.a.s.l. 5. Slope and aspect of CALM sites; 2-6o North. 6. Land-form or geomorphological description of the area. Active beach. 7. Predominant texture of soil. Coarse beach gravel. Uniform. 8. Vegetation classification; less than 5% 9. Information on permanent temperature and /or moisture installations etc. NA 10. Name and location of closest climate station Isfjord Radio, Kapp Linne' 78o03'N, 13o37'E. Data serie from 1912-1976 (official) and continued within the project 1976-1997. Data submitted as attached file "ISFJhela" (EXCEL) Site AL 3. Bog This site is situated on one of the largest bog surfaces of the investigation area between the Vasstakdammen pond and the Tunsjen lake at 78o03'47''N, 13o38'34''E. The bog is drained from the Vasstakdammen pond towards the southeast with a slope of ca 2o. The site is situated on a surface with a A2.2.2 Wet moss Tundra type of vegetation. It is a Poorly drained site of wet moss tundra of the Homalothecium nitens - Carex subspathacea type. This vegetation type is widely distributed on the strandflat around the numerous lakes and ponds and in protected depressions between the raised beach ridges. The bog has a very high ice content and contains a number of palsa like mounds with an ice-rich inner structure. An irregular and sparse pattern of ice wedge polygons also cross the bog surface. The average vegetation cover is 100% 1. Site Name; AL 3. Bog. Kapp Linne', Svalbard, Norge. 2. Responsible Individual for CALM data collection; Dr. H. Jonas Akerman, Department of Physical Geography, Lund University, Solvegatan 13, 22363 LUND , Sweden. +46 46 123212. (+260 1 70 17 17, Fax +260 1 26 44 09, E-mail; agrisys@zamnet.zm ) 3. Latitude and longitude. 78o03'47''N, 13o38'34''E 4. Elevation above sea level; 10 m.a.s.l. 5. Slope and aspect of CALM sites; 2o- SE aspect free horizon. 6. Land-form or geomorphological description of the area. Bog surface between raised beach ridges. 7. Predominant texture of soil. Peat. 8. Vegetation classification; 100% 9. Information on permanent temperature and /or moisture installations etc. Thermistor profile down to 4.5 m during 1972-1994 10. Name and location of closest climate station Isfjord Radio, Kapp Linne' 78o03'N, 13o37'E. Data serie from 1912-1976 (official) and continued within the project 1976-1997. Data submitted as attached file "ISFJhela" (EXCEL) Site AL 4. Raised beach ridge with ice wedge polygons. The centre of this site is situated just adjacent to the project's own permafrost station, 1.5 km from Isfjord Radio station at 78o03'37''N, 13o41'14''E. The surface is level and situated 8 m above the sea and 1 km from the coastline. The material is a beach gravel heavily affected by the wind in the surface layer. Apart from a 5-10 cm thick coarser surface material with a thin humus horizon, the vertical profile show a uniform material throughout the active layer. Below the coarse beach gravel is follows more than 7 m glaciomarine silty clay. The surface has a well developed polygonal pattern of both soil wedges and ice wedges. The vegeation class is A1.1.3a Polygons with Salix - Lowland areas with more or less closed vergetation, Well drained site Polygons with salix. This is the most widespread vegetation class of the area. It is widely distributed over the strandflats occupying a majority of the raised beach-ridges. Besides the dominant Salix polaris which preferably is growing in the polygon furrows, species like Saxifraga caespitosa, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga flagellaris, Silene accaulis and different Draba species are common. Mosses and lichens are common and add significantly to the total vegetation cover. Graminids play a minor role. The average vegetation cover is 65%. 1. Site Name; AL 4. Raised beach ridge with ice wedge polygons. Kapp Linne', Svalbard, Norge. 2. Responsible Individual for CALM data collection; Dr. H. Jonas Akerman, Department of Physical Geography, Lund University, Solvegatan 13, 22363 LUND , Sweden. +46 46 123212. (+260 1 70 17 17, Fax +260 1 26 44 09, E-mail; agrisys@zamnet.zm ) 3. Latitude and longitude. 78o03'37''N, 13o41'14''E. 4. Elevation above sea level; 8 m.a.s.l. 5. Slope and aspect of CALM sites; Flat- free horizon. 6. Land-form or geomorphological description of the area. Raised beach ridge with ice and soil wedge polygons 7. Predominant texture of soil. Coarse beach gravel. Uniform within active layer. 8. Vegetation classification; 65% 9. Information on permanent temperature and /or moisture installations etc. Thermistor profile down to 7 m during 1972-1997 10. Name and location of closest climate station Isfjord Radio, Kapp Linne' 78o03'N, 13o37'E. Data serie from 1912-1976 (official) and continued within the project 1976-1997. Data submitted as attached file "ISFJhela" (EXCEL) Site AL 5. Sorted net surface This site is situated in a low depression between two raised beach ridges. The elevation is 6 m.a.s.l. and the more or less level surface drains towards the west and the Tunsjbekken brook. The surrounding surfaces have the vegetation class C; No vegetation but the active layer monitoring site itself has a very active and well developed sorted net with almost no vegetation. The snow depth at this site is generally 40-60 cm during a major part of the winter and the active layer is often saturated with water. The site is situated 400 m east of the permafrost station and 2 km from the coast line at 78o03'38''N, 13o41'82''E. The average vegetation cover is <1%. 1. Site Name; AL 5. Sorted net surface. Kapp Linne', Svalbard, Norge. 2. Responsible Individual for CALM data collection; Dr. H. Jonas Akerman, Department of Physical Geography, Lund University, Solvegatan 13, 22363 LUND , Sweden. +46 46 123212. (+260 1 70 17 17, Fax +260 1 26 44 09, E-mail; agrisys@zamnet.zm ) 3. Latitude and longitude. 78o03'38''N, 13o41'82''E. 4. Elevation above sea level; 6 m.a.s.l. 5. Slope and aspect of CALM sites; Flat- free horizon. 6. Land-form or geomorphological description of the area. Active large scale sorted net surface 7. Predominant texture of soil. 5-10 cm pebbles in the net and silt and sand I the centre. 8. Vegetation classification; less than 1% 9. Information on permanent temperature and /or moisture installations etc. Thermistor profile down to 1.2 m during 1972-1974 10. Name and location of closest climate station Isfjord Radio, Kapp Linne' 78o03'N, 13o37'E. Data serie from 1912-1976 (official) and continued within the project 1976-1997. Data submitted as attached file "ISFJhela" (EXCEL) Site AL 9. Low deflation surface with sorted net This site is situated close to a small rock out-crop which is covered by coarse sandy alluvium and on top of this a thin cover of weathering debris. The material is well drained and saturated with water only a very short period after snow melt which occur very early as the site is almost snow free during winter. The site is located on a south-west facing slope of 4o at 78o03'38''N, 13o42'07''E and 8 m.a.s.l. The wind swept deflation surface has a faint sorted net pattern with a mesh size of 1 m. The vegetation is dominated by lichens and mosses and a few other species like Salix polaris, Saxifraga caespitosa, Saxifraga oppositifolia, and different Draba species which preferably are growing along the small polygon/net furrows. The vegetation typ is a slightly modified version of the B3.1.2. Very exposed ridges of the Draba-Saxifraga-Cerastium arcticum type. The average vegetation cover is 64%. 1. Site Name; AL 9. Low deflation surface with sorted net. Kapp Linne', Svalbard, Norge. 2. Responsible Individual for CALM data collection; Dr. H. Jonas Akerman, Department of Physical Geography, Lund University, Solvegatan 13, 22363 LUND , Sweden. +46 46 123212. (+260 1 70 17 17, Fax +260 1 26 44 09, E-mail; agrisys@zamnet.zm ) 3. Latitude and longitude. 78o03'38''N, 13o42'07''E 4. Elevation above sea level; 8 m.a.s.l. 5. Slope and aspect of CALM sites; 4o- south-west aspect free horizon. 6. Land-form or geomorphological description of the area. Exposed surface with small scale sorted net. 7. Predominant texture of soil. Gravely surface mantle coarse sand below. 8. Vegetation classification; 64% 9. Information on permanent temperature and /or moisture installations etc. Thermistor profile down to 2.2 m during 1972-1979 10. Name and location of closest climate station Isfjord Radio, Kapp Linne' 78o03'N, 13o37'E. Data serie from 1912-1976 (official) and continued within the project 1976-1997. Data submitted as attached file "ISFJhela" (EXCEL) Site AL 10. Slope with small sorted steps Site AL 10 is very similar to AL9 and situated 200 m further north-east of the permafrost station close to a small dolomite rock out-crop. The site is covered by coarse sandy alluvium and on top of this a thin cover of weathering debris at 12 m.a.s.l The material at depth is finer here than at Site AL9 but still well drained and saturated with water only a short period after snow melt. The site is located on a south facing slope of 6o, situated at 78o03'44''N, 13o42'91''E. The surface has a set of sorted steps 10-20 cm high to which the vegetation is concentrated. The vegetation is dominated by lichens and mosses along the sorted steps. Species like Salix polaris, Saxifraga caespitosa, Saxifraga oppositifolia, and different Draba species occur with isolated individuals at protected or wetter spots. The vegetation type is a slightly modified version of the B3.1.2. Very exposed ridges of the Draba-Saxifraga-Cerastium arcticum type. The average vegetation cover is 53% 1. Site Name; AL 10. Slope with small sorted steps. Kapp Linne', Svalbard, Norge. 2. Responsible Individual for CALM data collection; Dr. H. Jonas Akerman, Department of Physical Geography, Lund University, Solvegatan 13, 22363 LUND , Sweden. +46 46 123212. (+260 1 70 17 17, Fax +260 1 26 44 09, E-mail; agrisys@zamnet.zm ) 3. Latitude and longitude. 78o03'44''N, 13o42'91''E 4. Elevation above sea level; 12 m.a.s.l. 5. Slope and aspect of CALM sites; 6o south aspect- free horizon. 6. Land-form or geomorphological description of the area. Slope with small sorted steps 7. Predominant texture of soil. 8. Gravely surface mantle coarse sand below. 9. Vegetation classification; 53% 10. Information on permanent temperature and /or moisture installations etc. Thermistor profile down to 2.5 m during 1972-1974 11. Name and location of closest climate station Isfjord Radio, Kapp Linne' 78o03'N, 13o37'E. Data serie from 1912-1976 (official) and continued within the project 1976-1997. Data submitted as attached file "ISFJhela" (EXCEL) Site AL 14. Raised beach ridge with soil wedge polygons This site is situated 1.2 km SE of the permafrost station and 3 km from Isfjord Radio station at 78o02'82''N, 13o42'44''E. The surface is level and situated 19 m above the sea and 3 km from the coastline (North and West). Though heavily affected by the wind, the site is slightly better protected than other polygonal surfaces of the area and has a thicker snow cover during parts of the winter. The material is a beach gravel affected by the wind in the surface layer. Apart from a 5-10 cm thick coarser surface material with a thin humus horizon, the vertical profile show a uniform material throughout the upper 1 m. Below this level the amount of fine sand and silt is increasing. The surface has a well developed irregular polygonal pattern of soil wedge polygons. The vegetation class is A1.1.2a Polygons with Dryas. This is a special vegetation class slightly deviating from the traditional classification system. The class is widely distributed on a majority of the raised beach-ridges adjacent to out-crops of dolomite in this part of the strand-flat. Like the dominant Salix polaris, which preferably is growing in the polygon furrows, Dryas octopetala is most frequently found on protected sites but Dryas can stand the wind better and is also found on the exposed flats. Species like Saxifraga caespitosa, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga flagellaris, Silene accaulis and differnt Draba species are common. Mosses and lichens are common but Graminids play a minor role. The average vegetation cover is 72%. 1. Site Name; AL 14. Raised beach ridge with soil wedge polygons. Kapp Linne', Svalbard, Norge. 2. Responsible Individual for CALM data collection; Dr. H. Jonas Akerman, Department of Physical Geography, Lund University, Solvegatan 13, 22363 LUND , Sweden. +46 46 123212. (+260 1 70 17 17, Fax +260 1 26 44 09, E-mail; agrisys@zamnet.zm ) 3. Latitude and longitude. 78o02'82''N, 13o42'44''E 4. Elevation above sea level; 19 m.a.s.l. 5. Slope and aspect of CALM sites; Flat- free horizon. 6. Land-form or geomorphological description of the area. Raised beach ridge with soil wedge polygons. 7. Predominant texture of soil. Coarse beach gravel. Increasing amount of sand and silt with depth. 8. Vegetation classification; 72% 9. Information on permanent temperature and /or moisture installations etc. Thermistor profile down to 4.0 m during 1972-1990. 10. Name and location of closest climate station Isfjord Radio, Kapp Linne' 78o03'N, 13o37'E. Data serie from 1912-1976 (official) and continued within the project 1976-1997. Data submitted as attached file "ISFJhela" (EXCEL) Site AL 19. High deflation surface This is one of the most wind exposed surfaces within the investigation area. It is situated 4 km from Isfjord Radio station at 78o03'44''N, 13o44'80''E. The surface is level and situated 59 m above the sea and 2.5 km from the coastline in the and North and 4 km in the West. The material is a beach gravel affected by the wind in the surface layer and having a well developed deflation surface with small rounded pebbles and numerous large ventifacts with facets and other surface features (Fig. U & W) Apart from the 5-10 cm thick coarser surface material with a very faint humus horizon, the vertical profile show a uniform material throughout the active layer. The surface has a irregular polygonal pattern of soil wedge polygons. Vegetation class of this site is B3.1.2. Very exposed ridges of the Draba-Saxifraga-Cerastium arcticum type. The exposed flats are more or less vegetation free except for isolated individual plants that have found lee behind a ventifacts or in a minor depression The dominant Salix polaris and a few stands of Dryas octopetala, are together with the other species preferably found growing in the polygon furrows. Dryas tolerates the wind better and is also found on the exposed flats with isolated individuals. Species like Saxifraga caespitosa, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga flagellaris, Silene accaulis and different Draba species are fairly common in the furrows. Lichens are common but Graminids play a minor role. The average vegetation cover is 25%. 1. Site Name; AL 19. High deflation surface. Kapp Linne', Svalbard, Norge. 2. Responsible Individual for CALM data collection; Dr. H. Jonas Akerman, Department of Physical Geography, Lund University, Solvegatan 13, 22363 LUND , Sweden. +46 46 123212. (+260 1 70 17 17, Fax +260 1 26 44 09, E-mail; agrisys@zamnet.zm ) 3. Latitude and longitude. 78o03'44''N, 13o44'80''E 4. Elevation above sea level; 59 m.a.s.l. 5. Slope and aspect of CALM sites; Flat- free horizon north and west, mountain ridges in the south and east. 6. Land-form or geomorphological description of the area. Deflation surface. 7. Predominant texture of soil. Polished and rounded gravel Increasing amount of sand and silt at depth. 8. Vegetation classification; 25% 9. Information on permanent temperature and /or moisture installations etc. Thermistor profile down to 4.0 m during 1972-1976. 10. Name and location of closest climate station Isfjord Radio, Kapp Linne' 78o03'N, 13o37'E. Data serie from 1912-1976 (official) and continued within the project 1976-1997. Data submitted as attached file "ISFJhela" (EXCEL) Site AL 20. Dryas dominated deflation surface This is together with AL 19 one of the most wind exposed surfaces within the investigation area. It is situated 5 km from Isfjord Radio station at 78o03'40''N, 13o45'84''E. The surface is level and situated 23 m above the sea and 1.9 km from the coastline in the and North and 5 km in the West. The material is a beach gravel having a well developed deflation surface with small rounded pebbles and scattered large ventifacts with facets and other surface features. Apart from a 5-10 cm thick coarser surface material with a thin humus horizon, the vertical profile show a uniform material throughout the upper 0.2 m. Below this level the amount of fine sand and silt is increasing and below 1 m a sandy silt, rich in marine shells is dominating. The surface has a well developed polygonal pattern of soil wedge polygons with a mesh size of 8-12 m and a larger pattern of ice wedge polygons with a mesh size over 100 m. Vegetation class of this site is A1.1.2a. Polygons with Dryas. The exposed flats are more or less vegetation free except for the characteristic Dryas tufts and isolated individual plants that have found lee behind a ventifact or in a minor depression. Salix polaris which is common and individuals of the other species are preferably found growing in the polygon furrows. Species like Saxifraga caespitosa, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga flagellaris, Silene accaulis and different Draba species are fairly common in the furrows. Lichens are common but mosses play a minor role. The average vegetation cover is 40%. 1. Site Name; AL 20. Dryas dominated deflation surface. Kapp Linne', Svalbard, Norge. 2. Responsible Individual for CALM data collection; Dr. H. Jonas Akerman, Department of Physical Geography, Lund University, Solvegatan 13, 22363 LUND , Sweden. +46 46 123212. (+260 1 70 17 17, Fax +260 1 26 44 09, E-mail; agrisys@zamnet.zm ) 3. Latitude and longitude. 78o03'40''N, 13o45'84''E. 4. Elevation above sea level; 23 m.a.s.l. 5. Slope and aspect of CALM sites; Flat- free horizon north and west, mountain ridges in the south and east. 6. Land-form or geomorphological description of the area. Deflation surface with soil wedges 7. Predominant texture of soil. 8. Polished and rounded gravel Increasing amount of sand and silt at depth Vegetation classification; 40% 9. Information on permanent temperature and /or moisture installations etc. Thermistor profile down to 4 m during 1972-1987 10. Name and location of closest climate station Isfjord Radio, Kapp Linne' 78o03'N, 13o37'E. Data series from 1912-1976 (official) and continued within the project 1976-1997. Data submitted as attached file "ISFJhela" (EXCEL) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Data on the Active layer depth during the period 1972-1997 is given in attached file AL72-97 on CAPS Version 1.0, June 1998.