Journal

It Started Out With Normal Routine...

Today started like any other Wednesday with a Toolik tram run. When I got back to camp, I had an invite to tag along with Jackson Drew and Amy Li. They were doing a favor for another researcher and were collecting Unispec data out at Imnavait Creek. Unispec measures light reflectance from objects, in this case, vegetation. Typically, Jackson and Amy are working either in the lab or in the field monitoring the cycle of nutrients (carbon and nitrogen) through the air, soil, and vegetation. I was happy to come along and see another part of Imnavait that I haven't seen before and get to know another PolarTREC teacher's team (Shout out to Svea Anderson!).

Jackson Drew unispec
This is Jackson gathering unispec data as quick as he can since the weather is on the verge of changing.
Amy Li bug shirt
This is Amy who is sporting the fashionable bug shirt. We were stirring up some mosquitos today.
Imnavait before the rain
We had lovely weather at the beginning.
Eriophorum seeding out
The eriophorum is beginning to seed.
Cassiope in bloom
Cassiope is blooming.
Rain moving into Imnavait
Then the weather began to look a bit more, well, less lovely.

Camp Fox

Just had to share that I saw the camp fox three times today. He's pretty cute and quite bold. One time he passed just five feet from me.

Toolik camp fox
This is the first encounter today. He was snooping around Lab 1.
Toolik camp fox 2
This is second encounter. He was really close. I saw him briefly moments later outside our lab window.

The Adventures Of Flat Cat

Unfortunately, Flat Cat gets left behind or forgotten about, so this is a picture from the phenology plots yesterday.

Flat Cat #17
Flat Cat is pretty easygoing. He will hang out in my backpack until I remember to bring him out.

Details
Author
Melissa Lau
Date
Location
Toolik Field Station and Imnavait Creek
Expedition
Phenology and Vegetation Change in the Warming Arctic
Weather Summary
Sunny, then windy and rainy
Temperature
60
Wind Speed
5-20

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Comments

Thu, 06/28/2018 - 11:30

Judy Fahnestock

It looks like the Arctic is in full bloom now! Beautiful photos. Does the fox have a name yet?!

Thu, 06/28/2018 - 20:11

Melissa Lau

No name yet. Lab 4 is leaning toward Fluffy. There are more flowers every day! Every time I go out to the sites, there's something new to see.

On 6/28/18 11:30 AM, PolarTREC wrote: