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DOE OSTI2025

Specific conductivity and salinity of the Parker River, PIE LTER, Plum Island Sound MA, March-November 2023

This dataset contains specific conductivity and calculated salinity data of Parker River water at a tidal brackish wetland dominated by Typha angustifolia at the upper estuary of the Plum Island Sound in Newbury, Massachusetts (MA) within the Plum Island Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research site (PIE LTER). Measurements were taken to evaluate temporal changes in surface water salinity in high frequency to characterize boundary conditions of soil and plant responses to changes in salinity. A PVC pipe was installed in a low elevation spot in the creek bank so that the bottom of the pipe sat on the sediment surface allowing flushing with water during flooding. Raw measurements were collected using an Onset HOBO U24-002 Saltwater Conductivity/Salinity data logger. The specific conductance and salinity measurements were corrected and calculated respectively using Onset’s HOBOware software and reference specific conductivity measurements taken in tandem with the first and last points recorded by the HOBO sensor. These reference measurements were taken using a HACH HQ14D Portable Conductivity Meter. Because of the installation design, only data one hour before and after high tide are used. Metadata files Typha_ctd_salinity_dd.csv and Typha_ctd_salinity_flmd.csv contain detailed information on data variables, sampling and QA/QC methods, and site location.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2024

Volumetric Soil Moisture Measurements at the Teller 27 Site, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2022-2023

The Teller 27 watershed on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska, has been well characterized by the NGEE Arctic project. The study site is underlain by discontinuous permafrost that is thawing as the climate warms. As a result, the site is experiencing a short-term wetting trend as a perched water table above the remaining permafrost provides plant available water during the growing season. Soil moisture patterns drive microbial activity and plant species compositions including plant density and height. This study aimed to understand how soil moisture patterns were influenced by tundra microtopography. To accomplish this, we placed a strategic network of soil moisture sensors in micro-highs, micro-lows, and control areas under different vegetation types within the Teller 27 watershed from summer of 2022 through fall of 2023. This data was used in conjunction with other soil data from the Teller 27 watershed to gain a more comprehensive understanding of soil moisture patterns in a rapidly thawing discontinuous permafrost region. This dataset includes six *.csv files: four of time series soil moisture data, one of field soil moisture data, and one of site conditions. The dataset also includes one *.kml file of the watershed and the soil moisture sensor sites as well as this user guide to provide details on data collection and processing methods. NGEE Arctic Project Summary The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy’s Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Warming drives a ‘hummockification’ of microbial communities associated with decomposing mycorrhizal fungal necromass in peatlands

Dead fungal mycelium (necromass) represents a critical component of soil carbon (C) and nutrient cycles. Assessing how the microbial communities associated with decomposing fungal necromass change as global temperatures rise will help in determining how these belowground organic matter inputs contribute to ecosystem responses. Here, in this study, we characterized the structure of bacterial and fungal communities associated with multiple types of decaying mycorrhizal fungal necromass incubated within mesh bags across a 9°C whole ecosystem temperature enhancement in a boreal peatland. We found major taxonomic and functional shifts in the microbial communities present on decaying mycorrhizal fungal necromass in response to warming. These changes were most pronounced in hollow microsites, which showed convergence towards the necromass-associated microbial communities present in unwarmed hummocks. We also observed a high colonization of ericoid mycorrhizal fungal necromass by fungi from the same genera as the necromass. These results indicate that microbial communities associated with mycorrhizal fungal necromass decomposition are likely to change significantly with future climate warming, which may have strong impacts on soil biogeochemical cycles in peatlands. Additionally, the high enrichment of congeneric fungal decomposers on ericoid mycorrhizal necromass may help to explain the increase in ericoid shrub dominance in warming peatlands.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Pervasive alterations to snow-dominated ecosystem functions under climate change

Climate change projections consistently demonstrate that warming temperatures and dwindling seasonal snowpack will elicit cascading effects on ecosystem function and water resource availability. Despite this consensus, little is known about potential changes in the variability of ecohydrological conditions, which is also required to inform climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. Considering potential changes in ecohydrological variability is critical to evaluating the emergence of trends, assessing the likelihood of extreme events such as floods and droughts, and identifying when tipping points may be reached that fundamentally alter ecohydrological function. Using a single-model Large Ensemble with sophisticated terrestrial ecosystem representation, we characterize projected changes in the mean state and variability of ecohydrological processes in historically snow-dominated regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Widespread snowpack reductions, earlier snowmelt timing, longer growing seasons, drier soils, and increased fire risk are projected for this century under a high-emissions scenario. In addition to these changes in the mean state, increased variability in winter snowmelt will increase growing-season water deficits and increase the stochasticity of runoff. Thus, with warming, declining snowpack loses its dependable buffering capacity so that runoff quantity and timing more closely reflect the episodic characteristics of precipitation. This results in a declining predictability of annual runoff from maximum snow water equivalent, which has critical implications for ecosystem stress and water resource management. So our results suggest that there is a strong likelihood of pervasive alterations to ecohydrological function that may be expected with climate change.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Differential effects of press vs. pulse seawater intrusion on microbial communities of a tidal freshwater marsh

Abstract Tidal freshwater marshes (TFMs) are threatened by seawater intrusion, which can affect microbial communities and alter biogeochemical processes. Here, we report on a long‐term, large‐scale manipulative field experiment that investigated continuous (press) and episodic (pulse, 2 months/yr) inputs of brackish water on microbial communities in a TFM. After 2.5 yr, microbial diversity was lower in press treatments than in control (untreated) plots whereas diversity in pulse plots was unaffected by brackish water additions. Sulfate reducer abundance increased in response to both press and pulse treatments whereas methanogens did not differ among treatments. Our results, along with other lab and field measurements that show reduced soil respiration and extracellular enzyme activity suggest that continuous seawater intrusion will decrease macrophyte C inputs that reduce bacterial diversity in ways that also diminish ecosystem carbon cycling.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Nitrogen fixation and resorption efficiency differences among twelve upland and lowland switchgrass cultivars

In nitrogen (N)-limited terrestrial ecosystems, plants employ various strategies to acquire and conserve N, including translocation of N in perennial tissues and stimulation of N fixation in roots and soils. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a genotypically and phenotypically diverse perennial grass with two distinct ecotypes (lowland and upland) and numerous genotypes. It grows well in low-N soils, likely because of its ability to translocate N and to associate with N-fixing microbes, but little is known about variation in these traits among cultivars or even ecotypes. We measured N translocation, N fixation potential in roots and soils, soil net N mineralization, soil net nitrification, and biomass yields in 12 switchgrass cultivars grown in a replicated block experiment in southwestern Michigan, USA. Lowland cultivars had higher yields, rates of N translocation, soil net N mineralization, and N fixation potentials on washed, non-sterile roots, while upland cultivars exhibited higher N fixation potentials in root-free soil. N resorption efficiencies averaged 53±5 [SE] % for lowland versus 29±3% for upland cultivars. Additionally, there were significant among-cultivar differences for all response variables except mineralization and nitrification, with differences likely explained by cultivar-specific physiologies and microbial communities. Here, the ideal cultivar for biofuels is one that can maintain high yields with minimal fertilizer addition and there appear to be several cultivars that meet these criteria. In addition, results suggest substantial N cycle differences among cultivars that might be exploited by breeders to create new or improved high-yielding, N-conserving switchgrass lines.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2024

Tree water uptake patterns across the globe

Plant water uptake from the soil is a crucial element of the global hydrological cycle and essential for vegetation drought resilience. Yet, knowledge of how the distribution of water uptake depth (WUD) varies across species, climates, and seasons is scarce relative to our knowledge of aboveground plant functions. With a global literature review, we found that average WUD varied more among biomes than plant functional types (i.e. deciduous/evergreen broadleaves and conifers), illustrating the importance of the hydroclimate, especially precipitation seasonality, on WUD. By combining records of rooting depth with WUD, we observed a consistently deeper maximum rooting depth than WUD with the largest differences in arid regions – indicating that deep taproots act as lifelines while not contributing to the majority of water uptake. The most ubiquitous observation across the literature was that woody plants switch water sources to soil layers with the highest water availability within short timescales. Hence, seasonal shifts to deep soil layers occur across the globe when shallow soils are drying out, allowing continued transpiration and hydraulic safety. While there are still significant gaps in our understanding of WUD, the consistency across global ecosystems allows integration of existing knowledge into the next generation of vegetation process models.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Upland tidal brackish marsh specific conductivity and salinity measurements, PIE LTER, Plum Island Sound, MA, 2023

This dataset includes raw and corrected specific conductivity, temperature, and calculated salinity measurements collected at 10 cm depth in a Typha angustifolia-dominated tidal brackish wetland at the upper estuary of Plum Island Sound in Newbury, Massachusetts (MA) within the Plum Island Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research (PIE LTER) site. Measurements were taken to evaluate temporal variation in porewater salinity (a proxy for porewater sulfate concentration) in high frequency to assess soil and plant responses to changes in salinity. Measurements were collected using an Onset HOBO U24-002 Saltwater Conductivity/Salinity data logger deployed in a well. Specific conductivity was corrected using non-linear temperature compensation, and salinity was calculated using the Practical Salinity Scale 1978 via Onset's HOBOware software. Reference conductivity measurements to correct for sensor drift were taken at the start and end of each deployment using a HACH HQ14D Portable Conductivity Meter. Data were then filtered in MATLAB to remove values logged while the sensor was out of the well or during post-deployment equilibration. Detailed metadata, including variable descriptions, sampling methods, QA/QC procedures, and site information, are provided in the files: Typha_ctd_salinity_dd.csv and Typha_MI_ctd_salinity_2023_flmd.csv.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Upland tidal brackish marsh specific conductivity and salinity measurements, PIE LTER, Plum Island Sound, MA, May-December 2022

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Community structure – Ecosystem function relationships in the Congo Basin methane cycle depend on the physiological scale of function

Belowground ecosystem processes can be highly variable and difficult to predict using microbial community data. Here, we argue that this stems from at least three issues: (a) complex covariance structure of samples (with environmental conditions or spatial proximity) can make distinguishing biotic drivers a challenge; (b) communities can control ecosystem processes through multiple mechanisms, making the identification of these controls a challenge; and (c) ecosystem function assessments can be broad in physiological scale, encapsulating multiple processes with unique microbially mediated controls. In this work, we test these assertions using methane (CH 4 )-cycling processes in soil samples collected along a wetland-to-upland habitat gradient in the Congo Basin. We perform our measurements of function under controlled laboratory conditions and statistically control for environmental covariates to aid in identifying biotic drivers. We divide measurements of microbial communities into four attributes (abundance, activity, composition, and diversity) that represent different forms of community control. Lastly, our process measurements differ in physiological scale, including broader processes (gross methanogenesis and methanotrophy) that involve more mediating groups, to finer processes (hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis and high-affinity CH 4 oxidation) with fewer mediating groups. We observed that finer scale processes can be more readily predicted from microbial community structure than broader scale processes. In addition, the nature of those relationships differed, with broad processes limited by abundance while fine-scale processes were associated with diversity and composition. These findings demonstrate the importance of carefully defining the physiological scale of ecosystem function and performing community measurements that represent the range of possible controls on ecosystem processes.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Analysis of alternative climate datasets and evapotranspiration methods for the Upper Mississippi River Basin using SWAT within HAWQS

This study reports the application of Soil andWater Assessment Tool (SWAT) within the Hydrologic andWater Quality System(HAWQS) on-line platform, for the UpperMississippi River Basin (UMRB). TheUMRB is an important ecosystem located in the north central U.S. that is experiencing a range of ecological stresses. Specifically, testing of SWAT was performed for: (1) Hargreaves (HG) and Penman-Monteith (PM) PET methods, and (2) Livneh, National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) climate datasets. The Livneh-PM combination resulted in the highest average annual water yield of 380.6 mm versus the lowest estimated water yield of 193.9 mm for the Livneh-HG combination, in response to 23-year uncalibrated simulations. Higher annual ET and PET values were predicted with HG method versus the PM method for all three weather datasets in response to the uncalibrated simulations, due primarily to higher HG-based estimates during the growing season. Based on these results, it was found that the HG method is the preferred PET option for the UMRB. Initial calibration of SWAT was performed using the Livneh data and HGmethod for threeMississippi Rivermain stem gauge sites, which was followed by spatial validation at 10 other gauge sites located within the UMRB streamnetwork. Overall satisfactory results were found for the calibration and validation gauge sites, with the majority of R2 values ranging between 0.61 and 0.82, Nash- Sutcliffe modeling efficiency (NSE) values ranging between 0.50 and 0.79, and Kling-Gupta efficiency (KGE) values ranging between 0.61 and 0.84. The results of an additional experimental suite of six scenarios,which represented different combinations of climate data sets and calibrated parameters, revealed that suggested statistical criteria were again satisfied by the different scenario combinations. Overall, the PRISM data exhibited the strongest reliability for the UMRB.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Large-scale genome sequencing of mycorrhizal fungi provides insights into the early evolution of symbiotic traits

Mycorrhizal fungi are mutualists that play crucial roles in nutrient acquisition in terrestrial ecosystems. Mycorrhizal symbioses arose repeatedly across multiple lineages of Mucoromycotina, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota. Considerable variation exists in the capacity of mycorrhizal fungi to acquire carbon from soil organic matter. Here, we present a combined analysis of 135 fungal genomes from 73 saprotrophic, endophytic and pathogenic species, and 62 mycorrhizal species, including 29 new mycorrhizal genomes. This study samples ecologically dominant fungal guilds for which there were previously no symbiotic genomes available, including ectomycorrhizal Russulales, Thelephorales and Cantharellales. Our analyses show that transitions from saprotrophy to symbiosis involve (1) widespread losses of degrading enzymes acting on lignin and cellulose, (2) co-option of genes present in saprotrophic ancestors to fulfill new symbiotic functions, (3) diversification of novel, lineage-specific symbiosis-induced genes, (4) proliferation of transposable elements and (5) divergent genetic innovations underlying the convergent origins of the ectomycorrhizal guild.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Topography, surface water distribution and subsurface structure in 2023 across an Arctic coastal tundra site near Utqiagvik, Alaska

Subsurface electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), active layer thickness measurements, photogrammetry, and topographic data were collected in September 2023 along a 475 m long, 20 m wide corridor that traverses various polygon types within the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) on the Alaskan Arctic Coastal Plain, approximately 4 miles from the Beaufort Sea near Utqiaġvik, Alaska. These measurements were designed to assess decadal changes in surface water distribution, topography, and subsurface structure across this dynamic landscape. This archive contains the datasets acquired in 2023 and references to the datasets acquired previously at the same location. The ERT survey was conducted along the 475 m transect using 0.5 m electrode spacing and a roll-along acquisition strategy. Thaw layer thicknesses were measured with a tile probe along the same transect. Photogrammetry data were acquired using an unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) and were used to generate a digital elevation model and an RGB mosaic. A real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS was used to survey the ERT electrodes and the ground control points for the aerial imagery. The dataset contains 5 *.csv data files, 6 *.csv metadata files, and 6 *.tif files.The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Environmental controls on the light use efficiency of terrestrial gross primary production

Abstract Gross primary production (GPP) by terrestrial ecosystems is a key quantity in the global carbon cycle. The instantaneous controls of leaf‐level photosynthesis are well established, but there is still no consensus on the mechanisms by which canopy‐level GPP depends on spatial and temporal variation in the environment. The standard model of photosynthesis provides a robust mechanistic representation for C 3 species; however, additional assumptions are required to “scale up” from leaf to canopy. As a consequence, competing models make inconsistent predictions about how GPP will respond to continuing environmental change. This problem is addressed here by means of an empirical analysis of the light use efficiency (LUE) of GPP inferred from eddy covariance carbon dioxide flux measurements, in situ measurements of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and remotely sensed estimates of the fraction of PAR (fAPAR) absorbed by the vegetation canopy. Focusing on LUE allows potential drivers of GPP to be separated from its overriding dependence on light. GPP data from over 100 sites, collated over 20 years and located in a range of biomes and climate zones, were extracted from the FLUXNET2015 database and combined with remotely sensed fAPAR data to estimate daily LUE. Daytime air temperature, vapor pressure deficit, diffuse fraction of solar radiation, and soil moisture were shown to be salient predictors of LUE in a generalized linear mixed‐effects model. The same model design was fitted to site‐based LUE estimates generated by 16 terrestrial ecosystem models. The published models showed wide variation in the shape, the strength, and even the sign of the environmental effects on modeled LUE. These findings highlight important model deficiencies and suggest a need to progress beyond simple “goodness of fit” comparisons of inferred and predicted carbon fluxes toward an approach focused on the functional responses of the underlying dependencies.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Changuinola peat soil characteristics and gas emission raw data October 2019

This dataset comprises radiocarbon and geochemical measurements from peat and porewater samples collected across various depths at a site in Bocas del Toro, Panama. The study focuses on carbon cycling dynamics in tropical peatlands by examining carbon isotopic signatures (¹⁴C and ¹³C) and elemental compositions of bulk peat, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and methane (CH₄). Key parameters include radiocarbon ages and isotopic ratios (δ¹³C) of bulk peat, concentrations of carbon (%C) and nitrogen (%N), and radiocarbon content of porewater gases and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The data provide insights into the vertical and spatial distribution of carbon sources and possible preservation and decomposition processes within tropical peat profiles, offering critical information for understanding carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions in these ecosystems.This dataset is comprised of one main data folder containing (1) file-level metadata; (2) data dictionary; (3) field metadata; (4) carbon isotopic signatures (¹⁴C and ¹³C); (5) concentrations of carbon (%C) and nitrogen (%N); (6) radiocarbon content of porewater carbon dioxide (CO₂), and methane (CH₄) ; (7) porewater DOC; (8) bulk peat sampling protocol; (9) porewater sampling protocol; (10) porewater gas collection methods; and (11) gas extraction methods. All files are in .csv format and can be opened with any software that supports this file types.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Large emissions of CO 2 and CH 4 due to active-layer warming in Arctic tundra

Climate warming may accelerate decomposition of Arctic soil carbon, but few controlled experiments have manipulated the entire active layer. To determine surface-atmosphere fluxes of carbon dioxide and methane under anticipated end-of-century warming, here we used heating rods to warm (by 3.8 °C) to the depth of permafrost in polygonal tundra in $Utqia\dot{g}vik$ (formerly Barrow), Alaska and measured fluxes over two growing seasons. We show that ecosystem respiration is ~30% higher in warmed plots than in control plots (0.99 μmol m -2 s -1 versus 0.67 μmol m -2 s -1 , p < 0.0001, n = 79). Additionally, the observed temperature sensitivity (Q 10 of 2.8) is higher than that imposed for soil in Earth system models or reported by arctic experiments warming only the surface. A shoulder-season warming experiment revealed that rapid snow melt, which is becoming a more common event, can result in large methane emissions that may have otherwise been oxidized to carbon dioxide. Thus, warming promotes greenhouse gas emissions from the whole, deepening active layer and may contribute to climate change amplification.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

P-model v1.0: an optimality-based light use efficiency model for simulating ecosystem gross primary production

Terrestrial photosynthesis is the basis for vegetation growth and drives the land carbon cycle. Accurately simulating gross primary production (GPP, ecosystem-level apparent photosynthesis) is key for satellite monitoring and Earth system model predictions under climate change. While robust models exist for describing leaf-level photosynthesis, predictions diverge due to uncertain photosynthetic traits and parameters which vary on multiple spatial and temporal scales. Here, we describe and evaluate a GPP (photosynthesis per unit ground area) model, the P-model, that combines the Farquhar–von Caemmerer–Berry model for C 3 photosynthesis with an optimality principle for the carbon assimilation–transpiration trade-off, and predicts a multi-day average light use efficiency (LUE) for any climate and C 3 vegetation type. The model builds on the theory developed in Prentice et al. (2014) and Wang et al. (2017a) and is extended to include low temperature effects on the intrinsic quantum yield and an empirical soil moisture stress factor. The model is forced with site-level data of the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (fAPAR) and meteorological data and is evaluated against GPP estimates from a globally distributed network of ecosystem flux measurements. Although the P-model requires relatively few inputs, the R 2 for predicted versus observed GPP based on the full model setup is 0.75 (8 d mean, 126 sites) – similar to comparable satellite-data-driven GPP models but without predefined vegetation-type-specific parameters. The R 2 is reduced to 0.70 when not accounting for the reduction in quantum yield at low temperatures and effects of low soil moisture on LUE. The R 2 for the P-model-predicted LUE is 0.32 (means by site) and 0.48 (means by vegetation type). Applying this model for global-scale simulations yields a total global GPP of 106–122 Pg C yr –1 (mean of 2001–2011), depending on the fAPAR forcing data. The P-model provides a simple but powerful method for predicting – rather than prescribing – light use efficiency and simulating terrestrial photosynthesis across a wide range of conditions. The model is available as an R package (rpmodel).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Vegetation Warming Experiment: 15N Uptake Experiment Environmental Observations and Thaw Depth, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, 2018

This dataset consists of measured soil thaw depth, soil temperature, soil moisture, and Arctagrostis latifolia height in vegetation warming experiment enclosures and paired control plots. Vegetation warming chambers (Zero Power) were deployed on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO), Utqiagvik, Alaska. These chambers (Figure 1) consistently elevated air temperatures by approximately 4°C using a self-venting system described by Lewin et al (2017). Five chambers were deployed from June 17, 2018 to September 24, 2018 on the BEO within a 1 km2 area centered on 71.275N, -156.641W. Each chamber was co-located with an ambient plot where temperatures were not manipulated on patches of tundra containing the target species Arctagrostis latifolia. An intensive field campaign in late July investigated the impact of warming had on A. latifolia biomass, chemistry, and uptake of 15N labeled ammonia that was injected into the surface soils for one week. Initial measurements were taken on July 21, 2018. Harvest occurred on July 27, 2018. Water-extractable nutrients in soils were measured in July following harvests of A. latifolia plants and underlying soils. Availability of ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate throughout the growing season was measured by extracting nutrients bound to anion and cation binding resins deployed from July through September. Environmental variables (thaw depth, surface soil temperatures, surface soil moisture) were measured. Leaf traits and root traits of A. latifolia were also measured. Included are two *.csv data files and one *.pdf user guide. The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗