Table of content
 
Nordicana D21 / DOI : 10.5885/45327AD-5245D08606AB4F52

Carbon, nitrogen and water content of the active layer from sites across the Canadian Arctic

Arctic Development and Adaptation to Permafrost in Transition (ADAPT)
Auteurs pour la correspondance / Corresponding authors :
Warwick F. Vincent (warwick.vincent@cen.ulaval.ca)
Mickaël Lemay (
mickael.lemay@cen.ulaval.ca)


Abstract

It is presumed that significant quantities of carbon are stored in permafrost soils and that the thawing permafrost could substantially raise atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. ADAPT has developed a standard protocol to coordinate and increase common fieldwork sampling/record efforts in order to help document and precise the assessments of carbon stock in the permafrost and the active layer from sites all across the Canadian Arctic.

According to the active layer sampling standard protocol for C/H/N determination, soil samples for each site are collected in 2 sub-sites, chosen according to significant differences (e.g. soil type, vegetation type/cover, soil moisture, topography, etc.), and at 3 different locations (i.e. 3 replicates/profiles by sub-site). The active layer is sampled using the ADAPT soil sampler which allows for bulk density determination at each depth (surface, -5 cm, -15 cm, -30 cm, -40 cm and at max. depth) starting from top to bottom. The stainless tube is slowly driven into the soil in order to take an undisturbed soil sample. Soil samples are stored in a cooler and in the dark until they are treated in laboratory. All soil samples are analysed at the Radio-carbon laboratory of the CEN, where the total mass content of the carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and hydrogen (H) are calculated by combustion using a LECO CHN628 Elemental Determinator. Prior to be analysed, samples are 1) weighed (as well as the stainless cylinders) to determined the bulk density of the soil, 2) dried and weighed again to determine the water content, and 3) grinded and mixed using a mortar and pestle. Only a small portion the prepared soil sample is needed for the LECO CHN628 Elemental Determinator.

The carbon, nitrogen and water content data come from 10 different sites: Beaver Creek, Daring Lake, Illisarvik (Mackenzie Delta), Cape Bounty, Vallée des Trois (VDT- Umiujaq), BGR (Umiujaq), SAS (Kuujjuarapik), Ward Hunt Island, Bylot Island and Churchill. For more details on ADAPT Standard Protocols, please visit the ADAPT ADAPT website

Data citation

ADAPT 2014. Carbon, nitrogen and water content of the active layer from sites across the Canadian Arctic, v. 1.0 (2025-2025). Nordicana D21, doi: 10.5885/45327AD-5245D08606AB4F52.

Location map


Contributors

Allard, Michel (Centre d'études nordiques, Université Laval)
Pienitz, Reinhard (Centre d'études nordiques, Université Laval)
Fortier, Daniel (Université de Montréal)
Wolfe, Brent (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Grogan, Paul (Queen's University)
Lamoureux, Scott (Queen's University)
Burn, Christopher (Carleton University)
Vincent, Warwick (Centre d'études nordiques, Université Laval)
Berteaux, Dominique (Université du Québec à Rimouski)
Doré, Guy (Centre d'études nordiques, Université Laval)
Gauthier, Gilles (Centre d'études nordiques, Université Laval)
Grant, Robert (University of Alberta)
Henry, Greg (University of British Colombia)
Lemay, Mickaël (ArcticNet / Centre d'études nordiques, Université Laval)
Lévesque, Esther (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières)
Roulet, Nigel (McGill University)

Acknowledgements

The ADAPT team would like to thank all the ADAPT graduate students, field and research assistants from the 15 ADAPT laboratories as well as many close collaborators that contributed to the CHN database in applying the standard protocols all across the Canadian Arctic. A special thank to the CEN’s research assistants, Jonathan Roger, Andrée-Sylvie Carbonneau, Denis Sarrazin, Emmanuel L’Hérault, Guillaume Labrecque, Ariane Beauféray-Marais and Luc Cournoyer for their precious help for the sample and data management.

Related data

Polar Data Catalogue links (Metadata)

CCIN 11167 - Beaver Creek experimental site snow data
CCIN 622 - Bylot Island Climatic Database
CCIN 623 - Breeding activity of avian predators on Bylot Island
CCIN 624 - Small mammal monitoring on Bylot Island
CCIN 625 - Plant primary production and goose grazing impact on Bylot Island
CCIN 710 - Breeding activity of geese on Bylot Island
CCIN 711 - Breeding activity of arctic and red fox on Bylot Island
CCIN 1510 - Community-based environmental monitoring: Pangnirtung
CCIN 1511 - Community-based environmental monitoring: Pond Inlet
CCIN 1870 - Vegetation cover data from Daring Lake, NWT
CCIN 1871 - Berry Monitoring Experiment in Kugluktuk, NU
CCIN 9817 - Community-based environmental monitoring: Umiujaq
CCIN 9818 - Erect woody vegetation change analysis in the vicinity of Umiujaq
CCIN 10011 - Vegetation data at Alexandra Fiord
CCIN 10483 - Thermo-erosion gully GIS in Valley of glacier C-79 on Bylot Island
CCIN 10597 - Soil temperature and moisture recordsnear Daring Lake
CCIN 10615 - Beaver Creek experimental site cryofacies
CCIN 11164 - Beaver Creek permafrost cores CT-scans
CCIN 11165 - Differential Global Positionning System
CCIN 11166 - Beaver Creek experimental site geophysical data
CCIN 11168 - Beaver Creek experimental site soil properties
CCIN 11169 - Surface temperature at Beaver Creek
CCIN 11229 - Impact of gully formation on wetland vegetation on Bylot Island
CCIN 11239 - Erect woody vegetation change analysis in the vicinity of Baker Lake
CCIN 11241 - Community-based environmental monitoring: Kugluktuk
CCIN 11242 - Community-based environmental monitoring: Kangiqsujuaq
CCIN 11244 - Community-based environmental monitoring: Kangiqsualujjuaq
CCIN 11245 - Community-based environmental monitoring: Iqaluit
CCIN 11246 - Berry productivity monitoring: Bylot Island
CCIN 11247 - Berry productivity and environmental monitoring: Daring Lake
CCIN 11669 - Hydrology, limnology, and biogeochemistry of thermokarst lakes in Wapusk National Park
CCIN 11670 - Microbial oxygen dynamics in subarctic permafrost thaw lakes (Kuujjuarapik, Nunavik)
CCIN 11671 - Microbial methane dynamics in subarctic permafrost thaw lakes (Kuujjuarapik, Nunavik)
CCIN 11672 - Metazoan dynamics in subarctic permafrost thaw lakes (Kuujjuarapik, Nunavik)
CCIN 11673 - Microbial diversity in subarctic permafrost thaw ponds (Kuujjuarapik, Nunavik)
CCIN 11674 - Northern Ellesmere Island in the Global Environment (NEIGE)
CCIN 11676 - Siliceous algae communities in thermokarst landscapes, Nunavik
CCIN 11679 - Planktonic cyanobacteria in permafrost thaw lakes (Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik)
CCIN 11681 - Adaptation of transportation infrastructure on thaw sensitive permafrost
CCIN 11684 - Ground temperatures from Herschel Island, Yukon
CCIN 11685 - Net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of a permafrost
CCIN 11686 - Structure and function of the plant community
CCIN 11687 - Decomposition of peat and plant material
CCIN 11690 - West River spatial catchment stream sediment and water isotope and chemistry
CCIN 11691 - West river channel overwinter temperature
CCIN 11692 - Sediment surface ejections (clay volcanoes), Cape Bounty
CCIN 11693 - Modelling carbon fluxes of canadian arctic ecosystems
CCIN 11694 - Bacterial diversity in permafrost water tracks, Ward Hunt Island

Status

Published

Version history

You can request for data from previous versions at nordicana@cen.ulaval.ca.


Version 1.0 (2025-2025) - Updated December 4, 2014

Measurement sites

  Site Latitude Longitude Altitude (m)
More info
BGR (BW)
56.61352 -76.21818
More info
Beaver Creek
62.33624 -140.83206
More info
Bylot Island
73.15039 -80.00474
More info
Churchill (Ma)
58.72716 -93.83666
More info
Daring Lake
64.86667 -111.55
More info
SAS 2
55.22615 -77.69585
More info
Umiujaq
56.54778 -76.46194
More info
Ward Hunt Island
83.05381 -74.09365
More info
Cape Bounty
74.9166 -109.5833
More info
Illisarvik
69.47948 -134.58332
More info
BGR (MA)
56.61639 -76.22083

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