Aastrup, P., Nymand, J., Raundrup, K., Olsen, M., Lauridsen, T.L., Krogh, P.H:, Schmidt, N.M., Illeris, L. & Ro-Poulsen, H. 2015. Conceptual design and sampling procedures of the biological programme of NuukBasic. 2nd edition. Aarhus University, DCE – Danish Centre for Environment and Energy, 68 pp. Scientific Report from DCE – Danish Centre for Environment and Energy No. 158 http://dce2.au.dk/pub/SR158.pdf

Summary

This manual describes procedures for biologic climate effect monitoring in Kobbefjord, Nuuk. The monitoring is a part of NuukBasic which is a cross-disciplinary ecological monitoring programme in low Arctic West Greenland. Biological monitoring comprises the NERO line which is a permanent vegetation transect, and monitoring reproductive phenology of Salix glauca, Loiseleuria procumbens, Eriophorum angustifolium, and Silene acaulis. The progression in vegetation greenness is followed along the vegetation transect and in the plant phenology plots by measurement of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The flux of CO₂ is measured in natural conditions as well as in manipulations simulating increased temperature, increased cloud cover, shorter growing season, and longer growing season. The effect of increased UV-B radiation on plant stress is studied by measuring chlorophyll fluorescence in three series of plots. Arthropods are sampled by means of yellow pitfall traps as well as in window traps. Microarthropods are sampled in soil cores and extracted in an extractor by gradually heating up soil. The avifauna is monitored with special emphasis on passerine birds. Only few terrestrial mammals occur in the study area. All observations of mammals are recorded ad-hoc. Monitoring in lakes include ice cover, water chemistry, physical conditions, species composition of plankton, vegetation, bottom organisms and fish. Physical-chemical parameters, phytoplankton and zooplankton are monitored monthly in the ice-free period.