Netherlands Polar Data Center

Data were collected on three sites, see under Purpose. For Falklands Islands there are observations and countings of species, and data on soil respiration (2004, 2005). For all three sites climate data were collected. Anchorage Island: 2004 - 2008; temperature; soil moisture; relative humidity. Falkland Islands: 2003 - 2009; temperature; soil moisture; relative humidity and AWS data(relative humidity, air temperature, snow height, wind speed, wind direction, pyranometer). Signy Island: 2003 - 2007; temperature; soil moisture; relative humidity.

The Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Unit for Polar Ecology, in collaboration with the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Department of Systems Ecology, and the British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK, executes research on the effects of climate change on the terrestrial ecosystems of the polar regions, with a focus on Antarctic Terrestrial Ecosystems. In 2003, three field sites were established along a latitudinal gradient: in the Falkland Islands (54°S), Signy Island (61°S), and Anchorage Island (68°S). The latitudinal gradient, serves as a proxy for climate change. In each of the three field sites artificial warming treatments were established. Artificial warming was achieved by erecting hexagonal open top chambers (OTCs) made of acrylic plastic, 2m in diameter, 60cm high. The OTCs were placed in a paired plot design, without an OTC receiving ambient circumstances, the other half covered with an OTC in which the temperature was enhanced by 1 – 2 °C. As OTCs do not influence the temperature only, but also other climatic factors such as relative humidity, soil moisture, etc. in both the control plot and the OTC a combination of direct warming with OTCs across this environmental gradient allows to look at short and long-term effects of warming on ecosystems. Field observations and measurements have been made yearly in the three field sites as part of three Ph.D. studies, on the effects of climate change on ecosystem composition and – processes (especially primary production and decomposition), on hydrological and nutritional changes, and on changes in the soil microbial communities and processes