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RESPONDENT
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Dmitri Karelin
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SITE NAME
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Kougarok River, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, USA
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| (095)495-15-55 (home); (095)939-22-54 (off.) // dkarelin@pochta.ru;dkarelin@cepl.rssi.ru // Dmitrovskoe Shosse, apt.61, block 1, build. 99, Moscow, 127247, Russia
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Project name:
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Stationary micrometeorological studies of hydrocarbon flows, evapotranspiration and energy flows
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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1.06
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25.08
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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Weather conditions: |
| On 1 June about 60% of watershed surface was free from snow, which melted almost completely there by 15 June. Mass greening of Betula and Salix spp. started on 11 June, mass growth of leaves and flowering of sedges and herbs - on 17-19 June. Average wind speed in June - August did not differ from lon-term average. The last night frost occurred on 17 June, and the first - on 21 August. A single summer snowfall happened on 14 June, and snow melted on the same day. Storm wind with rain lasting for approximately 24 hours was observed on 16-17 July and 7-8 August, strong showers - on 8 August (15 mm) and on 13 August (32 mm). Generally, June and July were colder than average, and June also drier.
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
15 June
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
low
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Breeding conditions:
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Snowy Owls and Arctic Foxes were not seen, while Red Fox was observed only once. Reindeers and Elks were common in the river valley in June. From mid June to early July and then in late July and mid August a herd of musk oxen was staying in the area. Brown bears were rarely seen in the river valley. Long-tailed Skuas were common in the open tundra, and were holding territories there. Two pairs of Ravens and a pair of Rough-legged Buzzards were resident in the area of observations, but breeding was not confirmed. A pair of Canada Geese bred in the area and Pintails were frequently seen on small lakes and rivers. Sandhill Cranes were common and bred. On 4 August the first flock of 4 cranes was seen flying to the south-south-west. Bluethroats, Arctic and Yellow warblers, Grey-cheeked Thrushes, Americam Tree and White-crowned sparrows were common breeders in riverine willow scrubs, while Arctic Redpolls were numerous. Lapland Buntings were common on watersheds. Willow Grouse were abundant breeders. First grouse brood was seen on 6 July, and afterwards they were seen at a density 4-5 broods per 10 km. Mass fledging of passerines started on 7-9 July.
Waders were uncommon in the area. First displaying Pectoral Sandpipers appeared on 6-7 June in the open tundra. Among records of other waders, a Bristle-thighed Curlew, a pair of Semipalmated Plovers and 3 Dotterels can be noted.
Generally, weather conditions and pressure of potential predators should have been within the norm for breeding insectivorous and phytivorous birds.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Lemming and voles were not seen. Acoording to trapping data of American zoologists low density of small rodents is typical for the area. Ground Squirrels were seen only at foothills, but Snowshoe Hares were common in July - August (2-3 per 10 km).
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Rodent species recorded:
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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