Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 04/16/2013 - 15:56
Forums
Carbon Balance in Warming and Drying Tundra 2013

Dear Mr. Lane,

     Have you seen any arctic animals? If so what ? Also how deep is the hole you guys shoveled? 

                                                                                                              Sincerely, 
                                                                                                                        Declan
Tue, 04/16/2013 - 21:54

Tom Lane

Thanks for the questions Declan.Arctic animals...well, I was ski skating out to the research site and scared up a pure white willow ptarmigan the other day. I think we pushed a wolf out of the area when we visited Bus 142 a week or so ago. (see ask the team current conditions at Bus 142)
The deepest hole I dug was probably at the snow pits site. Mr. Wood is familiar with that experiment:) Points 1 and 10 tend to be buried deeper than the other 8 points. The holes there are a little over 3 feet deep.

Wed, 04/17/2013 - 16:56

Anonymous

I have been thinking about it and what would the animals eat in the arctic? Also are there any fish?

Wed, 04/17/2013 - 17:24

Anonymous

Hi Declan, Arctic animals eat a variety of things. Here's a list of some of the animals found around here.Moose- browse on alder and other plants.
Caribou-consume lichen and grasses they find under the snow.
Birds like the willow ptarmigan- eat seeds and other plant parts they can find.
Ravens, gray jays (camp robbers), magpies-scavenge what they can find from humans, predator kills, road kill.
The wolf-scavenges also but when working in packs will kill and consume moose and caribou and other smaller game.
Fox-scavenge and wil kill and consume rabbits and whatever birds it can find.
I may be forgetting some important animals. That's what I can remember right now.