About the Environmental Data Center
The TFS Environmental Data Center (EDC) offers support to the science community in three ways; 1) collection of long-term baseline environmental and biological data, 2) management of common-use laboratory and field equipment, and 3) limited assistance with field work. The EDC was developed to meet the needs of an expanding scientific community (Science Support - Direction for Next 10 Years ).
Baseline Environmental Monitoring
The baseline environmental monitoring program collects important quality baseline data to set the environmental and biological context in which scientists can interpret their own research. The program, established in September 2006, is designed to collect quality and useful data that will be made readily available to the research community.
Currently baseline environmental and biological data are being collected on:
- Weather: expanding and continuing a 30 year dataset
- Birds: phenology, abundance and status
- Plants: phenology and herbarium
- Snow cover and depletion: time lapse photography
- Timing of other environmental events: daily naturalist journal
Management of General Use Equipment
As TFS continues to be a leader in arctic observatories improvements to management and expansion of availability of common-use laboratory and field equipment is needed. Each year more projects base research out of the field station and require equipment that is available and ready to use. The EDC now maintains a suite of general-use laboratory equipment including a muffle furnace, freeze dyer and microscopes. An incubation facility, which now includes both wet and dry incubation options, is available for use. For a complete list of equipment please see our equipment page.
Program Development
To best develop a scientifically coherent program, the Toolik Management Team will continue to solicit ideas for environmental data collection from the scientific community and use appropriate suggestions in crafting the direction of the program. If you have comments or suggestions for program development, please visit: User Input Form.
