The information presented in this book is the result of combined research efforts of scientists at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, the Institute of Northern Forestry, USDA Forest Service, and the Systems Ecology Research Group, San Diego State University. The objective of the volume is to present a synthetic overview of structure and function of taiga forest ecosystems in interior Alaska. The data base for this work has appeared in earlier published articles including the special issue of the Canadian Journal of Forest Research Volume 13:5 (1983). Stimulus for this book was a conference held in Fairbanks from June 10-14, 1983. The papers presented at the conference were fore runners of the chapters in this book. We invited 19 scientists from North America and England to critique our research and synthesis efforts. Six of these people were asked to write introductory chapters for each section of the book. Formal presentation sessions, combined with field trips to research sites, introduced the invitees to the primary and secondary successional ecosystems with which we were dealing. A major wildfire, only 24 km from the University campus, was contained the week prior to the conference and one field trip provided graphic evidence of fire impact in subarctic forests. The conference conveners regretted that it was not possible to host a similar meeting during synthesis efforts in mid-January.

Covers living and non-living elements of ecosystems, food chains, webs and pyramids, interactions within ecosystems, biodiversity and kingdoms, investigations tudies, role of people within ecosystems, renewable and non-renewable resources.

This volume on botanical research in tundra represents the culmination of four years of intensive and integrated field research centered at Barrow, Alaska. The volume summarizes the most significant results and interpretations of the pri mary producer projects conducted in the U.S. IBP Tundra Biome Program (1970-1974). Original data reports are available from the authors and can serve as detailed references for interested tundra researchers. Also, the results of most projects have been published in numerous papers in various journals. The introduction provides a brief overview of other ecosystem components. The main body presents the results in three general sections. The summary chapter is an attempt to integrate ideas and information from the previous papers as well as extant literature. In addition, this chapter focuses attention on pro cesses of primary production which should receive increased emphasis. Although this book will not answer all immediate questions, it hopefully will enhance future understanding of the tundra, particularly as we have studied it in Northern Alaska.

The latest volume in the LTER series, this book presents the results and finding of the Long-Term Ecological Research site in the Alaskan Arctic, discussing Arctic ecology from a variety of perspectives and disciplines.

The Boreal forest is the northern-most forest in the world, whose organisms and dynamics are shaped by low temperature and high latitude. The Alaskan Boreal forest is warming as rapidly as any place on earth, providing an opportunity to examine a biome as it adjusts to change. This book looks at this issue.