The BOREAS TGB-12 team made measurements of soil carbon inventories, carbon concentration in soil gases, and rates of soil respiration at several sites. This data set provides: (1) estimates of soil carbon stocks by horizon based on soil survey data and analyses of data from individual soil profiles; (2) estimates of soil carbon fluxes based on stocks, fire history, drainage, and soil C inputs and decomposition constants based on field work using radiocarbon analyses; (3) fire history data estimating age ranges of time since last fire; (4) a raster image and an associated soils table file from which area-weighted maps of soil carbon and fluxes and fire history may be generated. This data set was created from raster files, soil polygon data files, and detailed lab analysis of soils data that were received from Hugo Veldhuis who did the original mapping in the field during 1994. Also used were soils data from Susan Trumbore and Jennifer Harden (BOREAS TGB-12). The binary raster file covers a 733 km^2 area within the NSA-MSA.

The BOREAS TGB-12 team made measurements of soil carbon inventories, carbon concentration in soil gases, and rates of soil respiration at several sites to estimate the rates of carbon accumulation and turnover in each of the major vegetation types. This data set contains information on the carbon isotopic content of carbon dioxide sampled from soils.

During 1993 and 1994, the BOReal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) Trace Gas and Biogeochemistry team #12 (TGB-12) collected several data sets to support their analysis of soil carbon content in the Northern Study Area (NSA). The primary data set (BOREAS TGB-12 Soil Carbon Data over the NSA) is described in some detail. Other ancillary information was stored and provided in two sets of soil pit description and surface vegetation transect files. In addition, a site description file provides more information on the positioning of the sampling sites. These files contain additional information that complements the data contained in the primary data set.

The BOREAS TF-04 team measured distributions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) concentrations for the upper 5 meters of soil and unsaturated zone at the mature stand, upper 6 m at the 20-year old stand, and the upper 1m at the 8-year old stand and clear cut area at the Southern Study Area of the Boreal Ecosystem Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) during August 1993 to March 1995. Particle size and carbon content of the unsaturated deposits, precipitation, soil temperature and moisture, carbon and oxygen isotopes of soil CO2 and soil water chemistry are also presented.

This data set was collected by TE-01 to provide a set of soil properties for BOREAS investigators in the SSA. The soil samples were collected at sets of soil pits. Each set of soil pits was in the vicinity of one of the five flux towers in the BOREAS SSA. The collected soil samples were sent to a lab, where the major soil properties were determined. These properties include, but are not limited to, soil horizon; dry soil color; pH; bulk density; total, organic, and inorganic carbon; electric conductivity; cation exchange capacity; exchangeable sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and hydrogen; water content at 0.01, 0.033, and 1.5 MPascals; nitrogen; phosphorus; particle size distribution; texture; pH of the mineral soil and of the organic soil; extractable acid; and sulfur.

This data set contains the major soil properties of soil samples collected at the tower flux sites in the NSA. The soil samples were collected by Hugo Veldhuis and his staff from the University of Manitoba. The mineral soil samples were largely analyzed by Barry Goetz, under the supervision of Dr. Harold Rostad at the University of Saskatchewan. The organic soil samples were largely analyzed by Peter Haluschak, under the supervision of Hugo Veldhuis at the Centre for Land and Biological Resources Research in Winnipeg, Manitoba. During the course of field investigation and mapping, selected surface and subsurface soil samples were collected for laboratory analysis. These samples were used as benchmark references for specific soil attributes in general soil characterization. Detailed soil sampling, description and laboratory analysis were performed on selected modal soils to provide examples of common soil physical and chemical characteristics in the study area. The soil properties that were determined include soil horizon; dry soil color; pH; bulk density; total, organic, and inorganic carbon; electric conductivity; cation exchange capacity; exchangeable sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and hydrogen; water content at 0.01, 0.033, and 1.5 MPascals; nitrogen; phosphorus; particle size distribution; texture; pH of the mineral soil and of the organic soil; extractable acid; and sulfur.

The BOREAS TE-01 team collected various data to characterize the soil-plant systems in the BOREAS SSA. Particular emphasis was placed on nutrient biochemistry, the stores and transfers of organic carbon and how the characteristics were related to measured methane fluxes. The overall transect in the Prince Albert National Park (Saskatchewan, Canada) included the major plant communities and related soils that occurred in that section of the boreal forest. Soil physical, chemical and biological measurements along the transect were used to characterize the static environment, which allowed them to be related to methane fluxes. Chamber techniques were used to provide a measure of methane production/uptake. Chamber measurements coupled with flask sampling were used to determine the seasonality of methane fluxes. This particular data set contains soil profile measurements of various nutrients at the SSA-Fen site. The data were collected from 23-MAY to 21-OCT-1994.

The BOREAS TE-01 team collected various data to characterize the soil-plant systems in the BOREAS SSA. Particular emphasis was placed on nutrient biochemistry, the stores and transfers of organic carbon and how the characteristics were related to measured methane fluxes. The overall transect in the Prince Albert National Park (Saskatchewan, Canada) included the major plant communities and related soils that occurred in that section of the boreal forest. Soil physical, chemical and biological measurements along the transect were used to characterize the static environment, which allowed them to be related to methane fluxes. Chamber techniques were used to provide a measure of methane production/uptake. Chamber measurements coupled with flask sampling were used to determine the seasonality of methane fluxes. This particular data set contains carbon dioxide and methane flux values from the SSA-OBS site. The data were collected from 09-JUN to 04-SEP-1994.