Summer Climatic Gradients and Vegetation near Barrow, Alaska

Abstract

Reports a June-Sept 1956 study of rainfall, evaporation evapotranspiration and vegetation at four sites: Nuwuk, the old Eskimo village site on the Pt Barrow spit, a beach ridge six mi SW of Nuwuk, a site near South Barrow test well no3, about 11 mi S of the beach ridge, and Meade River 28 mi from the ocean. Another site at Inaru River was used only for vegetation studies. Simple instruments gave periodic values for the three elements. Deviations of precipitation from US Weather Bureau records are tabulated. Distinctive changes in vegetation within a few miles with increase in shrubby and decrease in grassy components accompanied a general amelioration of climate inland. Sod block evapotranspirometers, weighed at intervals, showed more than a third increase in evapotranspiration rates between the ocean and 28 mi inland.