Future Research at the Toolik Field Station Perspectives from Breck Bowden

1. Future Research at the Toolik Field StationPerspectives from Breck Bowden Science Support Visioning Workshop Portland, Oregon 2-4 August 2012

2. Arctic System Science How will change in the arctic system affect integrated land-water dynamics?A streams perspective Natural Influences Climate Human Influences ARCSS Thermokarst I & II** Seasonal Asynchrony** Near-Stream Dynamics Permafrost Dynamics Arctic Hyporheic Geology Topography Vegetation Glacial history Changing Seasonality in Arctic Streams In-stream Dynamics Macrosystems SCALER* Stream ecosystem structure & function Arctic LTER/Streams* Fishscapes Landscape processes Coastal processes

3. Intellectual Rationale • Arctic streams and rivers are unique ecosystems with species that are important for biodiversity, recreation, and subsistence. • Arctic streams and rivers are sensitive indicators of change in the arctic environment. • Arctic streams and rivers are the critical transformer that connects terrestrial to coastal and marine ecosystems

4. Strategic Rationale • DOE/NGEE: Develop a process-rich ecosystem model, extending from bedrock to the top of the vegetative canopy, in which the evolution of Arctic ecosystems in a changing climate can be modeled at the scale of a high resolution Earth System Model (ESM) grid cell • NASA/ABoVE: Focus on key process associated with the land surface, and on key interfaces between the land and the coastal ocean and atmospheric boundary layer as they interact with climate-mediated terrestrial processes • NEON/STREON: Enable understanding and forecasting of the impacts of climate change, land-use change and invasive species on continental-scale ecology -- by providing infrastructure and consistent methodologies to support research and education in these areas. • NSF/CZO: Address pressing interdisciplinary scientific questions concerning geological, physical, chemical, and biological processes and their couplings that govern critical zone system dynamics. Integrate new understanding of coupled hydrological, geochemical, geomorphological, sedimentological and biological processes; and develop, couple and validate system-level models.

5. How will change in the arctic system affect integrated land-water dynamics?A streams perspective. Arctic System Science Natural Influences Climate Human Influences Seasonal Asynchrony* ARCSS/Thermokarst Near-Stream Dynamics Permafrost Dynamics Arctic Hyporheic Geology Topography Vegetation Glacial history In-stream Dynamics CSASN SCALER Land-Water Interactions Stream ecosystem structure & function Arctic LTER - Streams Landscape processes Coastal processes

6. Required Science Support • Logistics and residential support are covered well • Resources for larger meetings and classes (outreach and broader impacts) are adequate but could grow • Extended environmental monitoring • Technical instrument and sensor support • “Last mile” internet connectivity • Space to stage complex field installations • Space to process large numbers of samples • TFS as a field research operations hub • Strong partnership between TFS scientists, staff, and management to develop TFS science resources with NSF