Nuolja, also known as Njulla, is a field research site in Sweden that stretches across Mt. Njulla.[1] With the mountain to the east, the village of Abisko to the south, and bordering Lake Torneträsk, this is a varied-habitat field site.[1] Mountain birch forests are one of the main appeals of this research site.[1]
The name "Nuolja" may also refer specifically to a 12km hiking trail on Mt. Njulla, Sweden.[2]
History
editNuolja was founded in 1917 by botanist Thore E. Fries, who published a lengthy report in 1925 titled "Ecological and Phenological Observations at Abisko Over the Years".[3]. Fries hiked up the mountain and down again some 150 times, helping set the location of the future field site, assessing how snow melt dates affected plant phenology.[1]
Research
editNuolja serves as a key climate change assessment site, echoing the original research done by Thore. E. Fries in 1917. In 2017, 100 years after his work, researchers began re-assessing how climate change has affected both snow melt and plant phenology.[1] This work will be able to be directly compared to Fries' publication. There are also several tree-line studies occurring, and a research project assessing alpine bee populations and the flowering plants they visit.[1]
A citizen science project also launched in 2017, asking visitors to the area to collect field data on approximate 20 key plant species.[4] By submitting sightings and photographs, researchers will be able to assess a broader and more numerous set of samples, across a variety of climate events and elevations. The trail, opened in June 2017, will be able to be accessed by four or by chairlift.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f "Nuolja". Climate Impacts Research Centre. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
- ^ "Nuolja". AllTrails.com. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
- ^ Buck, Hannsjörg F.; Holzweißig, Gunter, eds. (1996). Die wirtschaftliche und ökologische Situation der DDR in den 80er Jahren. doi:10.1007/978-3-322-95835-8. ISBN 978-3-8100-1609-6.
- ^ a b "You and I can help climate researchers in Abisko". www.umu.se. Retrieved 2021-01-04.