Toolik Field Station (TFS), in the northern foothills of the Brooks Range, Alaska, has been a major site for research in the North American Arctic since 1975. Much of what is known about the structure and function of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of the Arctic and the effects of climate change and feedbacks to global climate comes from the long-term, process-based ecological research projects at TFS. TFS-based work has also resulted in a showcase of discoveries on the adaptations of organisms to the Arctic and population-level changes in animal and plant phenologies and distributions. Because climate is changing most rapidly in arctic and boreal regions and changes in the Arctic are predicted to strongly affect the global climate system, continuing research into the causes, mechanisms of response, and feedbacks to further ecosystem change is a high research priority. Along with the ongoing strong interest for use of TFS as a research platform by scientists from a broad array of disciplines, and a specific call for year-round studies of arctic ecosystems, this high priority promises a steady demand for TFS-based services into the future.
Under this agreement Toolik Field Station will: o continue to support NSF funded research projects as requested within the capacity of the station. o develop the station infrastructure and capabilities to support evolving needs and scientific approaches. o develop the educational opportunities, both formal and informal, of the station both onsite and remotely
The Toolik Field Station (TFS), in the northern foothills of the Brooks Range, Alaska, has been a major site for national and international scientific research in the North American Arctic since 1975. TFS’s mission is to enable researchers to advance interdisciplinary knowledge of the Arctic, its biological and physical environments and their links with global systems, by facilitating technologically sophisticated research under safe conditions while providing cost-effective logistical and research support and scientific services year-round. Operated and managed by the Institute of Arctic Biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and supported by a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation, TFS is a national facility that serves a diverse scientific workforce. In a recent typical year (2009), 368 scientists, students, and technicians from 68 universities and institutions, sponsored by 74 funded research grants totaling $45 million, conducted studies at TFS. These projects include the Arctic Long-Term Ecological Research program, administered through the Ecosystem Center of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA, the Arctic Observatory Network, National Ecological Observatory Network, and individual research projects funded by NSF and other federal and state agencies. TFS provides research and logistical support services to support scientific innovation and productivity in a broad array of disciplines. More than 734 peer-reviewed journal articles, 107 books and book chapters, and 81 graduate theses have been published since 1975 on research based at TFS. Much of what is known about the structure and function of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of the Arctic and the effects of climate change and feedbacks to the Earth’s climate has emerged from the long-term, process-based ecological research projects at the station. Significant discoveries on adaptations of organisms to the Arctic and population-level changes in animal and plant distributions and life-cycle events have also resulted from research conducted at this remote arctic location. TFS management, leveraged by the resources of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, is designed to respond to the needs of the science user community. The station continuously communicates with its users, seeking feedback through formal and informal channels, and makes management decisions with participation of research scientists in as transparent a manner as possible. In response to user demand, TFS provides GIS and IT services and continues to improve year-round access by supporting, expanding, and upgrading its facilities. Guided by the needs of the research community, the station also collects a limited amount of baseline environmental monitoring data to provide a context for research projects, supports undergraduate and graduate student education programs, and helps improve public understanding of science through media visits and outreach activities.
