Chokurdakh Scientific Tundra Station

The Elgeeii Scientific Forest Station (60°01’ N, 133°49’ E; elevation c. 202 m a.s.l.; study area 1.5 ha) is located on an ancient terrace on the central part of the Aldan River’s left bank in the southeastern region (Ust-Mayskiy Ulus) of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia. It is in the continuous permafrost region (thickness over 120 m), approximately 65 km south of the Ust-Maya settlement and 730 km south of the Arctic Circle.

The Elgeeii Scientific Forest Station was founded in 2009 by the Institute for Biological Problems of Cryolithozone (Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences) together with RIHN, a Japanese scientific project. The station has two buildings accommodating c. 20 people. Outdoor storage house and workshop is available, equipped with some basic instruments. The station operates a 34 meters high observational tower in a larch forest with a large range of micrometeorological devices, equipment and eddy-covariance system. Solar power supply (12/24 VDC, ~500W) and diesel generator (220 VAC, 4.5 KW) are available.

The main ecosystem near the station is boreal light taiga, with pine and birch forests together with permafrost lakes, meadows, and mixed forests. The main forest types are red-bilberry larch forests, crowberry pine forests, and herby birch forests. The main larger animals are red fox, wolf, brown bear, moose, red deer, and reindeer.

The nearest settlements are Petropavlovsk and Ust-Maya (c. 60-65 km to the North) with various shops and facilities. There is a well-equipped hospital. The main livelihoods are hunting and lumbering.

Elgeeii Scientific Forest Station is reached by a combination of airplane to Ust-Maya airport (c. 1 hour flight from Yakutsk city), then motor boat (c. 1.5 hours), and finally car (15 min drive) or foot (1 hour walk).