2008 was the first year, in which BioBasis carried through the entire programme after the establishment of the programme in 2007.

We monitored reproductive phenology in three plant species: Silene acaulis, Salix glauca and Loiseleuria procumbens, each with four replicates separated into four sections. For L. procumbens, there was a large variation between plots in timing of flowering as the date of 50 % flowers in a plot ranged from 6 June to 2 July. In S. acaulis flowering peaked around 24 June in all four plots, indicating a longer period of maturing in the early snow free plots compared to the later snow free plots. In S. glauca budding peaked 4 June. Both female and male plants started to flower 17 June and kept having flowers for several weeks until 1 September. The timing of 50 % of female flowers with hair ranged over plots and sections from 26 August to 20 September.

For the four plant species Silene acaulis, Salix glauca, Loiseleuria procumbens and Empetrum nigrum we recorded total flowering at the time of peak flowering.

The vegetation greenness was monitored several times during the season by measurements of the NDVI in phenology plots as well as along the NERO line. In general, the vegetation greenness peaked around 1 August.

We have monitored the CO2 flux between the soil/vegetation and the atmosphere in ‘natural’ as well as in ‘manipulated’ plots.Data has not yet been processed.

The study of potential effects of UV-B radiation on plant health showed that the ambient UV-B did not induce any differences in maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) for Vaccinium and Betula. However, screening off a major proportion of the ambient UV-B radiation increased the Performance Index (PI) in both species in the August measurements. These initial results indicate that the experimental setup works. 

The basis for preparing a vegetation map for the study area was improved by classifying additional 115 points. 

Four pitfall arthropod trap stations each consisting of eight sub-plots were sampled. All samples are stored at the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources. The material is kept in 70 % ethanol. Microarthropods were sampled in three different habitat types with two replicates of each. Unfortunately, all samples from 2008 were unsuccessfully extracted at the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources due to insufficient quality of the apparatus and lack of practice. The results cannot give a precise estimate of population abundance. 

The bird study consisted of three sub-programmes, i.e. an ornithological survey which provided an overview of birds in the study area, observations of breeding phenology of Lapland bunting Calcarius lapponicus, and censuses from census points. 

Mammals are seen only rarely in the study area. Arctic fox was seen occasionally and two caribou were observed only once. 

Lake monitoring is carried out in two lakes, Badesø, with arctic char Salvelinus alpinus, located at low altitude and Qassi-sø, without arctic char, at a higher altitude. The nutrient levels recorded in Badesø and Qassi-sø are comparable to those in other low arctic Greenland lakes. In general, Badesø is warmer than Qassi-sø. Conductivity and pH were almost similar in the two studied lakes and comparable to other Greenland lakes. The results indicate that very few ions are washed into the freshwaters in Kobbefjord. In Badesø Secchi depth was high, particularly in early summer following the ice melt. Qassi-sø receives its inflowing water from the nearby glaciers reducing the Secchi depth compared to that in Badesø. For both lakes, Secchi depth decreased over time. Chlorophyll levels were very low in the two lakes. No fish have been caught in Qassi-sø, while both arctic char and threespined stickleback are found in Badesø. Submerged vegetation was dominated by mosses and real macrophytes Callitriche hamulata in both 2007 and 2008. In Qassi-sø submerged vegetation was sparse compared to Badesø.

In 2008 zooplankton was sampled monthly together with the other parameters. The samples have not been analysed yet, however.