Plum Island Ecosystems LTER Database

Acceptance and utilization of LTER data requires that:

(1) The Principal Investigator be sent a notice stating reasons for acquiring any data and a description of the publication intentions.
(2) The Principal Investigator of the data set be sent a copy of the report or manuscript prior to submission and be adequately cited in any resultant publications.
(3) A copy of any resultant publications should be sent to:

Principal Investigator
Ecosystems Center
Marine Biological Laboratory
7 MBL St.
Woods Hole, MA 02543

Dataset URLs:METADATA: HTML, Rich Text, XML(EML compliant)
DATA: Comma Delimited, Excel file with Metadata and data
Dataset ID:LTE-MP-NIN-SET-means.09
Dataset Title:Marsh surface elevation data in fertilization plots of a Spartina alterniflora-dominated salt marsh at Goat Island, North Inlet, Georgetown, SC.
Investigator 1: 
First Name:Jim
Last Name:Morris
Address line 1:Dept of Biological Sciences
Address line 2:
Address line 3:University of SC
City:Columbia
State:SC
Zip Code:29208
Country:USA
Investigator 2: 
First Name:Karen
Last Name:Sundberg
Address line 1:Baruch Marine Field Laboratory
Address line 3:PO Box 1630
City:Georgetown
State:SC
Zip Code:29442
Country:USA
Associate Investigators:Diana Rodriguez
Keywords:PIE LTER, Plum Island Ecosystems, South Carolina, North Inlet, organic matter, nutrients, estuary, salt marsh, Spartina alterniflora, elevation, surface elevation table (SET), sedimentation erosion table (SET), Southeast United States
Abstract:A Surface Elevation Table (SET) is used to measure changes in the elevation of the marsh platform in fertilization plots of a Spartina alterniflora-dominated marsh on the Goat Island, North Inlet, Georgetown, SC.
Contact: Plum Island Ecosystems LTER Information Manager
The Ecosystems Center
Marine Biological Lab
7 MBL St
Woods Hole, MA 02543
Phone (508) 289 7485
Email: pie_im@mbl.edu
Online URL: http://ecosystems.mbl.edu/PIE/
DATA FILE INFORMATION:
Data File URL http://ecosystems.mbl.edu/PIE/data/LTE/data/LTE-MP-NIN-SET-means.csv
Data File Name LTE-MP-NIN-SET-means
Beginning Date 6/1/1996
End Date 12/31/2012
Number of Data Records 590
Other Files to Reference LTE-MP-SET-means, LTE-MP-SET-raw
Availability Status type 1
Quality Control Information
Maintenance Description Collections occur approximately every month. Database is updated once annually, usually in the winter. Study and data collection are ongoing as of Jan 2012.
Log of Changes: Version 01: July 11, 2006 Level 3+ EML using Jim Laundre's Excel program
Version 02: January 10, 2007 data and metadata update
Version 03: March 13, 2008 Data and metadata update
Version 04: February 20, 2009 Data and metadata update
Version 05: January 13, 2010 Data and metadata update
Version 06: October 26, 2011 Data and metadata update. File name change from LTE-MP-NIN-elevationmeans to LTE-MP-NIN-SETmeans for consistency with other SET data files
Version 07: January 12, 2012, 2011 data and metadata update, using MarcrosExportEML_HTML (working)pie_excel2007.xlsm 1/12/12 11:51AM for QA/QC to EML 2.1.0
Version 08, 28Mar2012, dataset title metadata update. Used MarcrosExportEML_HTML (working)pie_excel2007.xlsm 3/23/2012 12:08 PM for QA/QC to EML 2.1.0
Version 09: March 15, 2013, 2012 data and metadata updated to comply with importation to Drupal and LTER PASTA. Research location name and description updated.Used MarcrosExportEML_HTML (working)pie_excel2007.xlsm 3/14/13 12:02 PM for QA/QC to EML 2.1.0
 
RESEARCH LOCATION: LTE-MP-NIN-GIHM LTE-MP-NIN-GILM Site 3
Geographic Description Goat Island, North Inlet, Georgetown, SC; high marsh Spartina alterniflora plot level fertilization experiment (GIHM). The Goat Island sites are accessible from Clambank Rd. about 1/2mile south of Clambank Landing. A board walk connects the high marsh siteand the low marsh site. The North Inlet Estuary is located onthe southeastern coast of the United States, approximately 10 kilometers east of Georgetown, South Carolina. The North Inlet Estuary lies east of the uplands of Hobcaw Barony (also known as the Belle W. Baruch Property). To the north of the Estuary is the Debordieu Colony Property. North Inlet Estuary is a bar-built Class C type estuary (Pritchard, 1955) and is arelatively small tidal estuary (area = 2630 hectares). It is composed of numerous winding tidal creeks dominated bySpartina alterniflora and is considered a pristine tidal estuary due to minimal anthropogenic impacts. The watershed drains a 24.8 square kilometer area of mostly pine forest and a moderately developed residential watershed to the north. Goat Island, North Inlet, Georgetown, SC; low marsh Spartina alterniflora plot level fertilization experiment (GILM). The Goat Island sites are accessible from Clambank Rd. about 1/2mile south of Clambank Landing. A board walk connects the high marsh siteand the low marsh site.  
Location Bounding Box      
West Bounding Coordinate      
East Bounding Coordinate      
North Bounding Coordinate      
South Bounding Coordinate      
OR if single point location      
Latitude 33.331659 33.331603  
Longitude -79.198208 -79.197942  
Elevation      
       
       
 
TAXONOMIC COVERAGE:
Taxonomic Protocols
Organisms studied Spartina alterniflora
 
Methods:Sampling Description:
Triplicate original-style SET benchmark posts were permanently installed in the high marsh (HM) and low marsh (LM) on the marsh platform in a Spartina alterniflora-dominated marsh at Goat Island, North Inlet, Georgetown, SC. Each SET sampling site consists of a permanently installed post and a removable arm. The arm has a vertical and a horizontal component. The vertical component fits into the SET benchmark post; the horizontal component reaches out over the experimental subplot and has a square plate at the end through which 9 pins are lowered. Each SET post is associated with two adjacent plots (one control, one NP fertilized). The treated plots were fertilized with NH4NO3 and P2O5 for a final annual application rate of 26.7 mol N/m2/y and 12.3 mol P/m2/y from May 1996 (HM) or Jan 2001 (LM) until Aug 2004. Each SET benchmark post is positioned such that 27 elevation readings can be taken in a fertilized plot (9 readings in 3 subplots) and 27 elevation readings can be taken in a control plot. Plots are numbered. Subplots are lettered A-F.

To measure elevations, the SET arm is locked in place over each subplot, is leveled, and the 9 fiberglass pins are lowered to touch the sediment surface and held in place with a clip. Pin heights are measured from the top of the nut on the plate to the top of the pin, and read into a digital recorder. The recordings are transcribed into one master SET pin height data set. Surface elevations are measured approximately monthly.

The SET was manufactured by Nolan’s Machine Shop in Lafayette LA; 337-235-5261. Replacement pins or collars can be purchased from Nolan’s. Stainless steel parts (roll pins etc) come from McMaster-Carr. Measuring pins are held in place with badge clips, available at office supply stores.

Numerical Processing:
Data are reported as the mean change in elevation and standard error of the 3 replicate plots (n=81) over time. Change in marsh elevation is determined by subtracting pin height at time X from the mean pin height for the subplot at time 0. Statistics were performed using SAS (SAS System for Windows; release 9.1; SAS Institute, Inc; Cary, NC).

Data Table

Variable Name Variable Description Units Measurement Scale Code Information Number Type DateTime Format Missing Value Code Missing Value Code Explanation
site name of sampling station   nominal GI=Goat Island        
location location of sampling station   nominal HM=High Marsh | LM=Low Marsh        
year year   datetime     yyyy    
month month   datetime     mm    
treatment treatment   nominal NP=Fertilized | C=Control        
elev change mean change in elevation centimeter ratio   real   . .=not measured
stderr standard error of mean change in elevation centimeter ratio   real