PLUM ISLAND ECOSYSTEM LTER DATABASE

DATA FILE:                                        LTE-MD-EOYBIOMASS.xls

                                                            LTE-MD-EOYBIOMASS.txt

DOCUMENTATION FILE:                LTE-MD-EOYBIOMASS.doc

YEAR: 2000-2001

PI: Robert Buchsbaum

OTHERS: Hap Garritt

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DATA FILE: End of growing season percent cover and biomass data for hayed v reference sites.

KEYWORDS: haying, salt marsh, vegetation, biomass

SITE TYPE: Long-term experiment

RESEARCH LOCATION: Salt marsh that is hayed by Dan McHugh in Rowley and reference areas in the vicinity of Stackyard and Patmos Roads.   Four studies sites (two hayed and two references) are contained with approximate boundaries as ff: Lat. 42.740N-42.747N; Long. 70.836W-70.847W. The two hayed sites are McH1         (hayed every year, north of Patmos Rd) and EPH (east of Perry's land and between Sawyer Creek and Patmos Rd, hayed every two years, last hayed in 1999).  The two reference sites are PUH (Perry Unhayed, between Sawyer Creek and Patmos Rd) and Club Creek (south of Stackyard Rd and bounded on its E side by the PRNWR).

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND METHODS:  Samples for biomass measurements were collected along transects in two hayed and two reference sites.  These are the same transects used in LTE-MD-VEGTRANS.xls and LTE-MD-VEGQUADS.  Transects lengths varied from ca. 35-150 meters depending on the shape of the marsh.  Quadrats (either 0.01 or 0.0625 m2) were placed down at 5 m (shorter transects) or 10 m (100+ m transects) intervals along the transect.  Estimates of percent cover by species were recorded, then all plants within the quadrat were clipped at the surface of the sediment.  Plants were then sorted into living and dead aboveground biomass.  Living plants were sorted by species.  Plant material was then dried at 60oC until constant weight (approximately 48 hrs) and then weighed on an electronic balance. 

NOTES AND COMMENTS: Names of observers: RB (Robert Buchsbaum), WD      (Wendy Dalia), ADR (April Ridlon), PB (Peter Britz), CN (Carl Noblett).

            The biomass data in this file is expressed in g per m2.  The raw data entered onto original spreadsheet contained the biomass in grams per quadrat, which was either 0.01 or 0.0625 m2 depending on the anticipated density of plants at each site.

The % cover data in this file are based on a rather small quadrat and were collected as a quality control procedure for the biomass samples.  Use LTE-MD-VEGQUADS for vegetation analysis.

 

VARIABLE DESCRIPTION:

Site = area where data and plants were collected

Treatment = shows if site is a hayed area or a reference area

TRANSECT = Transect line along which plants were observed and collected.  Code names are indicated under “RESEARCH LOCATION” above.

Interval = distance in meters along transect that quadrat was placed down

Date = date plants harvested (DD-MMM-YY)

YEAR = Year of collections

Observers = names of people who collected data and samples (refer to "Notes" field for abbreviations)

Quadrat size = size of sampling quadrat in m2 (either 0.01 or 0.0625)

sabiomassM2 = biomass (in grams per m2) of Spartina alterniflora

sapcover = percent cover of Spartina alterniflora in the biomass quadrats

saheight = height (in cm) of tallest Spartina alterniflora in the quadrat

spbiomassM2 = biomass (in grams per m2) of Spartina patens

sppcover = percent cover of Spartina patens

SPHEIGHT = canopy height of Spartina patens

dsbiomassM2 = biomass (in grams per m2) of Distichlis spicata

dspcover = percent cover of Distichlis spicata

DSHEIGHT = canopy height of Distichlis spicata

jgbiomassM2 = biomass (in grams per m2) of Juncus gerardii

jgpcover = percent cover of Juncus gerardii

JGHEIGHT= canopy height of Juncus gerardi

sebiomassM2 = biomass (in grams per m2) of Salicornia europaea 

sepcover = percent cover of Salicornia europaea

SEHEIGHT= canopy height of Salicornia europaea

apbiomassM2 = biomass (in grams per m2) of Atriplex patula

appcover = percent cover of Atriplex patula

APHEIGHT= canopy height of Atriplex patula

ifbiomassM2 = biomass (in grams per m2) of Iva frutescens

ifpcover = percent cover of Iva frutescens

ssbiomasSM2 = biomass (in grams per m2) of Solidago sempervirens

sspcover = percent cover of Solidago sempervirens

slbiomassM2 = biomass (in grams per m2) of Suaeda linearis 

slpcover = percent cover of Suaeda linearis

gMbiomass = biomass (in grams per m2) of Glaux maritima

gMpcover = percent cover of Glaux maritima

aRiomassM2 = biomass (in grams per m2) of Agropyron repens 

aRcover = percent cover of Agropyron repens

deadbiomassM2 = biomass (in grams per m2) of standing dead plant material

Comments = Additional notes

CALCULATIONS:

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Robert Buchsbaum

OTHER DATA FILES TO REFERENCE: LTE-MD-VEGTRANS.xls; LTE-MD-VEGQUADS.xls, LTE-MD-VEGSTN.xls, LTE-MF-GREENWOOD CLUBBHEAD EOY BIOMASS.xls

REFERENCE CITATIONS:

DATA AVAILABILITY STATUS: Type 2

ARCHIVE INFORMATION:

Date of entry:

Data entered by:

Comments: