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-elevationmeans.03
Dataset Title:Marsh surface elevation data at 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:LTER, PIE, Plum Island Ecosystems, South Carolina, North Inlet, 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 at 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-elevationmeans.dat
Data File Name LTE-MP-NIN-elevationmeans
Beginning Date 6/1/1996
End Date 12/31/2007
Number of Data Records 376
Other Files to Reference LTE-MP-LAC-elevationmeans, LTE-MP-LPC-elevationmeans
Availability Status type 1
Quality Control Information
Maintenance Description Collections occur every month. Database is updated once annually, usually in the winter. Study and data collection are ongoing as of Jan 2008.
Log of Changes: Version 1: July 11, 2006 Level 3+ EML using Jim Laundre's Excel program
Version 2: January 10, 2007 data and metadata update
Version 3: March 13, 2008 Data and metadata update
 
RESEARCH LOCATION: Site 1 Site 2
Geographic Description North Inlet, Georgetown, SC; Goat Island High Marsh site.  
Location Bounding Box    
West Bounding Coordinate    
East Bounding Coordinate    
North Bounding Coordinate    
South Bounding Coordinate    
OR if single point location    
Latitude 33.3317  
Longitude -79.198  
Elevation    
     
     
 
TAXONOMIC COVERAGE:
Taxonomic Protocols
Organisms studied Spartina alterniflora
 
Methods:Sampling Description:
Triplicate SET benchmarks are 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 benchmark is positioned such that elevation readings can be taken in 3 control subplots and 3 fertilized subplots. 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. At each subplot, the SET sampling arm is leveled, 9 brass pins are lowered to the marsh surface, and the height of each pin above the sampling plate is measured and recorded. Surface elevations are measured monthly.

Numerical Processing:
Data are reported as the mean change in elevation and standard error of the 3 replicate plots (n=81) from time zero. Statistics were computed using SAS (SAS System for Windows; release 8.02; 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      
comments Information pertaining to individual data points   nominal