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-TIDE-MarshPlantCHN.01
Dataset Title:Marsh plant species C:H:N data for Rowley River tidal creeks associated with long term fertilization experiments, Rowley and Ipswich, MA.
Investigator 1: 
First Name:Linda
Last Name:Deegan
Address line 1:The Ecosystems Center
Address line 2:Marine Biological Laboratory
Address line 3:7 MBL St.
City:Woods Hole
State:MA
Zip Code:02543
Country:USA
Investigator 2: 
First Name:R. Scott
Last Name:Warren
Address line 1:Connecticut College
Address line 2:Department of Botany
Address line 3:270 Mohegan Ave.
City:New London
State:CT
Zip Code:06320
Country:USA
Associate Investigators:David Johnson, Erik Yando, Chris Haight
Keywords:PIE LTER, TIDE, primary production, organic matter, nutrients, salt marsh, creek, Spartina patens, Spartina alterniflora
Abstract:Marsh plant species C:H:N data for Rowley River tidal creeks associated with long term fertilization experiments, Rowley and Ipswich, MA. The TIDE project aims to simulate eutrophication on a large scale by the addition of NO3- aiming to reach 70µM concentrations from May to September every year during the growing season. This fertilization of the marsh has been going on at Sweeney Creek since the 2004 growing season through 2011 and at Clubhead Creek in 2005 and from 2009 till 2011.
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-TIDE-MarshPlantCHN.csv
Data File Name LTE-TIDE-MarshPlantCHN
Beginning Date 8/1/2004
End Date 8/31/2011
Number of Data Records 357
Other Files to Reference
Availability Status Type 1
Quality Control Information
Maintenance Description
Log of Changes: Version 01: January 27, 2012, updated data and metadata. Used MarcrosExportEML_HTML (working)pie_excel2007.xlsm 1/18/12 4:51 PM for QA/QC to EML 2.1.0
 
RESEARCH LOCATION: MAR-LTE-RO-TC-MF-SW MAR-LTE-RO-TC-MF-WE MAR-LTE-RO-TC-MF-CL MAR-LTE-RO-TC-MF-NE  
Geographic Description "Sweeney Creek", off Rowley River, Ipswich, MA West Creek, off Rowley River, Rowley, MA. Clubhead Creek off Rowley River, Rowley, MA. Nelson Island Creek, off Rowley River, Rowley,  
Location Bounding Box          
West Bounding Coordinate -70.851 -70.852 -70.842 -70.836  
East Bounding Coordinate -70.845 -70.846 -70.836 -70.831  
North Bounding Coordinate 42.724 42.741 42.742 42.744  
South Bounding Coordinate 42.719 42.736 42.738 42.74  
OR if single point location          
Latitude          
Longitude          
Elevation          
           
           
 
TAXONOMIC COVERAGE:
Taxonomic Protocols
Organisms studied Spartina patens, Spartina alterniflora, Distichlis spicata
 
Methods: During the end of season production sampling, sub-samples of each species from each transect are taken and CHN analysis is run on them at a later date in the lab. The species collected are Spartina alterniflora (tall and short forms) , Distichlis spicata, and Spartina patens. This comparison helps to better understand the chemcial composition and how there may be differences between nutrient enriched and references.

Abbreviations:
TSA- Spartina alterniflora (tall form)
SSA- Spartina alterniflora (short form)
DS- Distichlis spicata
SP- Spartina patens

Creeks-
Reference creeks are West and Nelson
Nutrient Enriched creeks are Sweeney and Clubhead. Sweeney has been fertilized every summer from 2004-2011. Clubhead had been fertilized in 2005 and then from 2009-2011.

All creeks have two branches determined by direction at confluence while facing upstream (Left or Right).

Plant transects run perpendicular to creeks at various points with a front pole at the creek bank and a back pole an the high marsh. Transects are in the order of 1, 2, 4, 3 or blue, green, red, yellow from confluence of branch.

Data Table

Variable Name Variable Description Units Measurement Scale Code Information Number Type DateTime Format Missing Value Code Missing Value Code Explanation
Year Year   datetime     YYYY   blank cell
Creek Name of Tidal Creek   nominal Sweeney= Nutrient Enriched |Nelson= Nutrient Enriched| West= Reference| Clubhead= Reference       blank cell
Branch Branch of Creek   nominal         blank cell
Transect Plant Transect   nominal 1=Transect 1 |2= Transect 2|3= Transect 3|4= Transect 4       blank cell
Species Species of Stems Counted   nominal TSA=Spartina alterniflora (tall form)| SSA= Spartina alterniflora (short form)| DS= Distichlis spicata| SP= Spartina patens       blank cell
Month Collected Month Collected   nominal         blank cell
% C Percentage of Carbon in Sample percent ratio   real     blank cell
% H Percentage of Hydrogen in Sample percent ratio   real     blank cell
% N Percentage of Nitrogen in Sample percent ratio   real     blank cell
C/N Carbon as a Percentage of Nitrogen percent ratio   real     blank cell