DSL2002043 NPPHARV Jornada Basin LTER

NMSU, Wooton Hall, Room 200 2995 Knox Street, Room 200 Box 30003, MSC 3JER Las Cruces NM 88003

(505) 646-7918 (505) 646-5889 datamanager@jornada.nmsu.edu http://jornada-www.nmsu.edu Dr. Laura F Huenneke Jornada Basin LTER

Dean, College of Arts & Sciences Northern Arizona University P.O. Box 5621 Flagstaff AZ 86011-5621

928-523-0516 Laura.Huenneke@nau.edu ORG0000001 John Anderson Jornada Basin LTER

New Mexico State University Jornada Basin LTER Box 30003, MSC 3JER Las Cruces NM 88003-8003

505-646-5818 janderso@jornada.nmsu.edu Researcher Dr. David C Lightfoot Jornada Basin LTER

Sevilleta LTER 167 Castetter Hall University of New Mexico Albuquerque NM 87131-1091

505-277-8949 505-277-0304 dlightfo@unm.edu http://search.lternet.edu/directory_view.php?personid=9617&query=Lightfoot Researcher Dr. Laura F Huenneke Jornada Basin LTER

Dean, College of Arts & Sciences Northern Arizona University P.O. Box 5621 Flagstaff AZ 86011-5621

928-523-0516 Laura.Huenneke@nau.edu Researcher Cathie I Sandell

unkown Researcher Greg S Forbes

unknown Researcher 2005 English Deserts and semi-deserts are characterized as ecosystems of low primary productivity, but a more pertinent trait is the variability of plant production in space and time. In dryland ecosystems there are usually some locations on the landscape (e.g., sites receiving run-on moisture from adjacent areas) and some time periods where plant growth is lush in response to temporary favorable conditions. Our objective in monitoring net primary production, therefore, is to understand the temporal and spatial patterns of production within ecosystems as well as to characterize the relative productivity of various ecosystems. Our chief questions pertain to the impact of desertification (shrub encroachment in former semi-arid grasslands) on patterns of production. First, can we detect significant differences in productivity between shrub-dominated and grass-dominated systems? Second, given our evidence for greater spatial heterogeneity in soil resources at the plant scale in shrub systems, how does the spatial heterogeneity of aboveground production compare among ecosystems? Finally, how do seasonal and interannual patterns of plant production response to climate vary among ecosystems? Our methodology for measuring aboveground net primary production has been adopted to allow explicit comparison of production among ecosystems of different structure and to facilitate assessment of spatial variation. We have designed a non-destructive method that samples vegetation of different structures with consistent methodology and intensity of sampling, and that allows the quantification of NPP for particular unit areas such that one can characterize spatial patterns in NPP. In early 1989 grids of permanent 1 m2 quadrats were established in 15 sites: 3 each in Larrea shrubland, Bouteloua eriopoda grassland, Prosopis dune systems, Flourensia cernua alluvial flats, and grass-dominated dry lakes or playas. Sites were selected to represent the range of biomass and vegetation structure within each ecosystem type, rather than randomly selected among sites of that ecosystem type in the basin (Figure 1). Aboveground biomass is estimated for every species in 49 quadrats per site, three times per year, using non-destructive measures of plant size and applying regressions based on harvests from adjoining areas. These data provide quantitative measures of the abundance of all vascular plant species at each site every season. Productivity over an interval for a quadrat is estimated as the sum of all positive increments of biomass for all species in that quadrat. At each of the 15 sites we are also measuring soil moisture (via neutron probe) monthly. Rain gauges at each site provide localized precipitation data to accompany weather data from the central meteorological station. Chihuahuan Desert Las Cruces NM Southwest USA Dona Ana County JRN Jornada Basin LTER LTER canopy cover plant species vegetation

This dataset is released to the public and may be used for academic, educational, or commercial purposes subject to the following:

The Jornada Basin LTER Information Management System provides protocol and services for data collection, verification, organization, archives, and distribution.

Data managers interact with researchers during the entire scientific process--from the initial planning of sampling designs and field data collection to archiving and distribution of long-term data. The goal of data management is to build and maintain an archive of Jornada Basin LTER data files that are fully documented, error free, and organized in useful ways. Our protocol for data collection and processing seeks maximum interaction between researchers and data management personnel to avoid confusion and potential loss of data or problems with integrity of data. The data manager helps researchers to construct data forms that allow convenient data entry and analysis. Data documentation forms are completed by principal investigators prior to data entry. Data are entered into computer data files by data entry personnel using programs that error- check and verify the data as it is entered. Computer files are subjected to further verification by graphing and/or error-checking programs, and/or examination by field investigators. Error-checked data files are stored with associated documentation files on floppy disks and on a hard-disk database. Back-up data files are maintained as "hard-copy," on multiple floppy disks, and on read/write 30- year magneto-optical disks. Various sets of these data are stored at different sites on the NMSU campus. The final responsibility for quality assurance (both in data and documentation content) rests with the principal investigator who submits the data for inclusion in the Jornada Basin LTER Information Management System. To facilitate quality assurance, the data management staff will provide copies of data and documentation submitted by a principal investigator to that investigator upon request.

All data collected during a calendar year should be submitted to the Jornada Basin LTER data manager prior to July first of the following year. Data must be submitted with standard Jornada Basin LTER forms (both Project Abstract and Data Set documentation) which include objectives of the study, methods, as well as format and content of the data.

Data will be made publicly available no later than 2 years after submission of the data unless an earlier date is specified by the principal investigator. In the event that an extension of the 2 year period is necessary, the principal investigator may petition the Jornada Basin LTER Executive Committee for a longer protected period.

Individuals and institutions utilizing data from the Jornada Basin LTER database are requested to place the following acknowledgment in any publication in which these data are mentioned: Data sets were provided by the Jornada Basin Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) projects. Funding for these data was provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation (Grants DEB-92-40261 and DEB 94-11971). Please send 1 copy of any publication that cites Jornada Basin LTER data to: John P. Anderson Jornada Experimental Range P.O. Box 30003, MSC 3JER New Mexico State University Las Cruces, NM 88003-0003

http://jornada-www.nmsu.edu/datacat.htm Jornada Basin,Chihuahuan Desert, 17 miles NE of Las Cruces, NM, USA -107.002148 -106.502641 32.831393 32.428919 1188 2658 meter 1989-04-25 ongoing Winter, spring, and fall of each year

Winter, spring, and fall of each year

Data set title - NPP reference harvest dataData set file name - NPPHARV.DSD----------------------------------------------------------------mm/dd/yyyy - Date of CommentInt - Initials of person making CommentJPA = John P. AndersonJL = Jim LenzLH = Laura HuennekeKR = Ken RamseyChanges/Updates - List any changes made to documentmm/dd/yyyy Int Changes/Updates---------- --- -----------------------------------------------06/15/1990 JPA Form completed by investigator02/25/1997 JPA Converted data set document file to new format.10/28/1997 JPA Added 1997 data file.08/12/1998 JPA Added 1998 data file.01/31/2000 JPA Added 1999 data file.08/25/2000 JPA Added 2000 data file.06/13/2002 JL Added Dataset ID and Project ID sections.07/01/2003 JPA Unrestricted as per LH.03/01/2004 KR Changed format for Attributes and AssociatedFiles section.Moved Dataset and Project IDs to top of form.Removed Missing/Questionable data section andincorporated into Attributes section.Updated Associated Files section.-------------------------------------------------------------------

Data Manager

NMSU, Wooton Hall, Room 200 2995 Knox Street, Room 200 Box 30003, MSC 3JER Las Cruces NM 88003

(505) 646-7918 (505) 646-5889 datamanager@jornada.nmsu.edu http://jornada-www.nmsu.edu Data Manager

NMSU, Wooton Hall, Room 200 2995 Knox Street, Room 200 Box 30003, MSC 3JER Las Cruces NM 88003

(505) 646-7918 (505) 646-5889 datamanager@jornada.nmsu.edu http://jornada-www.nmsu.edu Debra Peters

USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range P.O. Box 30003, MSC 3JER New Mexico State University Las Cruces NM 88003-0003

505 646 2777 505 646 5889 debpeter@nmsu.edu ORG0000001 ----------------------------------------------------------------Plant samples are harvested adjacent to permanent gridsas described in Research Project documentation, avoidingplants obviously damaged by livestock or by previousharvests, or otherwise unrepresentative of plants withinpermanent quadrats. Dead biomass (other than that obviouslyproduced in current growth season) is removed and discarded;living material is dried and weighed to nearest 0.01 g.Data are entered from the data sheets into a PC data file,using a Fortran data entry program. The data file createdis named "NPPRyys.DAT" where yy = year of sample (e.g., 89for 1989) and s = season of sample (W for winter, S forspring, F for fall). This file is then uploaded to the IBMmainframe and its name maintained.These data files are checked by a SAS program, HARVTEST(listing attached), which checks for duplicate observationnumbers and for observations with missing cover, height, orweight values. The harvest data files are usually storedtemporarily as SAS data sets, which are the basis forfurther analysis, but which are not maintained as permanentfiles.

Analysis of the harvest data proceeds by buildinglinear regressions of plant biomass versus volume. SASprograms are used to calculate these regressions. In thefirst few sample dates, field observations were notconsistent, and volume had to be calculated from height anddiameter measurements (rather than height and cover) forsome species. DWCOV SAS (sample listing attached) wasmodified and run for each particular species (inserting theappropriate 4-letter acronym). [When diameter, rather thancover, was measured for a species, the program, DWDIACOV SAScalculated those regressions.] More recently, DWREGALL SAS(listing attached) was used to calculate the regressions forall species in a single step, rather than having to rerunthe program for each species individually. These programsread in the SAS data set created above, sort the data byzone and site, and calculate volumes for each occurrence ofthe species (volume = cover*height*100). They test forsignificant differences in the regression among sites(significance given by F-test of site*vol interaction term);they then calculate a regression of biomass versus volumefor all occurrences pooled, and then separate regressionsfor each site. After each run of the SAS programs, one mustask for a printed copy of the listing; there is no outputfile or other permanent record. The linear regression isrestricted to force the intercept through zero; in the rarecase where such a regression will not work (occasionalnegative r squared values), the SAS program can be modifiedto remove that restriction. Hard copies of these regressionoutputs are saved; for each species, the best regression(s)are selected (either pooled or by site, either intercept = 0or not) and the slope parameter noted for use in analyzingquadrat data. These parameters are entered into theregression program used to analyze the quadrat data (seedocumentation for quadrat data).

Mr. Justin B Jensen

New Mexico State University Jornada Basin LTER Box 30003, MSC 3JER Las Cruces NM 88003-8003

Post doctoral associate Dr. Laura F Huenneke

Dean, College of Arts & Sciences Northern Arizona University P.O. Box 5621 Flagstaff AZ 86011-5621

928-523-0516 Responsible Investigator Dr. Debra P Peters

USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range P.O. Box 30003, MSC 3JER New Mexico State University Las Cruces NM 88003-0003

505 646 2777 Principal Investigator funding the research Dr. Laura F Huenneke

Dean, College of Arts & Sciences Northern Arizona University P.O. Box 5621 Flagstaff AZ 86011-5621

928-523-0516 Principal Investigator funding the research John Anderson

New Mexico State University Jornada Basin LTER Box 30003, MSC 3JER Las Cruces NM 88003-8003

505-646-5818 Additional Investigator Esteban Muldavin

Additional Investigator Deserts and semi-deserts are characterized as ecosystems of low primary productivity, but a more pertinent trait is the variability of plant production in space and time. In dryland ecosystems there are usually some locations on the landscape (e.g., sites receiving run-on moisture from adjacent areas) and some time periods where plant growth is lush in response to temporary favorable conditions. Our objective in monitoring net primary production, therefore, is to understand the temporal and spatial patterns of production within ecosystems as well as to characterize the relative productivity of various ecosystems. Our chief questions pertain to the impact of desertification (shrub encroachment in former semi-arid grasslands) on patterns of production. First, can we detect significant differences in productivity between shrub-dominated and grass-dominated systems? Second, given our evidence for greater spatial heterogeneity in soil resources at the plant scale in shrub systems, how does the spatial heterogeneity of aboveground production compare among ecosystems? Finally, how do seasonal and interannual patterns of plant production response to climate vary among ecosystems? Our methodology for measuring aboveground net primary production has been adopted to allow explicit comparison of production among ecosystems of different structure and to facilitate assessment of spatial variation. We have designed a non-destructive method that samples vegetation of different structures with consistent methodology and intensity of sampling, and that allows the quantification of NPP for particular unit areas such that one can characterize spatial patterns in NPP. In early 1989 grids of permanent 1 m2 quadrats were established in 15 sites: 3 each in Larrea shrubland, Bouteloua eriopoda grassland, Prosopis dune systems, Flourensia cernua alluvial flats, and grass-dominated dry lakes or playas. Sites were selected to represent the range of biomass and vegetation structure within each ecosystem type, rather than randomly selected among sites of that ecosystem type in the basin (Figure 1). Aboveground biomass is estimated for every species in 49 quadrats per site, three times per year, using non-destructive measures of plant size and applying regressions based on harvests from adjoining areas. These data provide quantitative measures of the abundance of all vascular plant species at each site every season. Productivity over an interval for a quadrat is estimated as the sum of all positive increments of biomass for all species in that quadrat. At each of the 15 sites we are also measuring soil moisture (via neutron probe) monthly. Rain gauges at each site provide localized precipitation data to accompany weather data from the central meteorological station. Dr. Debra Peters

USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range P.O. Box 30003, MSC 3JER New Mexico State University Las Cruces NM 88003-0003

505 646 2777 PE00000002 Information Manager Historical Perspective: The Chihuahuan Desert , similar to many arid and semiarid ecosystems of the world, has experienced dramatic changes in vegetation structure and ecosystem processes over the past several centuries. The reasons for the expansion of woody plants and decrease in perennial grasses are numerous and controversial, including livestock grazing, drought, climate change, reduction in fire frequency, and change in small animal populations. The problem is further complicated by the existence of interactions among these factors that feature positive feedbacks and that create threshold behavior and nonlinearity in ecosystem responses. A general consensus does not exist regarding the key factors that control the desertification process or the conditions that explain varying patterns of shrub invasion or grass persistence under similar conditions. It is also unclear why many attempts to remediate shrublands back to grasslands have failed whereas some methods have worked well, but with long time lags. Site History: The Jornada Basin Long Term Ecological Research Program (JRN LTER), supported by major funding from the National Science Foundation, has been investigating desertification processes since 1982. We benefit from a legacy of long-term data available from 1912 onwards, thanks to collaboration with our research partner, the Jornada Experimental Range Agricultural Research Service (JER ARS). Significant progress has been made in understanding the causes and consequences of desertification, although important problems still remain. In particular, several key questions are unresolved, including (1) can we predict spatial and temporal variation in ecosystem properties related to desertification and grass recovery? (2) how do we integrate diverse observations about vegetation, climate, soils, hydrology, and animal populations to accomplish this prediction? This integration is the focus of current LTER studies. Research Topics: desertification; ecosystem indicators and vegetation dynamics; geomorphology and wind; ecohydrology; animal interactions; factors affecting primary production; animal-induced soil disturbances; direct and indirect consumer effects; vertebrate and invertebrate population dynamics; grazing effects on ecosystem structure and function; biodiversity and ecosystem. Jornada Basin Climate and Vegetation NSF Award DEB-0080412 description. U.S. National Science Foundation (Grant DEB-0080412) uid=JRN,o=lter,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org all public read NPPHARV.HIS Data file NPPHARV.HIS column NPPR00.DAT Data file NPPR00.DAT column NPPR01.DAT Data file NPPR01.DAT column NPPR02.DAT Data file NPPR02.DAT column NPPR03.DAT Data file NPPR03.DAT column NPPR89.DAT Data file NPPR89.DAT column NPPR90.DAT Data file NPPR90.DAT column NPPR91.DAT Data file NPPR91.DAT column NPPR92.DAT Data file NPPR92.DAT column NPPR93.DAT Data file NPPR93.DAT column NPPR94.DAT Data file NPPR94.DAT column NPPR95.DAT Data file NPPR95.DAT column NPPR96.DAT Data file NPPR96.DAT column NPPR97.DAT Data file NPPR97.DAT column NPPR98.DAT Data file NPPR98.DAT column NPPR99.DAT Data file NPPR99.DAT column HARVEST.BAT for data input, File Format: ASCII, File Type: MS-DOS Batch file HARVEST.BAT ASCII MS-DOS Batch file Data entry, verification, and analysis file HEDIT.BAT for data editing, File Format: ASCII, File Type: MS-DOS Batch file HEDIT.BAT ASCII MS-DOS Batch file Data entry, verification, and analysis file HRVCONFG.EXE Data entry program, File Format: BINARY, File Type: MS QuickBasic 4.5 executable HRVCONFG.EXE MS QuickBasic 4.5 executable Data entry, verification, and analysis file NPPHARV.DSD Data set documentation, File Format: ASCII, File Type: Text file NPPHARV.DSD ASCII Text file Metadata file NPPSPP.COD External species code list, File Format: ASCII, File Type: Text file NPPSPP.COD ASCII Text file Data entry, verification, and analysis file NPPVEG.PRJ Project documentation, File Format: ASCII, File Type: Text file NPPVEG.PRJ ASCII Text file Metadata file