+------------------------------------------------------------------+ | JORNADA LTER | | New Mexico State University | | Data Set Documentation Form | +------------------------------------------------------------------+ All Jornada Desert Site NSF/LTER data sets must be documented on the following form. This applies to any data set intended for permanent archiving. All raw data sets collected under the auspices of the Jornada NSF/LTER Program will be described by the following standardized form. Information that is not available at this time, must be included when available. For these fields, enter . For fields that will not have information, enter . See data manager for any questions regarding this form. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Data set access (RESTRICTED or UNRESTRICTED): --------------------------------------------- UNRESTRICTED 2) Data set title: --------------- Transect leaf-litter microarthropod data 3) Project title: -------------- Transect Microarthropods 4) Responsible investigator(s): ---------------------------- Jorge G. Cepeda 5) Date data collection commenced (mm/dd/yyyy): -------------------------------------------- 08/20/1984 6) Date data collection terminated (mm/dd/yyyy or ONGOING): -------------------------------------------------------- 12/22/1985 7) Expected duration of study: --------------------------- One year 8) Frequency of measurement: ------------------------- Bi-weekly during growing season (Jul-Sept); Monthly at all other times 9) Researchers: (Personnel who will be obtaining data and who would need to be contacted directly if there is a problem in the raw data): ---------------------------------------------------------------- Walter G. Whitford D. Bachelet D. Moorehead 10) Methods of recording (field data sheets, instrumental, etc.): ---------------------------------------------------------------- Field data sheets 11) Site location (Describe in sufficient detail that the site can be relocated): ---------------------------------------------------------------- In the spring of 1982, as part of the establishment of the Jornada Long-Term Ecological Research site in southern New Mexico, a 135 ha portion of a 1500 ha, internally drained, watershed was exclosed from grazing by domestic livestock. Prior to exclosure the watershed, as well as the rest of the Jornada basin, had been moderately to heavily grazed for the past 100 years. Concurrent with grazing, the vegetation had undergone a dramatic change from desert grassland, with an almost continuous cover of C4 perennial grasses, to isolated patches of the original grassland in a mosaic with desert shrub dominated plant communities (Buffington and Herbel, 1965). The exclosure lies along a northeast facing piedmont slope at the base of a steep isolated mountain peak, and covers a variety of component landforms from the foot of the mountain to the basin floor. The northeast side of the exclosure is immediately upslope of the College Playa located near the NMSU College Ranch. Three parallel transects (2.7 km in length) run from the middle of the College Playa up into the foot of Mt. Summerford. The Control transect is to the west, the Treatment transect on the east side of the Control transect, and the Alternate Control to the east of the Treatment transect. Each transect is 30 meters wide with a 45 meter buffer zone between each transect. Only the control transect was used in this study. 12) Data set description (State the hypothesis and / or objectives which collection of data set addresses): ---------------------------------------------------------------- *Changes in microarthropod assemblages were monitored in six types of decomposing surface leaf-litter confined in mesh bags and set across a Chihuahuan Desert watershed for 17 months. The following hypotheses were tested: 1) microarthropod density and diversity are higher in soils with maximum surface litter accumulation, and 2) temporal patterns of density and diversity are more dependent on seasonal factors and physical disturbances than on the decompositional stage of the litter. 13) Attributes measured: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Variable name: blank Number of columns between fields CCCCCCCC See attribute description Format: C = character (C3: Three characters [XXX]) I = integer (I2: Integer with two places [##]) F = floating point (F4.2: Total places with decimal point = 4, with 2 decimal places. [#.##]) Variable code: * See attribute description listing See external listing of variable codes N/A = Not applicable VARIABLE MEASURED VARIABLE NAME FORMAT UNITS CODE ATTRIBUTE DESCRIPTION -------- -------- -------- -------- ------------------------- MARTHRO C7 N/A N/A File ID WEEK I3 N/A 138-207 Week number C C1 N/A C Control transect STN I2 N/A N/A Station (9, 44, 64, 76, 84) ZONE I1 N/A 1 Veg. zone = playa 2 = playa fringe 3 = basin slope 4 = bajada 5 = lower piedmont 6 = upper piedmont MID I1 N/A ? Mite ID MCODE C5 N/A N/A Mite code** MIT_DL1 I2 count N/A Mite count in Dominant Litter Type, rep 1 MIT_DL2 I2 count N/A Mite count in Dominant Litter Type, rep 2 MIT_DL3 I2 count N/A Mite count in Dominant Litter Type, rep 3 MIT_DL4 I2 count N/A Mite count in Dominant Litter Type, rep 4 MIT_DL5 I2 count N/A Mite count in Dominant Litter Type, rep 5 MIT_CL1 I2 count N/A Mite count in Creosote Litter Type, rep 1 MIT_CL2 I2 count N/A Mite count in Creosote Litter Type, rep 2 MIT_CL3 I2 count N/A Mite count in Creosote Litter Type, rep 3 MIT_CL4 I2 count N/A Mite count in Creosote Litter Type, rep 4 MIT_CL5 I2 count N/A Mite count in Creosote Litter Type, rep 5 SOIL1 I2 count N/A Mite count in Mineral Soil Core, rep 1 SOIL2 I2 count N/A Mite count in Mineral Soil Core, rep 2 SOIL3 I2 count N/A Mite count in Mineral Soil Core, rep 3 SOIL4 I2 count N/A Mite count in Mineral Soil Core, rep 4 SOIL5 I2 count N/A Mite count in Mineral Soil Core, rep 5 ** See micarths.lst 14) Missing or questionable values (describe how these are represented in the data set): ---------------------------------------------------------------- 15) Methodology (Provide sufficient detail such that an unaware reader could repeat the described data collection procedures.) ---------------------------------------------------------------- *I studied surface leaf-litter decomposition of the following species, which are common in one or more of the zones of the watershed: vine mesquite grass (Panicm obtusum), mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata), creosotebush (Larrea tridentata), fluffgrass (Erioneuron pulchellum), and black grama grass (Bouteloua eriopoda). Leaves (creosotebush and mesquite) and aboveground parts (vine mesquite grass, desert marigold, fluffgrass, and black grama grass) were picked up or chopped in fresh condition from standing plants, during July 1984, and sun-dried for about a week. The drying material was daily turned over to assure homogeneous desiccation. Then it was seived and cleaned of soil particles and large pieces of plant tissues. Litter bags (15 by 15 cm) were constructed from fiberglass mesh (1.5 mm) or aluminum mesh (close to 1.5 mm). Every bag was filled with 10.35 plus/minus 0.15 g of air-dried litter. 930 pairs of these litter-containers were apportioned on the six lower vegetation zones (155 pairs per zone). Aluminum bags replaced the original fiberglass bags in the playa site after these were destroyed by an unknown agent, possibly crickets. Pairs of bags, fastened to the soil surface by 8cm nails, were placed under the canopy or close to plants belonging to the site-dominant species, namely: vine mesquite grass (playa), mesquite (playa fringe), snakeweed (basin slope), creosotebush (bajada), fluffgrass (lower piedmont), and black grama grass (upper piedmont). The pairs were formed by combining one mesh-bag containing crosotebush litter, and one enclosing site-dominant leaf-litter. On each site, the bags were distributed on both sides of the control transect, and dispersed over a small area (no larger than 30 by 20 m). Immediately after setting the litter bags, I took a random sample of five pairs per site to estimate moisture content and spillage due to handling. Fluffgrass and crosotebush leaf-litter exhibited the largest losses (wet weight) due to handling; moisture content, in turn, was higher in creosotebush and vine mesquite grass. Litter bags were retrieved biweekly in the growing season and monthly during the remaining time. On each sampling date, five randomly selected pairs of bags per site were retrieved within 3 hours after sunrise, placed in plastic bags, and carried to the laboratory in refrigerated containers. Simultaneously, five soil cores (5 cm diameter by 10 cm depth) were taken from the mineral soil underlying the litter bag with site-dominant litter-type. The content of the retrieved samples was kept for 48 hours in light-heat extractors for microarthropod isolation in the laboratory. The litter was then oven-dried at 60C for a minimum of five days, weighed and ashed in a muffle furnace. Sampling covered a period of 17 months, from August 1984 to December 1985. A total of 22 sets of samples was collected throughout the study. Each set comprised 60 litter-bags and 30 soil cores. Representative microarthropods were mounted on microscope slides for reference. Taxonomic identification to lower categories (genus or species) was conducted with the most abundant groups. 16) Key literature (Citations that describe sampling procedures, [reference of a published paper, thesis, etc.]): ---------------------------------------------------------------- Cepeda, J.G. 1986. Spatial and temporal patterns of decomposition and microarthropod assemblages in decomposing surface leaf-litter on a Chihuahuan Desert watershed. Dissertation. New Mexico State University. Cepeda-Pizarro, J.G. and W.G. Whitford. 1989. Spatial and temporal variability of higher microarthropod taxa along a transect in a northern Chihuahuan Desert watershed. Pedobiologia 33(2):101-111. Cepeda-Pizarro, J.G. and W.G. Whitford. 1989. Species abundance distribution patterns of microarthropods in surface decomposing leaf-litter and mineral soil on a desert watershed. Pedobiologia 33:254-268. 17) Keywords (keywords that describe data set; maximum of 10): ---------------------------------------------------------------- litter, microarthropods, creosotebush, decomposition, vine mesquite, mesquite, desert marigold, fluffgrass, black grama grass, mites, collembolans 18) Treatment of data: (List any programs used in analysis of the data): [Note: Programs should be appended and stored with this form.] ---------------------------------------------------------------- 19) Associated computer accounts: ---------------------------------------------------------------- 20) Files associated with this data set: ---------------------------------------------------------------- A) Metadata files FILE NAME DESCRIPTION OF FILES ------------ ----------------------------------------------- TRANMITE.PRJ Project documentation TRANMITE.DSD Data set documentation ------------ ----------------------------------------------- B) Data files FILE NAME DESCRIPTION OF FILES ------------ ----------------------------------------------- TRANMITE.DAT Microarthropods data - Aug 1984 - Dec 1985 ------------ ----------------------------------------------- C) Data entry, verification, and analysis files FILE NAME DESCRIPTION OF FILES ------------ ----------------------------------------------- MITE138.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - August 20, 1984 MITE140.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - September 3, 1984 MITE143.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - September 24, 1984 MITE145.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - October 8, 1984 MITE148.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - October 29, 1984 MITE152.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - November 26, 1984 MITE156.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - December 24, 1984 MITE161.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - January 29, 1985 MITE165.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - February 26, 1985 MITE169.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - March 26, 1985 MITE173.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - April 23, 1985 MITE178.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - May 28, 1985 MITE182.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - June 25, 1985 MITE184.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - July 9, 1985 MITE186.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - July 23, 1985 MITE188.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - August 6, 1985 MITE190.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - August 20, 1985 MITE192.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - September 3, 1985 MITE194.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - September 17. 1985 MITE196.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - October 1, 1985 MITE200.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - October 29, 1985 MITE207.WK1 Microarthropods Data Entry - December 17, 1985 ------------ ----------------------------------------------- D) Other (Any other related files.) FILE NAME DESCRIPTION OF FILES ------------ ----------------------------------------------- MICARTHS.LST Microarthropods Code List (ASCII) TRANMITE.WS Old documentation form (ASCII) MITE138.DAT Microarthropods Data - August 20, 1984 (ASCII) MITE140.DAT Microarthropods Data - September 3, 1984 (ASCII) MITE143.DAT Microarthropods Data - September 24, 1984 (ASCII) MITE145.DAT Microarthropods Data - October 8, 1984 (ASCII) MITE148.DAT Microarthropods Data - October 29, 1984 (ASCII) MITE152.DAT Microarthropods Data - November 26, 1984 (ASCII) MITE156.DAT Microarthropods Data - December 24, 1984 (ASCII) MITE161.DAT Microarthropods Data - January 29, 1985 (ASCII) MITE165.DAT Microarthropods Data - February 26, 1985 (ASCII) MITE169.DAT Microarthropods Data - March 26, 1985 (ASCII) MITE173.DAT Microarthropods Data - April 23, 1985 (ASCII) MITE178.DAT Microarthropods Data - May 28, 1985 (ASCII) MITE182.DAT Microarthropods Data - June 25, 1985 (ASCII) MITE184.DAT Microarthropods Data - July 9, 1985 (ASCII) MITE186.DAT Microarthropods Data - July 23, 1985 (ASCII) MITE188.DAT Microarthropods Data - August 6, 1985 (ASCII) MITE190.DAT Microarthropods Data - August 20, 1985 (ASCII) MITE192.DAT Microarthropods Data - September 3, 1985 (ASCII) MITE194.DAT Microarthropods Data - September 17, 1985 (ASCII) MITE196.DAT Microarthropods Data - October 1, 1985 (ASCII) MITE200.DAT Microarthropods Data - October 29, 1985 (ASCII) MITE207.DAT Microarthropods Data - December 17, 1985 (ASCII) ------------ ----------------------------------------------- 21) Comments (Include any comments here that more fully describe this data set): ---------------------------------------------------------------- *Taken from Cepeda (1986); see key literature. Mite ID variable description unavailable. Old data file names were arbitrary and not very useful. Names were changed. New file name corresponds to LTER-I transect study week numbers. Old File Name New File Name Old File Name New File Name ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- Jorge1.dat Mite138.dat Jorge12.dat Mite178.dat Jorge1.wk1 Mite138.wk1 Jorge12.wk1 Mite178.wk1 Jorge2.dat Mite140.dat Jorge13.dat Mite182.dat Jorge2.wk1 Mite140.wk1 Jorge13.wk1 Mite182.wk1 Jorge3.dat Mite143.dat Jorge14.dat Mite184.dat Jorge3.wk1 Mite143.wk1 Jorge14.wk1 Mite184.wk1 Jorge4.dat Mite145.dat Jorge15.dat Mite186.dat Jorge4.wk1 Mite145.wk1 Jorge15.wk1 Mite186.wk1 Jorge5.dat Mite148.dat Jorge16.dat Mite188.dat Jorge5.wk1 Mite148.wk1 Jorge16.wk1 Mite188.wk1 Jorge6.dat Mite152.dat Jorge17.dat Mite190.dat Jorge6.wk1 Mite152.wk1 Jorge17.wk1 Mite190.wk1 Jorge7.dat Mite156.dat Jorge18.dat Mite192.dat Jorge7.wk1 Mite156.wk1 Jorge18.wk1 Mite192.wk1 Jorge8.dat Mite161.dat Jorge19.dat Mite194.dat Jorge8.wk1 Mite161.wk1 Jorge19.wk1 Mite194.wk1 Jorge9.dat Mite165.dat Jorge20.dat Mite196.dat Jorge9.wk1 Mite165.wk1 Jorge20.wk1 Mite196.wk1 Jorge10.dat Mite169.dat Jorge21.dat Mite200.dat Jorge10.wk1 Mite169.wk1 Jorge21.wk1 Mite200.wk1 Jorge11.dat Mite173.dat Jorge22.dat Mite207.dat Jorge11.wk1 Mite173.wk1 Jorge22.wk1 Mite207.wk1 22) Data set documentation history log: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Data set title - Transect leaf-litter microarthropod data Data set file name - TRANMITE.DSD ---------------------------------------------------------------- mm/dd/yyyy - Date of Comment Int - Initials of person making Comment JPA = John P. Anderson JGC = Jorge G. Cepeda SMG = Sophia M. Gehlhausen Changes/Updates - List any changes made to document mm/dd/yyyy Int Changes/Updates ---------- --- ----------------------------------------------- 01/16/1987 JGC Form completed by investigator 01/29/1997 SMG Form updated to current format 11/18/2002 MAB Completed missing fields. 06/03/2003 JPA Added old file name conversion info in Comments. 06/03/2003 JPA Corrected spelling within Methodology. 06/10/2003 JPA Merged 22 data files into TRANMITE.DAT file. 22 data file listing moved under Other files. 06/10/2003 JPA Modified data set title to better reflect study. Changed to from "Microarthropods data" to "Transect leaf-litter microarthropod data". ------------------------------------------------------------------- END OF DATA SET FILE -------------------------------------------------------------------