+------------------------------------------------------------------+ | 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. See data manager for any questions regarding this form. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Data set access (RESTRICTED or UNRESTRICTED): --------------------------------------------- UNRESTRICTED 2) Data set title: --------------- Transect Termites 3) Project title: -------------- Transect Termites 4) Responsible investigator(s): ---------------------------- Marsha Conley 5) Date data collection commenced (mm/dd/yyyy): -------------------------------------------- 07/30/1982 6) Date data collection terminated (mm/dd/yyyy or ONGOING): -------------------------------------------------------- 09/24/1986 7) Expected duration of study: --------------------------- Four years 8) Frequency of measurement: ------------------------- Bi-weekly 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): ---------------------------------------------------------------- M. Conley Kim Hackett Ackim Tembo Leticia Gallegos William Mackay Milten Gallardos John Anderson Solange Silva 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. The Treatment transect was treated annually until 1987 with NHNO3 in a concentration equal to 10g N/m2. The station markers at 30 meter intervals along each transect. 12) Data set description (State the hypothesis and / or objectives which collection of data set addresses): ---------------------------------------------------------------- Data set includes bi-weekly records of number of termites observed within and beneath each of 4 rolls of toilet paper placed at each of 91 stations on treatment and control transects. Observations of presence of termite activity at each roll (paper eaten, cartons constructed) are also included. 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 -------- -------- -------- -------- ------------------------- FILEID C8 N/A N/A File identification code WK I3 N/A * Week number LOC C1I2 N/A C Treatment = Control T = Fertilized 1-89 Station Number NUM1 I3 count N/A Number of termites observed in roll 1 STAT1 C1 N/A N Feeding activity = none A = activity NUM2 I3 count N/A Number of termites observed in roll 2 STAT2 C1 N/A N Feeding activity = none A = activity NUM3 I3 count N/A Number of termites observed in roll 3 STAT3 C1 N/A N Feeding activity = none A = activity NUM4 I3 count N/A Number of termites observed in roll 4 STAT4 C1 N/A N Feeding activity = none A = activity ROLL I4 N/A N/A Roll Number or New Roll (replaced since previous sample date) ERROR I1 N/A 1 Error Code = problem** 0 = no problem *See WeekNumberForTransectStudies.doc. **See history log. 14) Missing or questionable values (describe how these are represented in the data set): ---------------------------------------------------------------- Missing/questionable value represented by '999' 15) Methodology (Provide sufficient detail such that an unaware reader could repeat the described data collection procedures.) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Four rebar stakes (18) were driven in the ground forming the corners of 2 one sq. m., approximately 1 m. upslope from each station marker (on the west side of each transect line - except where prevented by shrub growth at station on control transect). A roll of white, generic (unscented) toilet paper (covered on 1 end and around he sides with aluminum foil) is placed on each stake such that the end without foil covering is in contact with the ground. Rolls are numbered 1-4 at each station with numbers 1 and 3 nearest to the transect blocks. Observations are made by lifting each roll and counting the number of termites visible in the roll and on the ground beneath the roll. Presence or absence of termite activity on the roll is also recorded (paper eaten and/or cartons constructed). Observations are made weekly; beginning at sunrise during May-September, or beginning at 0800-1000 during October-November, and March-April. Toilet paper rolls are replaced selectively during the year when markedly reduced by weathering or rodent destruction, or when extensive termite activity erodes a large portion of a roll, such that 25% or less of the roll surface is in contact with the soil and/or the roll mass is reduced by 25%. Rolls are replaced between sample periods and the roll number of each new roll is included as an observation at the next sample date. 16) Key literature (Citations that describe sampling procedures, [reference of a published paper, thesis, etc.]): ---------------------------------------------------------------- Johnson, K.A. and Whitford, W.G. 1975. Foraging ecology and relative importance of subterranean termites in an Arizona desert grassland. Environ. Entomol. 4:66-70. Haverty, M.I., W.L. Nutting, and J. Platage. 1975. Density of colonies and spatial distribution of foraging territories of the desert subterranean termite, Heterotermes aureas (Snyder). Environ. Entomol. 4:105-109. 17) Keywords (keywords that describe data set; maximum of 10): ---------------------------------------------------------------- termites, transect, density, activity 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 ------------ ----------------------------------------------- TRANTERM.PRJ Project documentation TRANTERM.DSD Data documentation TERMITE.HIS History log documentation ------------ ----------------------------------------------- B) Data files FILE NAME DESCRIPTION OF FILES ------------ ----------------------------------------------- TERMIT82.DAT Transect Termite Data - 1982 (ASCII) TERMIT83.DAT Transect Termite Data - 1983 (ASCII) TERMIT84.DAT Transect Termite Data - 1984 (ASCII) TERMIT85.DAT Transect Termite Data - 1985 (ASCII) TERMIT86.DAT Transect Termite Data - 1986 (ASCII) ------------ ----------------------------------------------- C) Data entry, verification, and analysis files FILE NAME DESCRIPTION OF FILES ------------ ----------------------------------------------- TERM86B.WK1 Data Entry File for 1986 (Lotus 1,2,3) ------------ ----------------------------------------------- D) Other (Any other related files.) FILE NAME DESCRIPTION OF FILES ------------ ----------------------------------------------- ------------ ----------------------------------------------- 21) Comments (Include any comments here that more fully describe this data set): ---------------------------------------------------------------- TERMIT86.DAT contains termite data for only two rolls and lacks 'ROLL' columns. 22) Data set documentation history log: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Data set title - Transect Termites Data set file name - TRANTERM.DSD ---------------------------------------------------------------- mm/dd/yyyy - Date of Comment Int - Initials of person making Comment KJL = Kevin J. La Fleur JPA = John P. Anderson MAB = Michelle A. Buonopane Changes/Updates - List any changes made to document mm/dd/yyyy Int Changes/Updates ---------- --- ----------------------------------------------- 12/04/2002 MAB Completed form. 08/09/2003 JPA Updated keywords. ------------------------------------------------------------------- END OF DATA SET FILE -------------------------------------------------------------------