+------------------------------------------------------------------+ | 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Dataset ID: DSL2005022 Project ID: PRL2005013 1) Data set access (RESTRICTED or UNRESTRICTED): --------------------------------------------- UNRESTRICTED 2) Data set title: --------------- East & west boundary fence plant line intercepts - Sorted Data 3) Project title: -------------- East & west boundary fence plant line intercepts 4) Responsible investigator(s): ---------------------------- Gary Cunningham, 1982-1987; Walter G. Whitford, 1982-1989; Laura F. Huenneke, 1989-2004 Debra Peters, 2005-present 5) Date data collection commenced (mm/dd/yyyy): -------------------------------------------- October 1982 6) Date data collection terminated (mm/dd/yyyy or ONGOING): -------------------------------------------------------- On-going 7) Expected duration of study: --------------------------- open-ended 8) Frequency of measurement: ------------------------- 5 year intervals 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): ---------------------------------------------------------------- original field crew unknown, Oct1982 (Week 041); Steve Wondzell, Sep1986 (Week 247); Yoram Goldring, Sep1986 (Week 247); Esteban Muldavin, Sep1992 (Week 559); John Anderson, Sep1992 (Week 559); John Anderson, Oct1998 (Week 876) 10) Methods of recording (field data sheets, instrumental, etc.): ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1982 and 1986 data recorded using field data sheets. 1992 and 1998 data recorded on audio tape and transcribed to floppy disk. 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. Permanently marked 30m line transects were located at 50m intervals along the two parallel long axis fences of the exclosure. These fences run from north to south (more or less) up the slope of the watershed, traversing the component landforms characteristic of the bajadas of the Basin and Range Province. The transects are thus perpendicular to the direction of major drainage flow. There are 31 30-meter line intercepts located along the west boundary fence and 30 30-meter line intercepts located along the east boundary fence. Line intercepts are located at every 5th fence pole (except where noted) starting near the ranch headquarters access road which passes by the playa. Fence poles are not marked and transects E01 and W01 are located several fence poles south of the road. [W04 is 6 posts from W03; W19 is 4 posts from W18.] Each line intercept is 30 meters in length and divided into 6 5-meter segments; 3 segments of each line (15 meters) are inside the fence and ungrazed, the other 3 segments are outside the fence and is subject to grazing when pastures are stocked. Segments are numbered 1 - 6 beginning from the west end of the line (or if facing upslope while standing at the fence, segment 1 begins at the end of the intercept line to your right). 12) Data set description (State the hypothesis and / or objectives which collection of data set addresses): ---------------------------------------------------------------- BACKGROUND. 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. This provided the opportunity to investigate the response of vegetation with respect to landscape characteristics as well as release from grazing. Data set consists of plant line intercept measurements on either side of the LTER-I exclosure East and West boundary fence. Data is sorted by station, species i.d., then line segment. Along the East Boundary fence, the east side is ungrazed and the west side is grazed. Along the West Boundary fence, the east side is grazed and the west side is ungrazed. Each plant line transect is divided into 6 5-meter segments. All perennials were measured at about 5 year intervals as the length of intercept along a 30-meter line perpendicular to the fence. 13) Attributes measured: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Variable Name example: AIRMAX Name used in data set header. Variable Format example: 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 Mask example: mm/dd/yyyy Date where mm=month, dd=day, yyyy=year Exception Value Codes format: [code] = [description] example: 'Q' = questionable data Code = code (surrounded by single quotes) Note: Equal signs (=) are used to separate code and description. Note: Enter multiple Exception Value Codes on separate lines. Acceptable Value Type examples: defined list undefined list range defined list of ranges undefined list of ranges complex external list Acceptable Value Codes format: [code] = [description] example: C = Creosotebush Code = code Note: Equal signs (=) are used to separate code and description. Note: Enter multiple Exception Value Codes on separate lines. Note: Equal signs (=) are used to separate values and commas (,) are used to separate multiple value sets. Ranges of acceptable values are separated by a dashes. Lists of acceptable values are separated by commas. Asterick symbols (*) are reserved to indicate external lookup file listing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- variable name: fileid attribute description: file identification code measured units: N/A start column position: 1 variable format: C8 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: N/A acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: wk attribute description: week number measured units: N/A start column position: 11 variable format: I4 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: N/A acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: fenceline attribute description: fence line measured units: N/A start column position: 15 variable format: C1 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: N/A acceptable value type: defined list acceptable value codes: E = east fence W = west fence variable name: station attribute description: station (E = 1-30, W = 1-31) measured units: N/A start column position: 16 variable format: I2 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: N/A acceptable value type: complex acceptable value codes: 1-31 variable name: segment attribute description: line segment number measured units: N/A start column position: 19 variable format: I1 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: N/A acceptable value type: range acceptable value codes: 1-6 variable name: spp attribute description: plant species i.d. measured units: N/A start column position: 21 variable format: C4 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: N/A acceptable value type: external list acceptable value codes: see LTER plant species list (PLNTALFA.HTM) variable name: no attribute description: total # of line intercept observations for current record measured units: N/A start column position: 25 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: N/A acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i01 attribute description: intercept observation 1 measured units: cm start column position: 28 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i02 attribute description: intercept observation 2 measured units: cm start column position: 31 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i03 attribute description: intercept observation 3 measured units: cm start column position: 34 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i04 attribute description: intercept observation 4 measured units: cm start column position: 37 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i05 attribute description: intercept observation 5 measured units: cm start column position: 40 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i06 attribute description: intercept observation 6 measured units: cm start column position: 43 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i07 attribute description: intercept observation 7 measured units: cm start column position: 46 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i08 attribute description: intercept observation 8 measured units: cm start column position: 49 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i09 attribute description: intercept observation 9 measured units: cm start column position: 52 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i10 attribute description: intercept observation 10 measured units: cm start column position: 55 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i11 attribute description: intercept observation 11 measured units: cm start column position: 58 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i12 attribute description: intercept observation 12 measured units: cm start column position: 61 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i13 attribute description: intercept observation 13 measured units: cm start column position: 64 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i14 attribute description: intercept observation 14 measured units: cm start column position: 67 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i15 attribute description: intercept observation 15 measured units: cm start column position: 70 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i16 attribute description: intercept observation 16 measured units: cm start column position: 73 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A variable name: i17 attribute description: intercept observation 17 measured units: cm start column position: 76 variable format: I3 variable mask: N/A exception value codes: '' = If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. acceptable value type: N/A acceptable value codes: N/A 14) Methodology (Provide sufficient detail such that an unaware reader could repeat the described data collection procedures.) ---------------------------------------------------------------- METHODS 1. Permanently marked 30m line transects were located at about 50m intervals along the two parallel long axis fences of the LTER exclosure which begins immediately above the College Playa and extends toward Mt. Summerford. These fences run from north to south up the slope of the watershed, traversing the component landforms characteristic of the bajadas of the Basin and Range Province. The line transects are perpendicular to the fences and cross them at a fence post (either T-post or wood post) on the downslope side. They are thus perpendicular to the direction of major drainage flow. The line transects are identified by an aluminum tag wired to the fence post. The letter on the tag i.d. identifies the fence (East or West); the number is the station number (East: 1-30; West: 1-31). Canopy cover of only perennial species intercepted by a line stretched the length of the 30-meter line transect are measured and recorded for each of 6 5-meter segments. The ends of the line are anchored by 3/8" rebar extending about 6 inches out of the ground. When measurements are to be made, a length of clothesline is stretched between the two rebar so it is taut. Before making readings, ensure the line is freed from obstructions so it is perfectly straight between the two rebar. This may require threading the line through large plants or lifting free where sections are snagged. The clothesline used is pre-stretched overnight when new to minimize changes in length when stretched tight in the field. It is marked in 5 meter increments with enamel paint to indicate segment lengths. The length of the line should be checked before beginning a new season of measurements to ensure that stretching has not distorted line. Data is recorded by identifying Station number (metal tag is located on fence post) and Segment number. The 5-meter segments are numbered 1 through 6 beginning at the west end of the line (right end if facing upslope). Length of each plant species that is intercepted by line is recorded. Multiple readings (intercept observation) can occur for a single plant if vegetation is broken up with open areas along the line intercept. Each new 5-meter line segment is identified as it is encountered. Plant species are recorded as a 4 letter acronym consisting of first 2 letters of genus and first 2 letters of species epithet. If a duplicate acronym results for 2 different species, generally the 3rd letter of the species epithet is then used. Acronyms used are found in the Plant Checklist for the NSF/LTER Jornada Sites. Data sheets were used to record the data until September 1992 (Week559). At this time tape recorders were used to record the field data. This data was entered and processed using several programs. INPUT.EXE (Fortran) is used to input tape recorded data. CONVERT.EXE (Fortran) is used to convert the entered tape recorded data to a format that matches that entered from data sheets. SRELCHEK.EXE (QuickBasic) error checks data. LTERCOVR.EXE (Fortran) summarizes and calculates mean percent cover for each species on each 30-meter line transect at each station. 15) Key literature (Citations that describe sampling procedures, [reference of a published paper, thesis, etc.]): ---------------------------------------------------------------- Canfield, R. 1941. Applications of the line intercept method in sampling range vegetation. J. of Forestry 39:388-394. 16) Keywords (keywords that describe data set; maximum of 10): ---------------------------------------------------------------- vegetative cover, line intercepts, plant cover, grazing effects, fence line 17) Treatment of data: (List any programs used in analysis of the data): [Note: Programs should be appended and stored with this form.] ---------------------------------------------------------------- Beginning in 1992 field data is recorded on audio tape then transcribed using Fortran program INPUT.FOR. This data is then sorted by station, species i.d., and then line segment. It is then converted to a form similar to that recorded on data sheets in prior years. The conversion is done using the Fortran program CONVERT.FOR. 18) Associated computer accounts: ---------------------------------------------------------------- LTER001 19) Files associated with this data set: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- File Type Codes: Type Code Definition ---- ---------- MD Metadata files DS Data files DE Data entry, verification, and analysis files OT Other (Any other related files) File Format Codes: ASCII, BINARY ------Metadata files------------------------------------ file type: MD file name: FENCELIN.PRJ description: Project documentation file format: Text file format type: ASCII file type: MD file name: FLDAT.DSD description: Data set documentation - sorted data file format: Text file format type: ASCII ------Data files---------------------------------------- file type: DS file name: FL000041.DAT description: Data set file, October 1982 (Week 41) file format: Text file format type: ASCII file type: DS file name: FL000247.DAT description: Data set file, September 1986 (Week 247) file format: Text file format type: ASCII file type: DS file name: FL000559.DAT description: Data set file, September 1992 (Week 559) file format: Text file format type: ASCII file type: DS file name: FL000876.DAT description: Data set file, October 1998 (Week 876) file format: Text file format type: ASCII file type: DS file name: FL.DAT description: Data set file, All dates file format: Text file format type: ASCII file type: DS file name: FENCELIN.HIS description: Data set history log file format: Text file format type: ASCII ------Data entry, verification, and analysis files------ file type: DE file name: FLDATA.PRO description: Fence Plant Line Intercepts -- Data Processing Procedure file format: Text file format type: ASCII file type: DE file name: INPUT.DED description: Data entry procedure documentation file format: Text file format type: ASCII file type: DE file name: INPUT.FOR description: Data entry (from tape) program (Fortran WatIV source code) file format: Text file format type: ASCII file type: DE file name: INPUT.EXE description: Data entry (from tape) program (Fortran WatIV executable code) file format: Fortran WatIV format type: BINARY file type: DE file name: CONVERT.FOR description: Convert data entered using INPUT to same format when entered from data sheet (Fortran WatIV source code) file format: Text file format type: ASCII file type: DE file name: CONVERT.EXE description: Convert data entered using INPUT to same format when entered from data sheet (Fortran WatIV executable code) file format: Fortran WatIV format type: BINARY file type: DE file name: SRELCHEK.FOR description: Error check data in format created by CONVERT (Fortran WatIV code) file format: Text file format type: ASCII file type: DE file name: SRELCHEK.EXE description: Error check data in format created by CONVERT (Fortran WatIV executable code) file format: Fortran WatIV format type: BINARY file type: DE file name: LTERCOV1.FOR description: Generate Summary: Mean percent cover data (without Standard Error of Mean) (Fortran WatIV source code) file format: Text file format type: ASCII file type: DE file name: LTERCOV1.EXE description: Generate Summary: Mean percent cover data (without Standard Error of Mean) (Fortran WatIV executable code) file format: Text file format type: ASCII ------Other (Any other related files)------------------- file type: OT file name: LTERCOVR.1-0 description: Version 1.0. Generate Summary: Mean percent cover data with Standard Error of Mean (Fortran WatIV source code) file format: Text file format type: ASCII file type: OT file name: LTERCOVR.2-0 description: Generate Summary: Mean percent cover data (without Standard Error of Mean) (Fortran WatIV source code) file format: Text file format type: ASCII 20) Comments (Include any comments here that more fully describe this data set): ---------------------------------------------------------------- If there are fewer intercept observations than the 17 allowed per record, the rest of the record after the last intercept observation is left blank. 21) Data set documentation history log: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Data set title - East & West Boundary Fence Plant Line Intercepts - Sorted Data Data set file name - FLDAT.DSD ---------------------------------------------------------------- mm/dd/yyyy - Date of Comment Int - Initials of person making Comment JPA = John P. Anderson MAB = Michelle A. Buonopane KR = Ken Ramsey Changes/Updates - List any changes made to document mm/dd/yyyy Int Changes/Updates ---------- --- ----------------------------------------------- 10/28/1986 JPA Form completed 10/04/1992 JPA Updated 02/02/1994 JPA Updated 10/09/1998 JPA Converted to new documentation form 01/31/2000 JPA Update file names 06/07/2002 MAB Updated data file information. 08/21/2003 JPA Added Comment. 07/19/2005 KR Added Dataset ID and Project ID to top of form. Changed format for Attributes and Associated Files section. Removed Missing/Questionable data section and incorporated into Attributes section. Changed format of Responsible Investigators and Researchers sections. 08/01/2005 JPA Updated Responsible Investigator section. 01/23/2006 JPA Corrected Data Set Access to UNRESTRICTED. ------------------------------------------------------------------- END OF DATA SET FILE -------------------------------------------------------------------