Details and Metadata

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Methods

The methods followed in the creation of the dataset, including description of field, laboratory and processing steps, and quality control procedures

Current Methods

  • Plot Establishment
    Started: 2011-01-01

    A set of 10 m x 10 m permanent paired plots was established. A 5 m buffer was left between the two plots. The control or fenced treatment were randomly assigned to the plots at each area. The plot that was assigned to the fence treatment was enclosed in 8ft fence. A small hole was cut at ground level on each side of the fence to allow smaller herbivores entry to the fenced area. The four corners of the control plot were marked with metal fence posts.

    Instrumentation: compass, GPS

    Software: ArcGIS

    Quality Control Measures: GPS points taken at plot corners.

  • Sapling Layer
    Started: 2011-01-01

    All tree species between 0.5 and 2 m tall that are rooted over 50% inside the plot are evaluated in the sapling layer every 5 years. Saplings are tagged and assigned a number. The location, presence of browse, species, and height (cm) to the tallest bud are measured.

    Quality Control Measures: Data is proofread two times after entering.

Dataset Fields

Detailed documentation of the fields comprising the dataset, including the type of measurement, units where applicable, and any controlled vocabularies or code lists present in the data


Field Name Caption Description Additional Information
PlotPlot ID

The identification code for a plot.

Nominal
TreatmentTreatment Type

Whether the sapling is in an exclosed or unexclosed plot

Nominal
Treatment_NumberTreatment Number

Numeric code for unexclosed/exclosed

Nominal
Sapling_ID_NumberSapling ID Number

Sapling Identification Number. -999 indicates no saplings in the plot.

Nominal
SpeciesSpecies

The species of sapling

NominalMianus Sapling
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Appears in data asMeaning
EUALwinged burning bush (Euonymus Euonymus alatus) - View ITIS Record
FAGRAmerican beech (Fagus grandifolia) - View ITIS Record
ITIS_CodeIntegrated Taxonomic Information System code

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System code for the species of a sapling

Nominal
XCOGrid X coordinate

Distance of the sapling from the origin (a selected corner of the plot) along x axis

Interval
Unit: meter
Precision: 0.1
YCOGrid Y Coordinate

Distance of the sapling from the origin (a selected corner of the plot) along y axis

Interval
Unit: meter
Precision: 0.1
Study_YearStudy year number

the number of years after the beginning of the study that the sapling was checked

Ratio Units: year
Precision: 1
HeightSapling height

Height to tallest bud

Ratio
Unit: centimeter
Precision: 0.1
BrowseDeer browse presence/absence

Whether or not deer browse was present on the sapling

Nominal
NotesNotes

Notes

Nominal
Measurement_DateMeasurement Date

The date that the measurements were taken

DateTime Date/Time Format: MM/DD/YYYY
Missing Value CodesMissing Value Codes

These codes will appear in the data for missing values instead of a blank cell.

NominalMissing Value Codes
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Appears in data asMeaning of code
-999There is no extant data; null.
-555There should be data but it is missing.

Sampling Equipment

Equipment and software used to collect data, including how that equipment was used.

No sampling equipment recorded for this dataset

Site Characteristics

The spatial extent of the dataset site coverage, and descriptions of the spatial extent and context for the data collection

  • Site Description