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
Past Methods (No longer in use)
- Sites
Started: 2016-06-16
Ended: 2016-08-17Sites were chosen based on established VMC Forest Health Monitoring plots.
- Bird Counts
Started: 2016-06-16
Ended: 2016-08-17Bird species seen and heard were recorded during the time it took to complete an FHM subplot (4 subplots total), and then combined to create a plot-level list of species observed.
Instrumentation: Binoculars
Quality Control Measures: All crew members had experience in birding/ornithology. Binoculars were used to aid bird ID. Start and end times were recorded.
- General Subplot Info
Started: 2016-06-16
Ended: 2016-08-17After completing an FHM subplot, general subplot metrics were recorded on the bird habitat data sheet (i.e. start and end times, FHM plot and subplot ID, any pertinent notes about weather and miscellaneous habitat features).
- Overstory
Started: 2016-06-16
Ended: 2016-08-17Canopy height, overstory percent cover, and overstory distribution were categorized into classes (overstory being >30'). See subplot metrics dataset attributes for details regarding the classes.
- Midstory and Understory
Started: 2016-06-16
Ended: 2016-08-17Midstory and understory percent cover and distribution were estimated over the area of each FHM subplot. Species present in each structure class were also recorded and rated based on relative abundance. See subplot metrics and tree species dataset attributes for details.
- Forage Quality
Started: 2016-06-16
Ended: 2016-08-17Presence of soft mast species (e.g. raspberry, blackberry, elderberry, etc.) in each FHM subplot was recorded. Leaf litter was classified as either 'adequate' or 'inadequate' based on functionality for forage (see subplot metrics dataset attributes for details). Presence of invasive species and their percent cover over the the subplot if present was also recorded.
- CWD and FWD
Started: 2016-06-16
Ended: 2016-08-17Coarse Woody Debris (>4 in.) and Fine Woody Debris (<4 in.) were classified based on habitat functionality over the area of an FHM subplot (see subplot metrics dataset attributes for details). Presence of CWD and FWD are important to note in a plot because they provide perching sites, habitat for invertebrates that are a significant part of the breeding season diet of many birds, nesting substrate, and cover.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plot_Subplot | Plot and subplot | Combined plot and subplot string at which data was collected. | Measurement type: -1 |
| Date | Date | Date string at which data was collected. | Measurement type: -1 |
| Month | Month | Month of data collection. | Measurement type: Interval Units: month |
| Day | Day | Day of data collection. | Measurement type: Interval Units: |
| Year | Year | Year of data collection. | Measurement type: Interval Units: |
| Plot | Plot ID | Plot at which data was collected. | Measurement type: -1 |
| Subplot | Subplot ID | Subplot at which data was collected. | Measurement type: Interval Units: |
| Start time | Start time | Start time of subplot survey. | Measurement type: DateTime Date/Time Format: hh:mm:ss |
| End time | End time | End time of subplot survey. | Measurement type: DateTime Date/Time Format: hh:mm:ss |
| Canopy height | Canopy height | Height of overstory. 1 = <20 ft; 2 = 20-60 ft; 3 = >60 ft | Measurement type: Nominal |
| Overstory % Cover | Overstory % cover class | Percent cover of overstory canopy (>30' in non-montane plots). Possible values are Open (<30%), Intermediate (30-80%), and Closed (>80%). | Measurement type: -1 |
| Overstory distribution | Overstory distribution | Distribution of overstory canopy cover. 0 = patchy; 1 = uniform. | Measurement type: Nominal |
| Midstory % cover | Midstory % cover | Percent cover of midstory canopy (5-30'). Percent classes are 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. | Measurement type: Ratio Units: percent |
| Midstory distribution | Midstory distribution | Distribution of midstory cover. 0 = patchy; 1 = uniform. | Measurement type: Nominal |
| Understory % cover | Understory % cover | Percent cover of understory (0-5'). Percent classes are 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. | Measurement type: Ratio Units: percent |
| Understory distribution | Understory distribution | Distribution of understory cover. 0 = patchy; 1 = uniform. | Measurement type: Nominal |
| Soft mast | Soft mast | Presence of soft mast species in the subplot. | Measurement type: -1 |
| Leaf litter | Leaf litter | Quality of leaf litter as foraging and nesting habitat. A = Adequate = Deciduous leaf litter is present, thick, and moist over most of (>75%) of the subplot. I = Inadequate = Leaf litter is not deciduous OR is deciduous, but covers < 75% of the visual acre, is not thick, and/or is desiccated. | Measurement type: -1 |
| Invasive % cover | Invasive % cover | Percent cover of invasive woody plants in the subplot. Percent classes are 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%. | Measurement type: Ratio Units: percent |
| Invasive spp | Invasive spp. | Invasive woody plants found in the subplot corresponding to the invasive % cover data. | Measurement type: -1 |
| CWD | CWD Functionality | Functionality of Coarse Woody Debris (>4 in. diameter) in the subplot based on estimated percent cover over plot and function as habitat (e.g. through use as a perch site, courtship displays, habitat for insects, etc.). 0 = No functionality, 1 = Low, 2 = Medium, 3 = High. | Measurement type: Nominal |
| FWD | FWD Functionality | Functionality of Fine Woody Debris (<4 in. diameter) in the subplot based on estimated percent cover over plot and function as habitat (e.g. through use as cover, nesting substrate, etc.). 0 = No functionality, 1 = Low, 2 = Medium, 3 = High. | Measurement type: Nominal |
| BBC | Breeding Bird Code | Minimum breeding bird code of birds observed in subplot, if applicable. | Measurement type: -1 |
| Notes | Notes | Any notes regarding weather and additional habitat features within plot. | Measurement type: -1 |
Sampling Equipment
Equipment and software used to collect data, including how that equipment was used.
Current Equipment
Compass and GPS
A compass and GPS were used to locate each FHM plot.
Past Sampling Equipment (No longer in use)
Binoculars
Started: 2016-06-16
Ended: 2016-08-17Binoculars (Eagle Optics 8x42) were used to locate and identify bird species in each plot.
Site Characteristics
The spatial extent of the dataset site coverage, and descriptions of the spatial extent and context for the data collection
- Site Description
Sites were variable since data was collected at all currently established FHM plots in Vermont.
Minimum Altitude: 0
Maximum Altitude: 0