Dataset: Coarse Woody Material Transect

Methods

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

Current Methods

• Large Sapling Plot (26.3' radius)
  Started: 2015-06-01
  

  Each tree that is between >= 2.5” and <4.5 DBH is counted, species recorded, azimuth from plot center taken, the distance from plot center to the pith is measured and diameter at breast height, which is defined as 4.5’, is measured. Each sapling that is recorded is scribed lightly with a bark scribe (2” long, ½” high) facing plot center and marked with the paint pen at 4.5’

  Instrumentation: Hypsometer (Haglof Vertex IV), 100’ steel logger’s diameter tape, 100’ fiber glass ground tape, compass, bark scribe, blue paint pen, PVC pipe, orange, blue, and pink flagging, data collection sheets, pencils, Garmin gps

• Coarse Woody Material Transect 0-100'
  Started: 2017-04-28
  

  A 100’ ground tape is laid down along the assigned random azimuth. Every piece of course woody material that intersects the ground tape has its location along the tape recorded, the length, the small, large and middle diameters measured, whether it is a softwood or a hardwood and its decay class is recorded. Course woody material (CWM) is defined for this study as being >2.9’ long and >2.9” around at point of intersection. Decay class is a subjective measure (1–5, freshly fallen to almost dirt)

  Instrumentation: Hypsometer (Haglof Vertex IV), 100’ steel logger’s diameter tape, 100’ fiber glass ground tape, compass, bark scribe, blue paint pen, PVC pipe, orange, blue, and pink flagging, data collection sheets, pencils, Garmin gps

• Plot Location
  
  

  Plots are randomly distributed within the study area and stratified by natural community type at a density of approximately 1 per 200ac

• Plot Design
  
  

  These are all nested plots. Plot center is marked with PVC pipe painted fluorescent orange. At the plot there are three main plots nested around the center stake. The overstory plot is 52.7’ in radius, the large sapling plot is 26.3’ in radius and the small sapling is 16.6’ in radius. To organize the data each plot is divided into 10, 36 degree sectors. At each plot the sectors are flagged out with a blue flag at 16.6’, an orange flag at 26.3’ and a pink flag at 52.7’. At each cardinal direction there are seedling plots located 26.3’ from plot center. At each of the seedling plots an orange painted PVC pipe is at plot center. From plot center a 100’ transect is established at a random azimuth and a PVC pipe is located at the end of the transect. Along this transect course woody material is measured from 0’-100’ and fine woody material is measured from 80’-100’.

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

Sampling Equipment

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

Current Equipment

• Tools
  
  

  Hypsometer (Haglof Vertex IV), 100’ steel logger’s diameter tape, 100’ fiber glass ground tape, compass, bark scribe, blue paint pen, PVC pipe, orange, blue, and pink flagging, data collection sheets, pencils, Garmin gps

• Coarse Woody Material Transect 0-100'
  Started: 2017-04-28
  

  A 100’ ground tape is laid down along the assigned random azimuth. Every piece of course woody material that intersects the ground tape has its location along the tape recorded, the length, the small, large and middle diameters measured, whether it is a softwood or a hardwood and its decay class is recorded. Course woody material (CWM) is defined for this study as being >2.9’ long and >2.9” around at point of intersection. Decay class is a subjective measure of decay on a scale of 1 – 5, from freshly fallen to almost dirt.

  Frequency: Each plot will be remeasured on a 7-year rotation following the original measurement protocols.

Site Characteristics

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