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 Characteristics Study
The purpose of this project is to further describe the FEMC’s subplots and the area up to ten feet outside of each subplot. This information can be used to determine how representative the plots are of the general area they are located in. Natural community types are based on the criteria provided by Vermont Natural Community Ecologist, Eric Sorenson, in his guide, Wetland, Woodland, Wildland: A Guide to the Natural Communities of Vermont and the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s Natural Community Survey Form. The data collected includes the plot and subplot name, general qualitative description of the site, slope (degrees), aspect (degrees), total canopy cover (percentage), dominant overstory and understory species, estimated age of forest, woody debris size class, tree size class.
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 Approx__Age_(years) Approx__Age_(years) Approximate age of the forest stand.
Measurement type: Nominal Aspect_ Aspect_ Aspect of plot
Measurement type: Ratio
Unit: unavailable
Precision: 1Canopy_Coverage_(%) Canopy_Coverage_(%) % of canopy coverage.
Measurement type: Ratio
Unit: unavailable
Precision: 1Description Description Important descriptive features of plot.
Measurement type: Nominal Dominant_Overstory Dominant_Overstory Dominant overstory species.
Measurement type: Nominal Dominant_Understory Dominant_Understory Dominant understory species.
Measurement type: Nominal Downed_Woody_Debris_Size_Diversity Downed_Woody_Debris_Size_Diversity Diversity of downed woody debris size.
Measurement type: Nominal Slope_(degree) Slope_(degree) Slope of plot.
Measurement type: Ratio
Units: percent
Precision: 1Plot Plot The Forest Health Monitoring Plot where sample was taken.
Measurement type: Nominal Subplot_ Subplot_ The subplot where study was completed.
Measurement type: Nominal Tree_Size_Class_Diversity Tree_Size_Class_Diversity The diversity of tree size class at study site.
Measurement type: Nominal 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
No site characteristics recorded for this dataset