Dataset: Mount Mansfield SCAN Data 2000-current

Methods

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

Current Methods

• 
  Started: 2000-09-13
  

  The Soil Climate Analysis Network consists of automated remote sites which collect soil moisture and soil temperature data along with precipitation, wind, and solar radiation data. These sites are located throughout the United States and other global locations. This data is used for the management and prediction of climatic issues affecting our natural resources.

• Fence locations
  Started: 1991-04-01
  

  On Mansfield, drift fences located in the Browns River drainage. Two fences at 1200' (Proctor Maple Research Center) (1) in mixed northern hardwoods, (2) in hemlock stand; 2200' (off CCC road in Underhill State Park) in mixed northern hardwoods; and at 3200' (off Sunset Ridge Trail) in spruce and fir forest. No data collected in 2009.

• Monitoring sites
  Started: 2008-04-01
  

  At Lye Brook, monitoring restarted with three drift fences located outside of the north and south ends of wilderness area used for monitoring: 860' fence near Lye Brook Falls Access area, 2400' and 2700' fence off Branch Pond Road

• Preparation and sampling
  Started: 1991-04-01
  

  Drift fence bucket lids removed the day prior to anticipated heavy rain events, with samples collected after rain. Sampling done approximately 3 times per month, April through October.

• Length measurements
  Started: 1994-04-01
  

  At each drift fence, length measurements were taken only on the first three individuals from each size class and species. Total length of specimens measured from the tip of the nose to the tip of the body or tail. Snout-to-vent length also measured as length from tip of snout to vent or cloacal opening.

Past Methods (No longer in use)

• 
  Started: 1991-04-15
  Ended: 1996-12-31

  Site checks are more spatially dispersed, opportunistic visits to survey species not captured by other methods.
• Active searches
  Started: 1991-04-01
  Ended: 1996-12-31

  Active searches involves visiting a localized area and turning over rocks and logs to identify amphibians.The number of individuals of each species found in a given area per time were recorded to provide a rough measure of species relative abundance
• 
  Started: 1993-04-01
  Ended: 1994-10-31

  At Lye Brook, drift fences located outside of the north and south ends of wilderness area used for inventory: 860' fence near Lye Brook Falls Access area, 2400' and 2700' fence off Branch Pond Road.
• Night visits
  Started: 1991-04-01
  Ended: 1996-12-31

  Night time visits are made to selected sites to hear the calls. Time of year and weather conditions chosen to locate species not located using other methods
• 
  Started: 1995-04-01
  Ended: 1995-10-31

  At Lye Brook, only the lower elevation drift fence (860') was used for inventory, the two upper elevation (2400' and 2700') were used for monitoring
• Opportunistic observations
  Started: 1996-12-31
  Ended: 1996-12-31

  Accidental discoveries are recorded when a species is found that was not the target of another survey technique

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.

Site Characteristics

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

• Site Description

  Mount Mansfield station in transition forest, 2236 foot elevation, off the Polka Dot Trail in the Browns River headwaters. Lye Brook Wilderness Area station off the Branch Pond Road, 2,435 foot elevation.
• Site Description

  SCAN Site: Mount Mansfield, Vermont. Site Number: 2041, County: Chittenden Latitude: 44 deg; 32 min N, Longitude: 72 deg; 50 min W, Elevation: 2236 feet, Reporting since: 2000-09-13

Dataset Notes

Notes describing any special conditions or considerations for understanding the quality and consistency of the data