Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative

The Ecological Significance of Sun/Shade Plasticity in Balsam Fir, Red Spruce, and Paper Birch along Elevational Gradients in the Northeastern United States: Spruce Fir Chemistry

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Metadata Provider

  • Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative

    • Address:
      705 Spear Street
      South Burlington, Vermont 05403
      United States of America

      Phone: (802) 391-4135
      Email: femc@uvm.edu
      Website: www.uvm.edu/femc

Abstract

    To better understand the relationship between plants and their abiotic environment, by using the response of three different tree species growing at different elevations, to light.

People

  • Andrew Richardson: Principal Investigator

Keywords

  • balsam fir, chemistry, elevation, red spruce,

Geographic Coverage

  • Coordinates

Data Table

  • Title: Spruce Fir Chemistry
  • Start Date: 2000-06-01
  • End Date: 2002-09-30
  • Description: Detailed chemical composition of sampled material

  • Purpose: To better understand the relationship between plants and their abiotic environment, by using the response of three different tree species growing at different elevations, to light.

  • Condensed Title: Z0128_SpruceFirChem

  • Object Name: VMC.128.174

  • Data Type: mySQL
  • Citation: Andrew Richardson. 2002. Spruce Fir Chemistry. FEMC. Can be found at: https://www.uvm.edu/femc/data/archive/project/the-ecological-significance-sunshade-plasticity-balsam/dataset/spruce-fir-chemistry/overview

  • Online Distribution: https://vmc.w3.uvm.edu/vmcdevel/data/archive/project/the-ecological-significance-sunshade-plasticity-balsam/dataset/spruce-fir-chemistry

Attribute List

    Attribute Name: Observation
    • Label: Observation Number
    • Description: Observation number
    • Storage Type: int
    • Measurment Type: nominal
    Attribute Name: Species
    • Label: Species
    • Description: Species of tree (Spruce or fir)
    • Storage Type: text
    • Measurment Type: nominal
    Attribute Name: elev
    • Label: Elevation
    • Description: Elevation where observation was taken (mid, low or top)
    • Storage Type: text
    • Measurment Type: ordinal
    Attribute Name: Crownposition
    • Label: Crown Position
    • Description: Crown position of tree where observation was taken (sun or shade)
    • Storage Type: text
    • Measurment Type: ordinal
    Attribute Name: Transect
    • Label: Transect
    • Description: Transect number
    • Storage Type: int
    • Measurment Type: nominal
    Attribute Name: Mountain
    • Label: Mountain
    • Description: Mountain where observation was taken
    • Storage Type: text
    • Measurment Type: nominal
    Attribute Name: SampleCode
    • Label: Sample Code
    • Description: Sample code
    • Storage Type: text
    • Measurment Type: nominal
    Attribute Name: Nitrogen
    • Label: Nitrogen Concentration
    • Description: Nitrogen percent of needle dry weight
    • Storage Type: int
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: percent
    • Precision: 0.01
    • Unit: percent
    • Number Type: real
      • Bounds:
      • Minimum: 0
      • Maximum: 100
    Attribute Name: Phosphorous
    • Label: Phosphorous Concentration
    • Description: Foliar Phosphorous concentration
    • Storage Type: int
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: customMilligramsPerKilogram
    • Precision: 1
    • Unit: MilligramsPerKilogram
    • Number Type: integer
    Attribute Name: Potassium
    • Label: Potassium Concentration
    • Description: Foliar Potassium concentration
    • Storage Type: int
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: customMilligramsPerKilogram
    • Precision: 1
    • Unit: MilligramsPerKilogram
    • Number Type: integer
    Attribute Name: Calcium
    • Label: Calcium Concentration
    • Description: Foliar Calcium concentration
    • Storage Type: int
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: customMilligramsPerKilogram
    • Precision: 1
    • Unit: MilligramsPerKilogram
    • Number Type: integer
    Attribute Name: Magnesium
    • Label: Magnesium Concentration
    • Description: Foliar Magnesium concentration
    • Storage Type: int
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: customMilligramsPerKilogram
    • Precision: 1
    • Unit: MilligramsPerKilogram
    • Number Type: integer
    Attribute Name: Manganese
    • Label: Manganese Concentration
    • Description: Foliar Manganese concetration
    • Storage Type: int
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: customMilligramsPerKilogram
    • Precision: 1
    • Unit: MilligramsPerKilogram
    • Number Type: integer
    Attribute Name: Copper
    • Label: Copper Concentration
    • Description: Foliar Copper concentration
    • Storage Type: int
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: customMilligramsPerKilogram
    • Precision: 1
    • Unit: MilligramsPerKilogram
    • Number Type: integer
    Attribute Name: Zinc
    • Label: Zinc Concentration
    • Description: Foliar Zinc concentration
    • Storage Type: int
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: customMilligramsPerKilogram
    • Precision: 1
    • Unit: MilligramsPerKilogram
    • Number Type: integer
    Attribute Name: NeutralDetergentFiber
    • Label: Neutral Detergent Fiber
    • Description: A measure of the total fiber content (hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin)
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: percent
    • Precision: 0.01
    • Unit: percent
    • Number Type: real
      • Bounds:
      • Minimum: 0
      • Maximum: 100
    Attribute Name: AcidDetergentFiber
    • Label: Acid Detergent Fiber
    • Description: Acid detergent fiber
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: percent
    • Precision: 0.01
    • Unit: percent
    • Number Type: real
      • Bounds:
      • Minimum: 0
      • Maximum: 100
    Attribute Name: Hemicellulose
    • Label: Hemicellulose
    • Description: Perent hemicellulose
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: percent
    • Precision: 0.01
    • Unit: percent
    • Number Type: real
      • Bounds:
      • Minimum: 0
      • Maximum: 100
    Attribute Name: Cellulose
    • Label: Cellulose
    • Description: Percent cellulose
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: percent
    • Precision: 0.01
    • Unit: percent
    • Number Type: real
      • Bounds:
      • Minimum: 0
      • Maximum: 100
    Attribute Name: Lignin
    • Label: Lignin
    • Description: Percent Lignin
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: percent
    • Precision: 0.01
    • Unit: percent
    • Number Type: real
      • Bounds:
      • Minimum: 0
      • Maximum: 100
    Attribute Name: d13C
    • Label: d13C
    • Description: unknown
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Standard Unit: number
    • Precision: 0.0001
    • Unit: number
    • Number Type: real
    Attribute Name: Comments
    • Label: Comments
    • Description: Comments
    • Storage Type: text
    • Measurment Type: nominal

Methods

  • Current Methods
    • Experimental design
      • Started: 0001-01-01
      • Method Description: A split-split plot experimental design was used on the plots, split by species (balsam vs fir) first and then samples were split by crown position (sun vs shade). After sample processing, three needles from each sample were used for anatomical measurements.
        • Instrumentation: R:FR meter (Skye instruments); Software: Leica Q500MC and QWin V1.00 (Leica Cambridge Ltd.)

    • Photosynthetic rates
      • Method Description: Photosynthesis measurements were made on detached shoots with their ends immersed in vials of water. Projected needle area and dry mass were measured and then used to convert the measured photosynthetic rates to projected needle area. Chl NDI and PRI indices were used to obtain physiological insights from the chlorophyll fluorescence and spectral reflectance of dark-adapted foliage.
        • Instrumentation: OS-500 Modulated Fluorometer UniSpec Spectral Analysis System

    • Foliar C-13 analysis
      • Method Description: Using a pool of three samples from each site x crown position x species combination, an analysis of foliar C-13 was conducted by a commercial laboratory.
        • Instrumentation: Europa Scientific ANCA-GSL elemental analyzerQuality Control Measures: Two replicated of every fifth sample were analyzed sequentially. All samples were run against a flour standard and results are expressed in relation to the PDB standard.


Sampling Equipment

  • No sampling equipment recorded for this dataset

Site Characteristics

  • Site Description: Sampling sites were located on three mountains (Whiteface Mt., Mt. Mansfield and Mt. Moosilauke), along two transects on each mountain (eastern and southern), at three elevations on each transect (low, mid and high elevation), for two species (red spruce and balsam fir) and two crown positions (sun and shade).