Arctic LTER 2007: Relative percent cover was measured for plant species on Arctic LTER experimental plots in moist acidic tussock and dry heath tundra.

Abstract: 

Relative percent cover was measured for plant species on Arctic LTER experimental plots at Toolik field station in moist acidic tussock and dry heath tundra.

Project Keywords: 

Data set ID: 

10029

EML revision ID: 

4
Published on EDI/LTER Data Portal

Citation: 

Gough, L. 2009. Arctic LTER 2007: Relative percent cover was measured for plant species on Arctic LTER experimental plots in moist acidic tussock and dry heath tundra. Environmental Data Initiative. http://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/fec6fbb53dafa0c6777110fa2fcda507
People

Owner/Creator: 

Contact: 

Additional People: 

Associated Researcher
Associated Researcher
Dates

Date Range: 

Friday, July 13, 2007 to Saturday, July 21, 2007

Publication Date: 

2009

Methods: 

The LTER moist acidic tussock (MAT) site was set up in 1989. The experimental design is four blocks of 5 x 20 meter plots with randomly assigned treatments within each block. Treatments include control (CT), greenhouse control (GHCT), greenhouse nitrogen plus phosphorus (GHNP), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and nitrogen plus phosphorus (NP). Fertilizer is added annually following snowmelt in June as 10 g/m2 nitrogen (as NH4NO3) and 5 g/m2 phosphorous (as triple superphosphate). Exclosure plots were set up at the MAT site in July 1996 on extra 5 x 20 meter plots within the four-block design of the 1989 LTER acidic tussock experimental plots. On each plot a 5 x 10 meter section was fenced with large mesh (4-inch square mesh) and within this fence a 5x5-meter plot was fenced with a small mesh (1/2-inch square mesh). In each block two fenced plots were setup: a plot with no fertilizer and a plot with annual fertilization treatments as described above. Thus the treatments created are no fence, no fertilizer (NFCT); small mesh fence, no fertilizer (SFCT); large mesh fence, no fertilizer (LFCT); no fence, N plus P (NFNP); small mesh fence, N plus P (SFNP); and large mesh fence, N plus P (LFNP). Only GHCT, GHNP, NP, NFCT, NFNP, SFCT, and SFNP were censused in 2007.

The LTER dry heath (DH) site was also established in 1989 using the same methods at MAT in three block replicates. Exclosure plots were set up within the blocks in 1996 using the same methods at MAT. NP, NFCT, NFNP, SFCT, and SFNP were censused in 2007.

Calculations: All percent cover values were summed within each plot, and then each value was divided by the total to generate a percent cover value standardized to 100%.

Reference Citations:
Gough, L. and S.E. Hobbie. 2003. Responses of moist non-acidic arctic tundra to altered environment: productivity, biomass, and species richness. Oikos 103:204-216.
Gough, L., P.A. Wookey, and G.R. Shaver. 2002. Dry heath arctic tundra responses to long-term nutrient and light manipulation. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research. 34: 211-218.

Sampling Description.

Permanent monitoring areas were established in all treatment plots in 1998. Eight 1 m2 plots are sampled in each treatment in each block each year at the end of July. A 1 m2 quadrat is aligned 0.2 m inside of the plot at the site of a flag marking the first measurement. Within this quadrat, aerial percent cover of all vascular plants are noted by species as is all other ground cover. Categories include moss (all species lumped), lichen (all species lumped), litter, and standing dead Betula nana. Bare ground, frost boil, and water are also recorded. As an indicator of vole activity, the percent cover of the plot comprised of vole burrow holes, vole trails, and vole litter (small pieces of dead plant material) are also recorded. To standardize cover among plots, all percent cover values were summed within each plot, and then each value was divided by the total to generate a percent cover value standardized to 100%.

Gough, L. and S.E. Hobbie. 2003. Responses of moist non-acidic arctic tundra to altered environment: productivity, biomass, and species richness. Oikos 103:204-216.

Version Changes: 

Updated Metadata sheet
Version 3: Updated metadata form to newer version (without site sheet). CH 25Jan2013. Updated to newer metadata with site sheet. CH March 2013.
Version 4: Checked keywords against the LTER network preferred list and replaced non-preferred terms. Jim L 17Feb14
Version 5: Changed Distrubution URL since the LTER network DAS system is being discontinued. JimL 9Apr2015

Sites sampled.

Full Metadata and data files (either comma delimited (csv) or Excel) - Environmental Data Initiative repository.

Use of the data requires acceptance of the data use policy --> Arctic LTER Data Use Policy