Three replicate blocks of multiple 5 meter by 20 meter plots were established. In 1996 an herbivory experiment was established on a previously undisturbed plot within each block. Within each block, one plot had a 5x10 m unfenced portion (CT), and a fenced portion (5x10 m). The fenced area was surrounded by a large-mesh fence to exclude caribou and a small-mesh fence to exclude both large and small herbivores. Within each treatment within a plot, we selected three subplots arbitrarily and measured vegetation abundance.

We used a circular point frame (Damgaard 2014) with a 40 cm radius and a grid with marked points 10 cm apart (total of 62 points) to measure vegetation and species abundance. At each point, a long pin was dropped perpendicular to the ground, and all vegetation touching the pin was recorded by species name. If the pin did not touch any vegetation, bare ground was recorded. We separated plant species into growth forms, vascular and non-vascular. Vascular plants were further subdivided into deciduous shrubs, evergreen shrubs and graminoids. No mosses or forbs were present.

Damgaard C. Estimating mean plant cover from different types of cover data: A coherent statistical framework. Ecosphere. 2014;5(2):20.