Simulated Hurricane Experiment - Litterfall

Data

• hf101-01: litterfall data
• hf101-02: annual means

Overview

• Lead: Alison Magill, Audrey Barker Plotkin
• Investigators:
• Contact: Audrey Barker Plotkin
• Start date: 1989-01-01
• End date: ongoing
• Location: Tom Swamp Tract (Harvard Forest)
• Latitude: +42.49
• Longitude: -72.20
• Elevation: 310 meters
• Taxa: Acer rubrum (red maple), Acer saccharum (sugar maple), Betula alleghaniensis (yellow birch), Betula lenta (black birch), Betula papyrifera (white birch), Carpinus caroliniana (american hornbeam), Carya ovata (shagbark hickory), Fagus grandifolia (american beech), Fraxinus americana (white ash), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash), Pinus strobus (white pine), Poplulus grandidentata (big-tooth aspen), Prunus serotina (black cherry), Quercus alba (white oak), Quercus rubra (red oak), Quercus velutina (black oak), Tilia americana (american basswood), Ulmus americana (american elm)
• Research topic: plot
• Study type: long-term measurement
• LTER core area: organic matter, disturbance
• Keywords: biomass, litterfall
• Release date: 1999
• EML version: knb-lter-hfr.101.8
• Revisions:
• Related links:
• Project Website
• Simulated Hurricane Experiment - Vegetation Response
• Abstract:

  The hurricane site contains two plots - the blowdown (treatment) and the control - TSB and TSC respectively. The control plot contains 12 baskets and the blowdown 13. Litter baskets were placed in both the blowdown and control plots in Sept 1989. TSB-13 was originally part of an AVIRIS overflight study and was not included in the data collections until 1990. The litterfall year begins approximately September 20 each year. Years are designated with the fall date, e.g., Sept 1989-Sept 1990 is the 1989 litter year. Litter was collected 2x/year (Nov and the following Sep) in 1989 and 1990 and 3x/year in all subsequent years (Nov, June and Sep). Baskets were removed from the blowdown plot in fall 1990 while the experimental manipulation was underway. Only control plot baskets were collected for the 1990-1991 litterfall year. Nov. 2005 and June 2006 are combined as early snow in Nov. 2005 precluded collection. Litter was not sorted by species in all years and in most cases only the Nov collections were sorted from 1989 through 1993, 2000 and 2006. In other years, a total unsorted litter weight for each basket was recorded. Unsorted litter is indicated as unsorted species type. Sample collections have been made through the 2007-2008 litterfall year.

• Methods:

  Note: in 1991 only, litter from individual baskets were mistakenly combined before weighing (comb.ba = combined basket) as follows: Control plot: (1,2)=101; (3,4)=102; (5,6)=103; (8,9)=104; (10,11,12)=105. Blowdown plot: (1,2,3)=101; (4,5,6,7)=102; (8,9,10)=103; (11,12,13)=104.

• Use:

  This dataset is released to the public and may be freely downloaded. Please keep the designated Contact person informed of any plans to use the dataset. Consultation or collaboration with the original investigators is strongly encouraged. Publications and data products that make use of the dataset must include proper acknowledgement. For more information on LTER Network data access and use policies, please see: http://www.lternet.edu/data/netpolicy.html.

• Citation:

  Magill A, Barker Plotkin A. 1999. Simulated Hurricane Experiment - Litterfall. Harvard Forest Data Archive: HF101.

Detailed Metadata

hf101-01: litterfall data

1. Year: year (YYYY)
2. Treat: treatment
   • C: control
   • B: blowdown
3. Bask: basket number
4. Spp: tree species
   • AB: American Beech
   • BA: Black Ash
   • BB: Sweet Birch/Black Birch
   • BC: Black Cherry
   • BG: Black Tupelo/Blackgum
   • BL: Black Locust
   • BT: BigTooth Aspen
   • BW: American Basswood
   • CC: Am hornbeam/ironwood/ musclewood
   • CN: American Chestnut
   • EL: American Elm
   • FF: Fruit and Flowers
   • FR: Fragments
   • GA: Green Ash
   • HE: Eastern Hemlock
   • HH: Eastern Hophornbeam (smooth bark)
   • HI: Shagbark Hickory
   • NS: Norway Spruce
   • OL: Other Litter
   • OM: Other Material
   • QA: Quaking Aspen
   • RB: River Birch
   • RM: Red Maple
   • RO: Northern Red Oak
   • RP: Red Pine
   • RS: Red Spruce
   • SE: Slippery Elm
   • SM: Sugar Maple
   • ST: Striped Maple
   • TG: Twigs
   • WA: White Ash
   • WB: White Birch / Paper Birch
   • WH: Witch-hazel
   • WO: White Oak
   • WP: White Pine
   • YB: Yellow Birch
5. Nov g: litterfall in November (g/basket) (gram )
6. Jun g: litterfall in June (g/basket) (gram )
7. Sep g: litterfall in September (g/basket) (gram )
8. Total g: total litterfall (g) (gram )
9. kg ha-1: litterfall per hectare (kg ha-1) (kilogramsPerHectare )

hf101-02: annual means

1. Year: year (YYYY)
2. Plot: plot
   • B: experimental blowdown
   • C: control
3. No.Bask: number of baskets (number )
4. Mean: mean annual litterfall including fruits, flowers & twigs (kg ha-1) (kilogramsPerHectare )
5. S.D.: standard deviation (kilogramsPerHectare )