Overstory Mapped Tree Plots
HF036 EML Publications ArchiveData
Overview
- Lead: David Foster, Audrey Barker-Plotkin
- Investigators: Ann Lezberg
- Contact: Audrey Barker Plotkin
- Start date: 1990-01-01
- End date: ongoing
- Location: Tom Swamp Tract (Harvard Forest)
- Latitude: +42.50
- Longitude: -72.20
- Elevation: 295 meters
- Taxa:
- Research topic: plot, community
- Study type: long-term measurement
- LTER core area: populations
- Keywords: forest dynamics, tree maps
- Release date: 1999
- EML version: knb-lter-hfr.36.8
- Revisions: data updated 2005-10-13
- Related links:
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Abstract:
These plots were established and mapped in 1990 for an experiment designed to study the effects of selective overstory tree mortality. The planned manipulation was to kill and leave standing one species in each of four plots, to simulate mortality by a species-specific pathogen. This manipulation was never done, for logistical reasons and because the appearance of the hemlock woolly adelgid provided a more pressing "natural" experiment to study; however, the plots are maintained and have been used in other studies. There are four 50m x 50m plots, located in a mixed hardwood forest (red oak and maple species are major components), north of the experimental hurricane. Tree data from the control plot of the experimental hurricane study could be added to this set for some analyses, since all the plots are in the same general area and forest type, and similar types of measurements were made on all of these trees. Tree diameter and condition were re-surveyed in these plots in Autumn 2003, and saplings growing into the "tree" size class of greater than or equal to 5cm diameter were measured, tagged and mapped.
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Methods:
Each 50m x 50m plot was established with a 10m x 10m grid and all trees of diameter greater than or equal to 5 cm dbh were mapped using a least-squares technique in which inter-tree distances were measured to the nearest centimeter (Boose et al. 1998. Ecology 79:819-827). For each tree, species, canopy position, health, and diameter were recorded. Trees with multiple stems originating from a single base were measured as separate individuals if the stems forked at less than 1.3m high.
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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.
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Citation:
Foster D, Barker-Plotkin A. 1999. Overstory Mapped Tree Plots. Harvard Forest Data Archive: HF036.
Detailed Metadata
hf036-01: tree data
- PLOT: 50m x 50m plot
- TREE: All trees are tagged in the field with their number. Trees in the original 1990 survey have numbers less than 300. Trees that grew into the 5cm class and were first measured in 2003 have numbers greater than 300.
- SPECIES: First two letters of genus and species names of tree
- ACRU: Acer rubrum
- ACSA: Acer saccharum
- BEAL: Betula alleghaniensis
- BELE: Betula lenta
- BEPA: Betual papyrifera
- CADE: Castanea dentata
- CAGL: Carya glabra
- CAOV: Carya ovata
- CASP: Carya (not identified to species)
- FAGR: Fagus grandifolia
- FRAM: Fraxinus americana
- OSVI: Ostrya virginiana
- PIRE: Pinus resinosa
- PIST: Pinus strobus
- POGR: Populus grandentata
- PRSE: Prunus serotina
- QURU: Quercus rubra
- TIAM: Tilia americana
- TSCA: Tsuga canadensis
- X: Cartesian coordinate identifying location within the plot along its north-south axis (meter )
- Y: Cartesian coordinte identifying location within the plot along its east-west axis (meter )
- CAN: canopy class
- D: dominant
- C: codominant
- I: intermediate
- S: suppressed (or lower stratum)
- DBH90: Diameter at breast height (1.37m) in 1990 (centimeter )
- DBH03: Diameter at breast height (1.37m) in autumn 2003 (centimeter )
- COND90: tree condition in 1990
- L: living
- D: dead
- M: moribund (will likely die soon)
- COND98: tree condition in 1998
- L: living
- D: dead
- M: moribund (will likely die soon)
- G: gone - can't relocate the tree
- COND03: tree condition in 2003
- L: living
- D: dead
- M: moribund (will likely die soon)
- G: gone - can't relocate the tree
- DAMAGE93: These observations were recorded after a major winter storm
- BEND: bole bent
- CRSN: bole broken at more than 50% height
- OLD: damage from before 1993 winter storm
- SNAP: bole broken at less than 50% height
- STND: no notable damage
- UPRT: tree uprooted
- LEAF93: These observations were recorded after a major winter storm
- L4: >90% crown leafed out
- L3: more than 50% but less than 90% leafed out
- L2: less than 50% but more than a single branch leafed out
- L1: only a few leaves or small branches leafed out, or one large branch; less than 10% leafout
- F: false, no leafing out
- 0: not sure what this means. Usually attributed to trees dead before 1993
- BASP93: These observations were recorded after a major winter storm
- T: has basal sprouts
- F: no basal sprouts
- TRSP93: These observations were recorded after a major winter storm
- T: has trunk sprouts
- F: no trunk sprouts
- HT04: the height (in meters) of the tree, calculated from the height percent and the distance at which that was measured (meter )
- CrownDepth04: amount of live crown, calculated from height percent-height to base of live crown percent and the distance at which these were measured. (meter )
- MeanCrownDiam04: the average of the major and minor axes of the crown diameter (width), which were determined visually and measured with a 50m tape (meter )
hf036-02: tree notes
- PLOT: 50m x 50m plot
- TREE: All trees are tagged in the field with their number. Trees in the original 1990 survey have numbers less than 300. Trees that grew into the 5cm class and were first measured in 2003 have numbers greater than 300.
- NOTE90: field notes from 1990
- NOTE93: field notes from 1993
- NOTE98: field notes from 1998
- NOTE03: field notes from 2003