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  • Plant cover data from line-intercept transects in the long-term Small Mammal Exclusion Study (SMES) at Jornada Basin LTER, 1995-2007
  • Lightfoot, David; Jornada Basin LTER (now at Univ. of NM)
    Bestelmeyer, Brandon; USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range
  • 2019-09-19
  • Lightfoot, D. and B. Bestelmeyer. 2019. Plant cover data from line-intercept transects in the long-term Small Mammal Exclusion Study (SMES) at Jornada Basin LTER, 1995-2007 ver 2. Environmental Data Initiative. https://doi.org/DOI_PLACE_HOLDER (Accessed 2024-12-27).

  • This package contains perennial vegetation cover data measured using the line-intercept method from plots with various levels of herbivore exclusion on Jornada Experimental Range (JER) and Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center (CDRRC) lands. Study sites were established in 1995; one in black grama grassland and the other in creosotebush shrubland to compare the impact of herbivores on ecosystem processes between these vegetation types. Parallel studies were established at the Sevilleta LTER site (New Mexico, USA) and Mapimi Biosphere Reserve (Durango, Mexico). Each study site is 1 km by 0.5 km in area. Four replicate experimental blocks were randomly located at the grassland study site to measure vegetation responses using exclusion treatments including a) all mammalian herbivores, including cattle, lagomorphs, and rodents, b) lagomorphs and cattle only, c) cattle only, and d) control accessible to all herbivores. Because grazing cattle are excluded from the entire creosote site, only three replicate experimental blocks were randomly located there including a) all mammalian herbivores, including lagomorphs, and rodents, b) lagomorphs only, and c) control accessible to all herbivores. Thirty-six sampling points were positioned at 5.8-meter intervals on a systematically located 6 by 6 point grid within each plot. A permanent one-meter by one-meter vegetation measurement quadrat is located at each of the 36 points. The vegetation line-intercept measurements in this data package were made in fall 1995 and fall 2005 to coincide with low-level aerial photography campaigns. Three 29-meter lines were measured along three out of six rows of permanent vegetation quadrats. Intercept locations for live, perennial plant cover and bare ground were measured along each line at 10cm resolution, which is comparable to the resolution of the aerial photos. Plants were identified to species level where possible. The resulting cover data can used to ground-truth cover estimates from aerial photography or for comparison to annual measures of vegetation from 1 x 1 meter permanent vegetation quadrats. This study is complete.

  • Geographic Coordinates
    • N: 32.5427713, S: 32.46722784, E: -106.7294433, W: -106.8514602
    • N: 32.7494871, S: 32.47317259, E: -106.6927163, W: -106.8728831
  • This information is released under the Creative Commons license - Attribution - CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The consumer of these data ("Data User" herein) is required to cite it appropriately in any publication that results from its use. The Data User should realize that these data may be actively used by others for ongoing research and that coordination may be necessary to prevent duplicate publication. The Data User is urged to contact the authors of these data if any questions about methodology or results occur. Where appropriate, the Data User is encouraged to consider collaboration or co-authorship with the authors. The Data User should realize that misinterpretation of data may occur if used out of context of the original study. While substantial efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of data and associated documentation, complete accuracy of data sets cannot be guaranteed. All data are made available "as is." The Data User should be aware, however, that data are updated periodically and it is the responsibility of the Data User to check for new versions of the data. The data authors and the repository where these data were obtained shall not be liable for damages resulting from any use or misinterpretation of the data. Thank you.
  • DOI PLACE HOLDER
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