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GCE-LTER Data Set Summary

Accession: PLT-GCET-0802a Research Theme: Plant Ecology (Graduate Thesis Study)
Contributors: Amy E. Kunza Vargas, Steve Pennings
Title: Plant community surveys along transects at multiple sites on Sapelo Island and St. Simons Island in Georgia during June and July 2005
Abstract: I sampled 59 sites around Sapelo Island and St. Simons Island, Georgia, in June-July 2005. Sites were chosen to include a range of mainland, barrier island, and back-barrier hammock island locations. All sites were dominated by salt marsh plant species, primarily Spartina alterniflora. To provide a general indication of the salinity conditions prevailing at each site, I measured salinity of the nearest body of water with a refractometer on the date that the site was sampled. Plant richness was documented along a single 5.0m wide transect at each site. Each transect began at the lower elevational limit of vegetation and continued perpendicular to the water's edge to the shrub community at the upper marsh border. Plant presence was noted in a series of nested subplots within a 1.0m x 5.0m plot at each meter along the transect. The results posted here are sites, position, salinity, and the composition of the plant community in 0.5 x 0.5 m quadrats located at 1 m intervals along the transect. This data set is a companion to PLT-GCET-0608, which provides pooled data for sites in Georgia.
DOI: 10.6073/pasta/86f24783eb89fd8c44892eb87da9d401
Key Words: abundance, barrier island, community composition, marshes, plant communities, plant cover, plants, shoot height, species richness, St. Simons Island, terrestrial
LTER Core Area: Population Studies
Research Themes: GCE2 Q2 - Domain Patterns, Plant Ecology, Population Ecology
Study Period: 02-Jun-2005 to 25-Jul-2005
Study Sites:
GCE1 -- Eulonia, Georgia, USA
GCE3 -- North Sapelo, Sapelo Island, Georgia, USA
GCE4 -- Meridian, Georgia, USA
GCE6 -- Dean Creek, Sapelo Island, Georgia, USA
GCE10 -- Hunt Camp, Sapelo Island, Georgia, USA
ML -- Marsh Landing, Sapelo Island, Georgia, USA
KF -- Kenan Field, Sapelo Island, Georgia, USA
» Download Geographic Coverage: Google Earth
Species References: Baccharis halimifolia, Batis maritima, Bolboschoenus robustus, Borrichia frutescens, Distichlis spicata, Fimbristylis spadicea, Iva frutescens, Juncus effusus, Juncus roemerianus, Limonium carolinianum, Salicornia depressa, Schoenoplectus pungens, Seutera angustifolia, Spartina alterniflora, Spartina cynosuroides, Spartina patens, Sporobolus virginicus, Suaeda linearis, Symphyotrichum tenuifolium
Project References: Marsh plant diversity
Publications:

Guo, H., Chamberlain, S.A., Elhaik, E., Jalli, I., Lynes, A.R., Marczak, L., Sabath, N., Vargas, A., Wieski, K., Zelig, E. and Pennings, S.C. 2015. Geographic Variation in Plant Community Structure of Salt Marshes: Species, Functional and Phylogenetic Perspectives. PLOS ONE. 10(5). (DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127781)
Downloads: Information

Data Table: PLT-GCET-0802a (Main data table for data set PLT-GCET-0802a, 7194 records)

Access: Public (released 22-Feb-2010)

Metadata: Text (ESA FLED), XML (Ecological Metadata Language)

Data Formats: Spreadsheet (CSV) [2497.15kb],  Text File [1989.13kb],  MATLAB (GCE Toolbox) [6551.30kb],  MATLAB (Variables) [6577.41kb],  Text Report [2215.33kb]

Column List:(hide)

Column Name Units Type Description
1 State none string State in which site is located
2 Location none string Researcher-defined name of location surveyed
3 County none string Researcher-defined county of location surveyed
4 Latitude degrees floating-point Geographic latitude of the study site determined using a hand-held GPS (15m accuracy)
5 Longitude degrees floating-point Geographic longitude of the study site determined using a hand-held GPS (15m accuracy)
6 USGS_Map none string Name of USGS ortho-quad map showing location surveyed
7 Environment_Type none string Environment type surveyed
8 Water_Body none string Researcher-defined water body closest to site
9 Salinity PSU floating-point Salinity of nearest body of water to survey location measured using a hand-held refractometer
10 Flag_Salinity none string QA/QC flags for Salinity of nearest body of water to survey location measured using a hand-held refractometer (flagging criteria, where "x" is Salinity: x<0="I", x>37="Q")
11 Upland_Score none integer Researcher-defined score indicating nature of marsh-upland interface with 1=marsh located off a peninsula of upland to 5=marsh located in a bay surrounded by upland
12 Date yyyy-mm-dd string Date of survey
13 Length_Transect m floating-point Length of transect from low to high marsh
14 Flag_Length_Transect none string QA/QC flags for Length of transect from low to high marsh (flagging criteria, where "x" is Length_Transect: x<0="I", x>1000="Q")
15 Species_Richness_Site count integer Number of plant species found at the study site
16 Flag_​Species_​Richness_​Site none string QA/QC flags for Number of plant species found at the study site (flagging criteria, where "x" is Species_Richness_Site: x<0="I", x>20="Q")
17 Plant_Zone none string Researcher-defined plant zone classification based on subjective field observations of dominant plants
18 Marsh_Zone none string Researcher-defined general marsh zone (low, medium or high, or not classified if Plant_Zone is transitional)
19 Transect_Distance m floating-point Distance along the transect starting at 1 for low marsh
20 Flag_Transect_Distance none string QA/QC flags for Distance along the transect starting at 1 for low marsh (flagging criteria, where "x" is Transect_Distance: x<0="I", x>1000="Q")
21 Species_Richness_Quadrat count floating-point Calculated number of species in 0.5 by 0.5 m quadrat
22 Flag_​Species_​Richness_​Quadrat none string QA/QC flags for Calculated number of species in 0.5 by 0.5 m quadrat (flagging criteria, where "x" is Species_Richness_Quadrat: x<0="I", x>20="Q")
23 Abundance_spa none integer Abundance score of Spartina alterniflora
24 Abundance_bat none integer Abundance score of Batis maritima
25 Abundance_sav none integer Abundance score of Salicornia virginica
26 Abundance_dst none integer Abundance score of Distichlis spicata
27 Abundance_bor none integer Abundance score of Borrichia frutescens
28 Abundance_jun none integer Abundance score of Juncus roemerianus
29 Abundance_spp none integer Abundance score of Spartina patens
30 Abundance_scr none integer Abundance score of Scirpus robustus
31 Abundance_lim none integer Abundance score of Limonium carolinianum
32 Abundance_sua none integer Abundance score of Suaeda linearis
33 Abundance_iva none integer Abundance score of Iva frutescens
34 Abundance_spo none integer Abundance score of Sporobolus virginicus
35 Abundance_ast none integer Abundance score of Aster tenuifolius
36 Abundance_cyn none integer Abundance score of Cynanchum angustifolium
37 Abundance_spc none integer Abundance score of Spartina cynosuroides
38 Abundance_fbr none integer Abundance score of Fimbristylis castanea
39 Abundance_bac none integer Abundance score of Baccharis halimifolia
40 Abundance_ukn9 none integer Abundance score of unknown species 9
41 Abundance_ukn10 none integer Abundance score of unknown species 10
42 Abundance_jnc none integer Abundance score of Juncus sp.
43 Abundance_lil none integer Abundance score of Lilaeopsis sp.
44 Abundance_sca none integer Abundance score of Scirpus americanus
45 Abundance_ukn_grass_s none integer Abundance score of unknown grass
46 Cover_spa percent floating-point Percent cover score of Spartina alterniflora
47 Flag_Cover_spa none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Spartina alterniflora (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_spa: x<0="I", x>100="I")
48 Cover_bat percent floating-point Percent cover score of batis maritima
49 Flag_Cover_bat none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of batis maritima (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_bat: x<0="I", x>100="I")
50 Cover_sav percent floating-point Percent cover score of Salicornia virginica
51 Flag_Cover_sav none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Salicornia virginica (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_sav: x<0="I", x>100="I")
52 Cover_dst percent floating-point Percent cover score of Distichlis spicata
53 Flag_Cover_dst none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Distichlis spicata (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_dst: x<0="I", x>100="I")
54 Cover_bor percent floating-point Percent cover score of Borrichia frutescens
55 Flag_Cover_bor none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Borrichia frutescens (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_bor: x<0="I", x>100="I")
56 Cover_jun percent floating-point Percent cover score of Juncus roemerianus
57 Flag_Cover_jun none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Juncus roemerianus (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_jun: x<0="I", x>100="I")
58 Cover_spp percent floating-point Percent cover score of Spartina patens
59 Flag_Cover_spp none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Spartina patens (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_spp: x<0="I", x>100="I")
60 Cover_scr percent floating-point Percent cover score of Scirpus robustus
61 Flag_Cover_scr none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Scirpus robustus (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_scr: x<0="I", x>100="I")
62 Cover_lim percent floating-point Percent cover score of Limonium carolinianum
63 Flag_Cover_lim none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Limonium carolinianum (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_lim: x<0="I", x>100="I")
64 Cover_sua percent floating-point Percent cover score of Suaeda linearis
65 Flag_Cover_sua none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Suaeda linearis (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_sua: x<0="I", x>100="I")
66 Cover_iva percent floating-point Percent cover score of Iva frutescens
67 Flag_Cover_iva none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Iva frutescens (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_iva: x<0="I", x>100="I")
68 Cover_spo percent floating-point Percent cover score of Sporobolus virginicus
69 Flag_Cover_spo none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Sporobolus virginicus (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_spo: x<0="I", x>100="I")
70 Cover_ast percent floating-point Percent cover score of Aster tenuifolius
71 Flag_Cover_ast none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Aster tenuifolius (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_ast: x<0="I", x>100="I")
72 Cover_cyn percent floating-point Percent cover score of Cynanchum angustifolium
73 Flag_Cover_cyn none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Cynanchum angustifolium (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_cyn: x<0="I", x>100="I")
74 Cover_spc percent floating-point Percent cover score of Spartina cynosuroides
75 Flag_Cover_spc none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Spartina cynosuroides (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_spc: x<0="I", x>100="I")
76 Cover_fbr percent floating-point Percent cover score of Fimbristylis castanea
77 Flag_Cover_fbr none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Fimbristylis castanea (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_fbr: x<0="I", x>100="I")
78 Cover_bac percent floating-point Percent cover score of Baccharis halimifolia
79 Flag_Cover_bac none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Baccharis halimifolia (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_bac: x<0="I", x>100="I")
80 Cover_ukn9 percent floating-point Percent cover score of unknown species 9
81 Flag_Cover_ukn9 none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of unknown species 9 (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_ukn9: x<0="I", x>100="I")
82 Cover_ukn10 percent floating-point Percent cover score of unknown species 10
83 Flag_Cover_ukn10 none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of unknown species 10 (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_ukn10: x<0="I", x>100="I")
84 Cover_jnc percent floating-point Percent cover score of Juncus sp.
85 Flag_Cover_jnc none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Juncus sp. (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_jnc: x<0="I", x>100="I")
86 Cover_lil percent floating-point Percent cover score of Lilaeopsis sp.
87 Flag_Cover_lil none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Lilaeopsis sp. (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_lil: x<0="I", x>100="I")
88 Cover_sca percent floating-point Percent cover score of Scirpus americanus
89 Flag_Cover_sca none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of Scirpus americanus (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_sca: x<0="I", x>100="I")
90 Cover_ukn_grass percent floating-point Percent cover score of unknown grass
91 Flag_Cover_ukn_grass none string QA/QC flags for Percent cover score of unknown grass (flagging criteria, where "x" is Cover_ukn_grass: x<0="I", x>100="I")
Statistics: Generate script code to retrieve data tables for analysis in: MATLAB, R, SAS, SPSS
Citation: Kunza Vargas, Amy E. 2008. Plant community surveys along transects at multiple sites on Sapelo Island and St. Simons Island in Georgia during June and July 2005. Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER Project, University of Georgia, Long Term Ecological Research Network. http://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/86f24783eb89fd8c44892eb87da9d401

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grants OCE-9982133, OCE-0620959, OCE-1237140, OCE-1832178 and OCE-2425396. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.