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GCE-LTER Data Set Summary

Accession: MLT-GCES-1311 Research Theme: Multi-Disciplinary Study (Directed Study)
Contributors: Brian R. Silliman, Christine Angelini
Title: Effects of fallen Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) on understory plant, invertebrate, and fungi communities
Abstract: For nearly two years, natural deposition of Spanish moss was excluded from 2m x 2m plots positioned in the understory of a single live oak at each of two field sites. After 29 months, we measured the effects of fallen Spanish moss, relative to unmanipulated control plots that intercepted natural levels of fallen Spanish moss, on understory grass, invertebrate, and fungi communities as well as on litter layer depth, and litter decomposition rates using litter bags. This research was conducted in two fields on Sapelo Island, GA: Long Tabby (LT) and King's Field (KF). Experimental exclusions were maintained by manually removing Spanish moss from experimental plots monthly over the duration of the experiment.
DOI: 10.6073/pasta/614b6fe74ae1f7210cfde3f03ad3768a
Key Words: biodiversity, decomposition, fungi, insects, litter, population dynamics
LTER Core Area: Organic Matter
Research Themes: Multi-Disciplinary Study, Fungal Productivity, Plant Ecology, Terrestrial Insect Ecology
Study Period: 15-Mar-2011 to 30-Oct-2013
Study Sites:
Sapelo -- Sapelo Island, Sapelo Island, Georgia
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Data Table: MLT-GCES-1311 (Main data table for data set MLT-GCES-1311, 32 records)

Access: Public (released 05-Feb-2015)

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

Data Formats: Spreadsheet (CSV) [2.41kb],  Text File [1.76kb],  MATLAB (GCE Toolbox) [109.49kb],  MATLAB (Variables) [80.80kb],  Text Report [18.69kb]

Column List:(hide)

Column Name Units Type Description
1 Year YYYY integer Calendar year of observation
2 Month MM integer Calendar month of observation
3 Day DD integer Calendar day of observation
4 Experimental_Site none string Long tabby (LT)or King's Field (KF)
5 Spanish_Moss_Treatment none string No Tillandsia (Spanish moss, NT), Tillandsia Control (T)
6 Percent_Grass_Cover percent floating-point Percent graminoid plant (grass) cover assayed in a 1.5m x 1.5m 100-cell sampling frame
7 Litter_Layer_Depth cm floating-point Depth from the litter layer surface to mineral soil, reported is the average of 10 measures taken per plot
8 Mushroom_Density count floating-point The number of mushrooms present in a 90cm x 90cm sampling frame positioned in the middle of experimental plots, reported is the average of 3 replicate sampling frames deployed in each plot
9 Invertebrate_​Species_​Richness count floating-point The number of invertebrate species observed in 90cm x 90cm sampling frame positioned in the middle of experimental plots, reported is the average of 3 replicate sampling frames deployed in each plot
10 Leaf_Litter_Lost grams floating-point the grams of dry live oak leaf litter lost in litter bags deployed in experimental treatments over 100 days (i.e. initial dry weight- final dry weight)
11 Proportion_​of_​Leaf_​Litter_​Lost percent floating-point the proportion of leaf litter deployed in bags that was lost of the 100 day litter bag deployment (i.e. (initial weight-final weight)/ initial weight)*100)
Statistics: Generate script code to retrieve data tables for analysis in: MATLAB, R, SAS, SPSS
Citation: Silliman, Brian R. 2013. Effects of fallen Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) on understory plant, invertebrate, and fungi communities. Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER Project, University of Georgia, Long Term Ecological Research Network. http://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/614b6fe74ae1f7210cfde3f03ad3768a

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grants OCE-9982133, OCE-0620959, OCE-1237140 and OCE-1832178. 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.