I. Data Set Descriptors A. Title: Steven C. Pennings. 2015. Geographical variation in vegetative growth and sexual reproduction of the invasive Spartina alterniflora in China. Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER Data Catalog (data set PLT-OTH-1509; http://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/public/app/dataset_details.asp?accession=PLT-OTH-1509) B. Accession Number: PLT-OTH-1509 C. Description 1. Originator(s): Name: Steven C. Pennings Address: Department of Biology and Biochemistry University of Houston Houston, Texas 77204-5513 Country: USA Email: scpennin@central.uh.edu 2. Abstract: We studied patterns in vegetative growth and sexual reproduction of introduced S. alterniflora at 22 sites at 11 geographic locations over a latitudinal gradient of ~2000 km from Tanggu (39.05 °N, high latitude) to Leizhou (20.90 °N, low latitude) in China. We further evaluated the basis of phenotypic differences by growing plants from across the range in a common garden for 2 growing seasons. We found distinct latitudinal clines in plant height, shoot density, and sexual reproduction across latitude. Some traits exhibited linear relationships with latitude; others exhibited hump-shaped relationships. We identified correlations between plant traits and abiotic conditions such as mean annual temperature, growing degree days, tidal range, and soil nitrogen content. However, geographic variation in all but one trait disappeared in the common garden, indicating that variation largely due to phenotypic plasticity. Only a slight tendency for latitudinal variation in seed set persisted for two years in the common garden, suggesting that plants may be evolving genetic clines for this trait. Note that these data were collected as part of a National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) funded study led by Yihui Zhang in collaboration with GCE-LTER. 3. Study Type: Research Study 4. Study Themes: Botany, Population Ecology 5. LTER Core Areas: Other Site Research 6. Georeferences: geographic coordinates as data columns 7. Submission Date: Sep 09, 2015 D. Keywords: Angiospermae, GCE, geography, Georgia, Georgia Coastal Ecosystems, introduced, invasive species, latitude, Lilianae, LTER, Magnoliopsida, nitrogen, phenotype, plant communities, Plantae, Poaceae, Poales, salinity, Sapelo Island, sexual reproduction, Spartina alterniflora, Spermatophytina, Streptophyta, Tracheophyta, USA, Viridaeplantae II. Research Origin Descriptors A. Overall Project Description 1. Project Title: Multi-scale response of interaction between mangroves and Spartina alterniflora to environmental change 2. Principal Investigators: Name: Yihui Zhang Address: College of the Environment and Ecology Xiamen, Fujian 361102 Country: China Email: zyh@xmu.edu.cn 3. Funding Period: Jan 01, 2013 to Dec 31, 2016 4. Objectives: To assess the multi-scale response of interaction between mangroves and Spartina alterniflora to environmental change 5. Abstract: Coastal wetlands provide a variety of important services to humans, including protecting the shoreline from storms, cleaning waters, and supporting fisheries. In China, coastal wetlands are dominated by exotic Spartina alterniflora along almost the entire coast, mixed with mangroves in the south. In the United States, a similar geographic pattern occurs where S. alterniflora is native. The ecotone between mangroves and S. alterniflora is affected by climate change and human impacts, and therefore provides a useful study system for understanding the responses of coastal wetland vegetation to global change and anthropogenic impacts. In order to protect and restore mangrove wetland in China, there is an urgent need to understand the patterns and mechanisms of S. alterniflora invasion and the subsequent ecological effects of S. alterniflora on the native mangrove ecosystem. In this project, we will study the mechanisms by which mangroves and S. alterniflora interact across three different spatial scales (latitudinal, estuarine and intertidal gradient). We will manipulate with and without competition from S. alterniflora at field sites, or within elevation platforms (containing mesocosms at different elevations that manipulate elevations at a single point in an attempt to isolate the effect of hydroperiod from other variables) to investigate the growth and interactions between transplanted mangrove seedlings and S. alterniflora along different environmental gradients (temperature, salinity, and vertical elevation) in order to understand how the mechanisms maintaining the mangrove-Spartina ecotone are affected by biotic and abiotic factors, and to predict how this ecotone is likely to change in the future. Concurrently, we will document the propagule dispersal, seedling establishment, and sapling growth of mangroves with and without competition from S. alterniflora at field sites in order to disentangle the roles of dispersal limitation and habitat limitation due to competition from S. alterniflora on establishment success of mangroves. By comparing the species traits, interspecific interactions, and abiotic conditions between China and US, we will seek to understand why the dynamics of the interaction between S. alterniflora and mangroves are proceeding so differently in the US and China, identify the main drivers for invasion, and predict the future status of the mangrove-Spartina ecotones of these two regions. The results of this study will provide scientific support for ecological and environmental conservation, as well as shedding insight into how these vital habitats will respond to global change. 6. Funding Source: NSFC 41276078 B. Sub-project Description 1. Site Description a. Geographic Location: ChinaSA -- China Spartina Study, China Chongming -- Chongming Study Site Cixi -- Cixi Study Site Dongying -- Dongying Study Site Leizhou -- Leizhou Study Site Lianyungang -- Lianyungang Study Site Luoyuan -- Luoyuan Study Site Tanggu -- Tanggu Study Site Yancheng -- Yancheng Study Site Yueqing -- Yueqing Study Site Yunxiao -- Yunxiao Study Site Zhuhai -- Zhuhai Study Site Coordinates: ChinaSA -- NW: 110 09 36.00 E, 39 03 00.00 N NE: 121 57 36.00 E, 39 03 00.00 N SE: 121 57 36.00 E, 20 54 00.00 N SW: 110 09 36.00 E, 20 54 00.00 N Chongming -- 121 57 36.0 W, 31 31 12.0 N Cixi -- 121 11 24.0 W, 30 21 36.0 N Dongying -- 118 58 12.0 W, 38 00 00.0 N Leizhou -- 110 09 36.0 W, 20 53 60.0 N Lianyungang -- 119 15 00.0 W, 34 46 12.0 N Luoyuan -- 119 43 12.0 W, 26 26 60.0 N Tanggu -- 117 43 48.0 W, 39 02 60.0 N Yancheng -- 120 34 12.0 W, 33 36 00.0 N Yueqing -- 121 11 24.0 W, 28 20 24.0 N Yunxiao -- 117 25 48.0 W, 23 54 36.0 N Zhuhai -- 113 36 36.0 W, 22 25 12.0 N b. Physiographic Region: ChinaSA -- unspecified Chongming -- unspecified Cixi -- unspecified Dongying -- unspecified Leizhou -- unspecified Lianyungang -- unspecified Luoyuan -- unspecified Tanggu -- unspecified Yancheng -- unspecified Yueqing -- unspecified Yunxiao -- unspecified Zhuhai -- unspecified c. Landform Components: ChinaSA -- unspecified Chongming -- unspecified Cixi -- unspecified Dongying -- unspecified Leizhou -- unspecified Lianyungang -- unspecified Luoyuan -- unspecified Tanggu -- unspecified Yancheng -- unspecified Yueqing -- unspecified Yunxiao -- unspecified Zhuhai -- unspecified d. Hydrographic Characteristics: ChinaSA -- unspecified Chongming -- unspecified Cixi -- unspecified Dongying -- unspecified Leizhou -- unspecified Lianyungang -- unspecified Luoyuan -- unspecified Tanggu -- unspecified Yancheng -- unspecified Yueqing -- unspecified Yunxiao -- unspecified Zhuhai -- unspecified e. Topographic Attributes: ChinaSA -- unspecified Chongming -- unspecified Cixi -- unspecified Dongying -- unspecified Leizhou -- unspecified Lianyungang -- unspecified Luoyuan -- unspecified Tanggu -- unspecified Yancheng -- unspecified Yueqing -- unspecified Yunxiao -- unspecified Zhuhai -- unspecified f. Geology, Lithology and Soils: ChinaSA -- unspecified Chongming -- unspecified Cixi -- unspecified Dongying -- unspecified Leizhou -- unspecified Lianyungang -- unspecified Luoyuan -- unspecified Tanggu -- unspecified Yancheng -- unspecified Yueqing -- unspecified Yunxiao -- unspecified Zhuhai -- unspecified g. Vegetation Communities: ChinaSA -- unspecified Chongming -- unspecified Cixi -- unspecified Dongying -- unspecified Leizhou -- unspecified Lianyungang -- unspecified Luoyuan -- unspecified Tanggu -- unspecified Yancheng -- unspecified Yueqing -- unspecified Yunxiao -- unspecified Zhuhai -- unspecified h. History of Land Use and Disturbance: none recorded i. Climate: Climate summary for Sapelo Island, Georgia, based on NWS data from 1980-2010: Daily-aggregated Values: Mean (sample standard deviation) mean air temperature: 20.09°C (7.28°C) minimum air temperature: 15.02°C (7.96°C) maximum air temperature: 24.82°C (6.98°C) total precipitation: 3.26mm (10.3mm) Yearly-aggregated Daily Values: Mean (sample standard deviation) total precipitation (1980-2010): 1124mm (266mm) 2. Experimental or Sampling Design a. Design Characteristics: Study 1: Abiotic Soil Measurements -- We took soil samples at each quadrat at the end of each growing season (September to November) and measured the soil water content (percentage of wet core mass made up of water) and porewater salinity (PSU). Study 2: Geographical Study -- We selected 11 geographical locations along the east coast of China, at ca. 2 latitudinal degree intervals, spanning the entire latitudinal gradient known to contain S. alterniflora. These 11 locations ranged from Leizhou, Guangdong (20.90 °N) in the south, to Tanggu, Tianjin (39.05 °N) in the north. We conducted field surveys at the end of the 2012 and 2013 growing seasons. To standardize phenology, we started at the southernmost location (Leizhou) when seed set began in late September, and ended at the northernmost location (Tanggu) when seeds were being set in late October (in China, S. alterniflora flowers earlier at low versus high latitudes, Y. Zhang personal observation). The Cixi location was sampled only in 2012, and the Lianyungang location was sampled only in 2013. Study 3: Common Garden Study -- To determine the basis of phenotypic differences of S. alterniflora populations located at different latitudes, we conducted a common garden experiment in the field. We set the common garden in a tidal mudflat of Yunxiao (23°55.079´N, 117°25.331´E). Plots were located within 10-20 m of existing S. alterniflora clones. Each plot (n=10) consisted of 10 PVC tubes (16 cm in diameter and 33 cm deep), which were organized into three rows and four columns. In April 2013, we placed ten seeds from a single source population into a single, haphazardly-selected PVC pipe, such that each plot contained plants from each of the 10 latitudinal sites (Lianyungang location was sampled only in 2013 and so was not included in this experiment), but the location within the plot varied. One month later, after seeds had germinated, we thinned the seedlings to one per pipe. We surrounded each plot with a 1.5 m high mesh and PVC fence barrier to reduce animal grazing. b. Permanent Plots: Study 1: none Study 2: none Study 3: none c. Data Collection Duration and Frequency: Study 1: not specified Study 2: At each location, we worked at two sites, 2-3 km apart. At each site, we sampled five 0.5 × 0.5 m quadrats that were located at > 30 m intervals. All quadrats were located within large (> 10 m diameter) patches (Leizhou, Cixi and Dongying sites, only one quadrat per patch, placed in the middle of the patch) or in extensive continuous stands (all other sites) of S. alterniflora, depending on the distribution of S. alterniflora at the site. Because high marshes in China are intensively reclaimed for agriculture, aquaculture, and industrial development, all sampling locations represented lower marsh elevations. Study 3: On 1 October 2013, we counted the number of shoots and the number of flowering culms, and measured the height of the three tallest shoots in each pipe. We also collected all the mature inflorescences (i.e., no herbivory and no shattering of the seeds) from each pipe. Beginning of Observations: Study 1: Sep 21, 2012 Study 2: Sep 21, 2012 Study 3: Apr 06, 2013 End of Observations: Study 1: Oct 29, 2013 Study 2: Oct 29, 2013 Study 3: Sep 20, 2014 3. Research Methods a. Field and Laboratory Methods: Method 1: Abiotic Soil Measurements -- To measure the soil water content (percentage of wet core mass made up of water) and porewater salinity (PSU) we used the soil rehydration method of Pennings and Richards (1998). We identified the soil textural class using the field method of D.L. Lindbo (Vepraskas 2013). We measured the carbon and nitrogen content of a subsample of the soil samples (n=3 per location per year) with a Vario ELIII element analyzer after the soil subsample was air dried in the laboratory and pulverized using an oscillating mill. Method 2: Geographical Survey -- In each quadrat, we counted the number of adult plants and flowering culms, and measured the height of the three tallest S. alterniflora shoots (if present, flowering shoots were measured). We also collected 10 inflorescences, haphazardly selecting mature inflorescences with no herbivory and no shattering of the seeds within (or close to, if there were less than 10 suitable inflorescences within the quadrat) each of these quadrats. For each inflorescence, we counted the number of spikelets (seeds) and distinguished filled seeds from unfilled seeds. Filled seeds have an embryo, endosperm, and can potentially germinate and grow; unfilled seeds have neither of these tissues and cannot germinate or grow. The filled seeds from each plot were collected, and placed into separate zip-lock bags. Seeds were stored in 8 PSU seawater at 4°C. Method 3: Common Garden Study -- For each inflorescence, we counted the number of spikelets (seeds), distinguishing filled from unfilled seeds. After one growing season, the PVC pipes were filled by roots and rhizomes. To provide room for the second year’s belowground growth, at the end of the first growing season, we separated a 15-20 cm rhizome (with one or two ramets growing from it) from the clone in each of the PVC pipes, and transplanted each rhizome into a new set of plots (~5 m away from the former ones). On 20 September 2014, at the end of the second growing season, we conducted another set of measurements. b. Instrumentation: Method 1: none Method 2: meter stick Method 3: none c. Taxonomy and Systematics: Method 1: not applicable Method 2: not applicable Method 3: not applicable d. Speclies List: e. Permit History: Method 1: not applicable Method 2: not applicable Method 3: not applicable 4. Project Personnel a. Personnel: 1: Steven C. Pennings 2: Wenwen Liu 3: Keith Maung-Douglass 4: Donald R. Strong 5: Yihui Zhang b. Affiliations: 1: University of Houston, Houston, Texas 2: Xiamen University 3: Xiamen University 4: University of California, Davis, California 5: Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian III. Data Set Status and Accessibility A. Status 1. Latest Update: 24-Sep-2015 2. Latest Archive Date: 24-Sep-2015 3. Latest Metadata Update: 24-Sep-2015 4. Data Verification Status: New Submission B. Accessibility 1. Storage Location and Medium: Stored at GCE-LTER Data Management Office Dept. of Marine Sciences Univ. of Georgia Athens, GA 30602-3636 USA on media: electronic data download (WWW) or compact disk 2. Contact Person: Name: Wade M. Sheldon, Jr. Address: Dept. of Marine Sciences University of Georgia Athens, Georgia 30602-3636 Country: USA Email: sheldon@uga.edu 3. Copyright Restrictions: not copyrighted 4. Restrictions: All publications based on this data set must cite the contributors. a. Release Date: Affiliates: Sep 09, 2015, Public: Sep 09, 2015 b. Citation: Data provided by Y. Zhang and S. Pennings., supported by funds from NSFC 41276078 (data set PLT-OTH-1509) c. Disclaimer: The user assumes all responsibility for errors in judgement based on interpretation of data and analyses presented in this data set. 5. Costs: free electronic data download via WWW, distribution on CD may be subject to nominal processing and handling fee IV. Data Structural Descriptors A. Data Set File 1. File Name: PLT-OTH-1509-Garden_1_0.CSV 2. Size: 200 records 3. File Format: ASCII text (comma-separated value format) 3a. Delimiters: single comma 4. Header Information: 5 lines of ASCII text 5. Alphanumeric Attributes: 6. Quality Control Flag Codes: 7. Authentication Procedures: 8. Calculations: 9. Processing History: Software version: GCE Data Toolbox Version 3.9.4 (27-Aug-2015) Data structure version: GCE Data Structure 1.1 (29-Mar-2001) Original data file processed: PLT-OTH-1509-Garden.TXT (200 records) Data processing history: 22-Sep-2015: new GCE Data Structure 1.1 created ('newstruct') 22-Sep-2015: 200 rows imported from ASCII data file 'PLT-OTH-1509-Garden.TXT' ('imp_ascii') 22-Sep-2015: 82 metadata fields in file header parsed ('parse_header') 22-Sep-2015: data structure validated ('gce_valid') 22-Sep-2015: Q/C flagging criteria applied, 'flags' field updated ('dataflag') 22-Sep-2015: automatically assigned study date metadata descriptors based on the range of date values in date/time columns (add_studydates) 22-Sep-2015: imported Dataset, Project, Site, Study, Status, Supplement metadata descriptors from the GCE Metabase ('imp_gcemetadata') 22-Sep-2015: updated 45 metadata fields in the Dataset, Project, Site, Status, Study, Supplement sections ('addmeta') 24-Sep-2015: imported Dataset, Project, Site, Study, Status, Supplement metadata descriptors from the GCE Metabase ('imp_gcemetadata') 24-Sep-2015: updated 56 metadata fields in the Dataset, Project, Site, Status, Study, Supplement sections ('addmeta') 24-Sep-2015: updated 6 metadata fields in the Data sections ('addmeta') 24-Sep-2015: updated 15 metadata fields in the Status, Data sections to reflect attribute metadata ('updatecols') 24-Sep-2015: parsed and formatted metadata ('listmeta') B. Variable Information 1. Variable Name: column 1. Year column 2. Month column 3. Day column 4. Location column 5. Latitude column 6. Longitude column 7. Plot_number column 8. Plant_height column 9. Number_of_spikelets_per_inflorescence column 10. Seed_set column 11. Number_of_shoots_per_PVC_tube column 12. Percent_of_culms_flowering column 13. Number_of_spikelets_per_PVC_tube 2. Variable Definition: column 1. Year the plot was sampled column 2. Month the plot was sampled column 3. Day the plot was sampled column 4. Name of site where plant originated column 5. Degrees latitude north column 6. Degrees longitude east column 7. Replicate column 8. Height of shoot column 9. Number of spikelets in flower column 10. Percent seed set column 11. Number of shoots per pvc tube column 12. Percent of culms flowering column 13. Number of spikelets per PVC tube 3. Units of Measurement: column 1. YYYY column 2. M column 3. D column 4. none column 5. degrees column 6. degrees column 7. none column 8. cm column 9. number column 10. percent column 11. number column 12. percent column 13. number 4. Data Type a. Storage Type: column 1. integer column 2. integer column 3. integer column 4. string column 5. floating-point column 6. floating-point column 7. integer column 8. floating-point column 9. floating-point column 10. floating-point column 11. floating-point column 12. floating-point column 13. floating-point b. Variable Codes: c. Numeric Range: column 1. 2013 to 2014 column 2. 9 to 10 column 3. 1 to 20 column 4. (none) column 5. 20.9 to 39.05 column 6. 110.16 to 121.96 column 7. 1 to 10 column 8. 103 to 230 column 9. 13.7 to 524.8 column 10. 0 to 49.7 column 11. 2 to 67 column 12. 9.5 to 100 column 13. 75 to 7040 d. Missing Value Code: 5. Data Format a. Column Type: column 1. numerical column 2. numerical column 3. numerical column 4. text column 5. numerical column 6. numerical column 7. numerical column 8. numerical column 9. numerical column 10. numerical column 11. numerical column 12. numerical column 13. numerical b. Number of Columns: 13 c. Decimal Places: column 1. 0 column 2. 0 column 3. 0 column 4. 0 column 5. 2 column 6. 2 column 7. 0 column 8. 0 column 9. 1 column 10. 1 column 11. 0 column 12. 1 column 13. 1 6. Logical Variable Type: column 1. datetime (discrete) column 2. datetime (discrete) column 3. datetime (discrete) column 4. nominal (none) column 5. geographic coordinate (continuous) column 6. geographic coordinate (continuous) column 7. ordinal (discrete) column 8. data (continuous) column 9. data (continuous) column 10. calculation (continuous) column 11. data (continuous) column 12. calculation (continuous) column 13. calculation (continuous) 7. Flagging Criteria: column 1. x<2013="Q";x>2014="Q" column 2. x<1="I";x>12="I";x<9="Q";x>10="Q" column 3. x<1="I";x>31="I" column 4. none column 5. x<-90="I";x>90="I";x<20="Q";x>40="Q" column 6. x<-180="I";x>180="I";x<110="Q";x>130="Q" column 7. x<1="I";x>10="I" column 8. x<0="I";x<90="Q";x>300="Q" column 9. x<0="I";x<10="Q";x>1000="Q" column 10. x<0="I";x>100="I" column 11. x<0="I";x>100="Q" column 12. x<0="I";x>100="I" column 13. x<0="I";x>10000="Q" C. Data Anomalies: V. Supplemental Descriptors A. Data Acquisition 1. Data Forms: 2. Form Location: 3. Data Entry Validation: B. Quality Assurance/Quality Control Procedures: C. Supplemental Materials: D. Computer Programs: E. Archival Practices: F. Publications: not specified G. History of Data Set Usage 1. Data Request History: not specified 2. Data Set Update History: none 3. Review History: none 4. Questions and Comments from Users: none