Metadata for: Diversity, Productivity and Soil Data for North American Grasslands

General Dataset Metadata:

Abstract:

This research program was designed to collect productivity, diversity and soil data in Northern California grasslands. Data collected include species richness, presence absence of plant species, peak standing biomass and nitrogen and phosphorus soil content. The relationship between diversity and productivity can take many different shapes. Soil nutrients can affect species composition, diversity and productivity. This research program will attempt to investigate soil nutrients to as a possible factor in determining the shape of the diversity productivity curve. Funding was used to collect richness, plant presence / absence data, biomass and soil nutrient data.

Keywords:

Richness, productivity, grasslands, biomass, northern California, soil nutrients

Intellectual Rights:

This dataset is publicly available through the Knowledge Network for Biocompletxity. www.knb.ecoinformatics.org

Please acknowledge the Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity, NSF Grant 12345 and Dr. Jane Doe in any publications that use this data.

Funding:

NSF Grant 12345


Individual:
Owner

Dr. Jane Doe

Position

Associate Professor

Address:

Department of Biology, Northern California University,

University Town, CA 95666 USA

Phone:

321-654-0987 (voice)

Email Address:

doe@uncal.edu

Web Address:

http://www.uncal.edu/doe

Individual:
Primary Contact

John Smith

Position

Data Manager

Address:

Department of Biology, Northern California University,

University Town, CA 95666 USA

Phone:

321-654-0987 (voice)

Email Address:

smith@uncal.edu

Web Address:

http://www.uncal.edu/smith

Organization:

Department of Biology, Northern California University


 

Article Citation:

Author:

J. Doe

Author:

J. Smith

Date:

2002

Title:

Diversity, productivity and soil nutrients at a Northern California grassland

Journal:

Plantae

Volume:

23

Issue:

2

Page Range:

1-10

Geographic Metadata:

 

Geographic Description:

Data were collected in the coastal mountains of Northern California, in the Valley Oak Reserve. The Valley Oak Reserve is adjacent to and managed by Northern Caifornia University (NCU). NCU is located in University Town in Sonoma County, approximately 150 km northeast of San Francisco. The Valley Oak Reserve is located on the east facing slope of the California coastal mountains. The area is primarily oak (Quercus spp) savannah and grasslands. The reserve is 100 km² in area.

 

Bounding Coordinates:

Longitude:

-120°15'00"  degrees

-120°30'00"  degrees

Latitude:  

39°00'00"  degrees

38°45'00"  degrees

Temporal Metadata:

 

Temporal
Description

The observations in the data were made in the late spring, at approximately peak biomass. All observations were made during daylight hours. Observations were made during the following range of dates.

 

Begin:

5/30/2002

 

End:

06/05/2003

Taxonomic Metadata:

 

Taxonomic Authority Citation:

Type:

Book

Author:

W. L. Jepson

Editor:

J. C. Hickman

Date:

1993

Title:

The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California

Publisher:

University of California Press

Publication Place:

Berkeley

 

General Info

All herbaceous plant species were recorded.

 

Classification:

Taxonomic Level:

Family

Taxonomic Name:

Poaceae

Taxonomic Level:

Species

Taxonomic Name:

Avena fatua

 

Classification:

Taxonomic Level:

Family

Taxonomic Name:

Poaceae

Taxonomic Level:

Species

Taxonomic Name:

Bromus hordeaceus

 

Classification:

Taxonomic Level:

Family

Taxonomic Name:

Liliaceae

Taxonomic Level:

Species

Taxonomic Name:

Calochortus lutens

 

Classification:

Taxonomic Level:

Family

Taxonomic Name:

Papaveraceae

Taxonomic Level:

Species

Taxonomic Name:

Eschscholzia californica

Common Name:

California poppy

 

Classification:

Taxonomic Level:

Family

Taxonomic Name:

Poaceae

Taxonomic Level:

Species

Taxonomic Name:

Nassella pulchra

Common Name:

Bunchgrass

 

Methods Metadata:

 

General Sampling Design

Twenty five square1m² plots were randomly placed throughout the Valley Oak Reserve. Due to destructive biomass harvest, plots are relocated each year.

Two plastic sample bag (Ziplock) are labeled with the randomly assigned plot number and contents (plant or soil). If more than one bag is needed, all bags are labeled with the contents, plot number and bag number (i.e. the second of four bags of plant clippings from plot 6 will be labeled "Plant, Plot 6, Bag 2/4")

 

Species Presence- Absence

At each plot, one person, starting at the south-east corner of the plot, identifies each plant according to the Jepson manual. Species names are recorded in the field notebook.

 

Species Richness

Species names are used to calculate species richness per plot.

 

Biomass Measurement

All plant material within each 1 m2 plot is clipped at soil level and placed in the sample bag.

Sample bags containing plant matter are brought to the laboratory. If wet, plant matter is dried using paper towels.

Plant material is dried in a drying oven at 80 degrees C for 24 (+/-2) hours.

Plant matter is weighed within 2 hours of drying.

 

Soil Data Measurements

Approximately 0.5 g of soil, free from plant debris, is collected from the middle of the plot.

Soil is placed in appropriate sample bag.

Soil samples are placed into aluminum sample trays and placed into a drying oven and dried at 80 degrees C for 24 (+/- 2) hours.

Soil is ground using a ball mill until powedery and weighed.

Soil sample is analyzed for Phosphorus and Nitrogen using a SoilPro v. 10 machine. All procedures for this machine are followed.

 

Quality Control

All sampling was done by Jane Doe and John Smith.

 

Data Table Metadata:

File Name:

EML_simpleex_table.txt

Case Sensitive?:

no

Number Of Records:

250

Orientation:

The data are arranged with major variables in columns.





Data Table Structure & Variable Description* See below for definitions


Variable Name

Label

Definition

Unit

Type

Missing

Precision

Var Description

Site

Site 

Site at which data were collected

 

integer 

 

 

enumerated:

code:

defin:

 

VO

Vally Oak Reserve

 

Date

Date 

Date data were collected

mm/dd/yy 

date 

 

 

 

Plot

Plot 

Randomly assigned 1m² plot numbers

 

integer 

 

 

numeric:

min:

max:

1.0

10.0 

Sp

Species 

Species codes

 

text 

 

 

enumerated:

code:

defin:

 

S1

Avena fatua

 

S2

Bromus Hordeasceus

 

 

 

 

S3

Calochortus lutens

 

 

 

 

S4

Eschscholzia californica

 

 

 

 

S5

Nassella pulchra

 

Pa

Presence/Absence 

Presence/Absence of species in plot

species 

integer 

 

 

enumerated:

code:

defin:

1

Present 

0

Absent 

R

Richness 

Total number of species in plot

species 

integer 

 

 

numeric:

min:

max:

1.0

5.0 

Bm

Biomass 

Peak standing biomass

g/ m2

float 

 

 

numeric:

min:

max:

3.13

96.29 

P

Phosphorous 

Phosphorous in soil

ppm (parts per million) 

float 

9999 

±0.05 

numeric:

min:

max:

3.37

24.82 

N

Nitrogen 

Nitrogen in soil

proportion (of total soil mass)

float 

9999 

±0.01 

numeric:

min:

max:

0.06

0.99