General:
This data set is part of an on-going LTER project at the Plum Island Ecosystem (PIE) site.
Sampling Description:
The biomass estimation method is non-destructive. Three replicate permanent plots were established on the marsh platfomr. Each plot is 10cmx10cm. In May and June, plants in the subplots are tagged with bird ID bands. Approximately monthly from May to October, heights of the tagged plants and associated culms are measured to the nearest cm. Plant heights are read into a digital recorder. Descriptions of the locations of the plants within the quadrat are also recorded (e.g. northwest corner or northwest of tag #xxxx). Plant measurements are always taken with the observer on the same side of the quadrat for ease in tracking individual plants throughout the growing season.
The plant census at began in June 2019.
Data processing:
Plant height data are entered first into an EXCEL spreadsheet. AFORTRAN program is used to calculate plant weight from plant height (Morris and Haskin, 1990). Fortran outputs are entered into SAS programs to calculate means.
References:
(Morris and Haskin, 1990. Ecology 71(6):2209-2217)
(SAS System for Windows; release 8.02; SAS Institute, Inc; Cary, NC)
Elevation:
LTE-MP-SRA, ~ 1.42 meters NAVD88 (surveyed summer 2021)