LUQ LTER DATA SETS DOCUMENTATION FORM
ON-LINE VERSION
A DATA SET is a series of observations collected by the same methodology. Each data set should have documentation sufficient for someone unfamiliar with the research to replicate the study. Data sets may be broken into subsets (data files) that are discrete in space and time, in that order. The documentation for a data set should include all spatial and temporal subdivisions of the data.
(Data, Abstract, Methods, Variables)
NOTES:
PERSON(S) COMPLETING THIS FORM: E-MAIL ADDRESS:
|
Douglas Reagan |
|
|
Eda C. Melendez-Colom |
DATA SET IDENTIFIER: Anole treefall gap transects (Bisley & El Verde-H10 Gaps)
PROJECT TITLE: Anolis Population Dynamics
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The population activity, abundance ,density, and spatial distribution of anoline lizards (genus Anolis) were investigated in tabonuco rain forest of the Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico. A summary of the aspects of anole biology relevant to food web structure and organization in tabonuco forest were developed from these studies.
The anole activity in different habitats was studied in relation to the changes in canopy structure before and after Hurricane Hugo (September 1989). The drastic reduction in canopy structure immediately following the hurricane confined anole activity to the lower few meters of the forest. Anolis stratulus, a canopy species, apparently responded to changes in microclimate. Relative abundance estimates based on vertical transect surveys were A. stratulus (82%), A. gundlachi (11%), and A. evermanni (7%). Vertical surveys documented that A. stratulus was the most abundant anole species in the forest and inhabited the canopy at estimated population densities of 25,870ñ 7005 (dry season) and 21,333 ñ 6638 (wet season) individuals/ha. Field studies demonstrated the importance of small diameter perches in the structural habitat of this species. Individual A. stratulus occupy small, ellipsoidal home ranges and/or territories (males only) with a mean diameter of 6.2 ñ 1.2 m layered within the 10-14 m thick canopy. This three-dimensional habitat partitioning has not previously been noted for a vertebrate species and may account for the ability of A. stratulus to reach extremely high population densities.
On Caribbean islands where there are no large animals such as those found in mainland ecosystems (e.g., tapirs, jaguars), anoles constitute a substantial portion of the total animal biomass. Their abundance, widespread ecological distribution, and functional role as higher order consumers make them important components of insular animal communities throughout the Caribbean. Recent studies have demonstrated their importance in structuring food webs on Caribbean islands (Schoener and Toft 1983; Schoener and Spiller 1987), and Reagan (1986) described the role of anoles as important consumers in the food web of tabonuco forest at El Verde.
LTER CORE AREAS: (Annotate all that apply)
|
Population Dynamics |
LEF LTER 1 RESEARCH TOPIC: (Annotate all that apply)
|
Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Populations |
We define a data file as
a component of a data set. A data set can have only one data file or more. Basically,
different data files have different data structures or format.
DATA SET FILES (SUBSETS):
|
Data File No. |
Data File Identifier |
On-Line Filename |
Starting Date |
Periodicity of sample |
End Period |
|
1 |
El Verde and Bisley Treefall Gap Transect Data |
February 18, 1989 |
once |
February 24, 1989 |
RESEARCH LOCATION: El Verde Study Area (H10 gap transect), Bisley Study Area (Smithonian tree fall gaps) Bisley tower area
INVESTIGATORS:
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS E-MAIL address
|
Douglas Reagan |
OTHER RESEARCHERS E-MAIL address
|
|
CONTACT PERSONS E-MAIL address Phone Number (Include area code)
|
Douglas Reagan |
(303)688-0754 |
DATA SET ABSTRACT: Transects were established through large recent treefall gaps to determine the relative abundance of different anole species at different distances from the center of the gap.
DATA SET METHODS: A single 60m transect was established through two large treefall gaps. Each transect was centered on the center of the treefall gap and extended 30m from the center into the surrounding forest. The species, sex/age, distance along the transect line (m), height above ground level, perch diameter, substrate, and distance from centerline of the transect were recorded.
REFERENCES:
CROSS-REFERENCES (other data sets related to this one): Lterdb01: Anole ground level transects (Bisley and El Verde), Lterdb04: Anole Vertical Transects (tower DATA), Lterdb05: Anole Mark and Resight Study, Lterdb06: Anole Grid Study; Lterdb24: Anole Food Habits
SAMPLE LOCATION: NA
STORAGE SITES (of data files): LUQ LTER Data Manager's Cabinet DM333-001, Drawer # 2
INVESTIGATOR'S ASSIGNED KEYWORDS: anole, lizards, reptiles, gaps
LEF LTER OFFICIAL KEYWORDS (See table): BISLEY GAPS, EL VERDE, TABONUCO, TREEFALL, REPTILES, PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL
PUBLICATIONS:
Reagan, D.P. 1991. The response of Anolis lizards to hurricane-induced habitat
changes in a Puerto Rican forest. Biotropica 23:468-474
Reagan, D.P. 1992. Congeneric species distribution and abundance in a three-dimensional habitat: the rain forest Anoles of Puerto Rico. Copeia 1992:392-403.
Reagan, D.P. 1995. Lizard ecology in the canopy of an island rain forest. Chapter 7 in M. Lowman and N. Nadkarni, editors. Forest canopies. Academic Press, Inc., Orlando, Florida.
Reagan, D.P. 1996a. Anoline lizards. Pages 321-345 in D. P. Reagan and R. B. Waide, editors. The food web of a tropical rain forest. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois.
Reagan, D.P. 1996b. The role of amphibians and reptiles in a West Indian rain forest food web. Pages 217-227 in R. Powell and R. W. Henderson, editors. Contributions to West Indian Herpetology: a tribute to Albert Schwartz Volume 12. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles,. Contributions to Herpetology, Ithaca, New York.
DISSEMINATION: UNRESTRICTED
REASONS TO RESTRICT DATA IN THIS DATA SET BEYOND ITS TWO YEAR POLICY PERIOD*:
*WILL HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY LTER PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: N. BROKAW, A. LUGO
FILING
___ "File" copy only : Data Management will only
file an electronic copy of the data file and its documentation
X "Enter" data on-line
: Data Management will be in charge of entering the data on computer files (Contact
Eda C. Meléndez)
SITES DESCRIPTIONS:
Geographical positional system (GPS) Coordinates for each location:
|
location |
latitude |
longitude |
|
|
|
|
VARIABLES (ATTRIBUTES):
|
FILE NAME OR #ABOVE (all in which the variable appears) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| ABBREVIATION (as it appears on the data file) |
STUDY |
FILENAME |
LOCATION |
TIME |
DATE |
|
NAME OF VARIABLE |
Type of study |
Point of observation |
Plot location |
Time |
Date |
|
DEFINITION OF VARIABLE |
Type of study |
Where the observation was performed or forest level |
Study area including direction followed when observing along a transect of tower |
Time of observation (hh:mm:ss AA) |
Date of observation (mm/dd/yy) |
|
UNIT |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
|
PRECISION |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
|
RANGE OR LIST OF VALUES |
Gap |
Bisley, El Verde |
Smithonian, |
||
|
DATA TYPE |
alphanumeric |
alphanumeric |
alphanumeric |
datetime | datetime |
|
MISSING DATA CODES |
none |
none |
none |
none |
none |
VARIABLES (ATTRIBUTES):
FILE NAME OR #ABOVE (all in which the variable appears) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| ABBREVIATION (as it appears on the data file) | TRANSECT |
SEASON |
TRANSECT_DISTANCE_(M) |
SPECIES |
SEX/AGE |
NAME OF VARIABLE |
Transect name |
Season |
Transect distance |
Species
name
|
Sex or Age |
DEFINITION OF VARIABLE |
Transect name indicating its length or including direction followed when observing along a transect of tower |
Season of observation |
Distance in meters along each ground level transect in meters |
Name of species observed |
Sex of adults or age stage |
UNIT |
NA |
NA |
meters |
NA |
NA |
PRECISION |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
|
RANGE OR LIST OF VALUES |
Starting
at canopy end of 60m, |
wet = July to December, dry = January to July |
Anolis evermanni, |
? = sex undetermined, |
|
DATA TYPE |
alphanumeric |
datetime |
decimal |
alphabetic |
alphabetic |
MISSING DATA CODES |
none |
none |
blank | blank |
none |
VARIABLES (ATTRIBUTES):
|
FILE NAME OR #ABOVE (all in which the variable appears) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| ABBREVIATION (as it appears on the data file) |
HEIGHT |
DISTANCE_FROM_CENTERLINE |
PERCH_SUBSTRATE |
PERCH_DIAMETER |
COMMENTS |
|
NAME OF VARIABLE |
Perch Height |
Distance from central line |
Perch substrate |
Perch diameter |
Additional information |
|
DEFINITION OF VARIABLE |
Height above ground level in meters |
Distance from central axis of vertical transect to the lizard |
Underlying line where lizard was observed |
Diameter of a pole or rod, usually horizontal, serving as a roost for the lizard |
Comments;
prey length in mm; miscellaneous observations, including color of enamel used; Maximum length of the prey item in mm |
|
UNIT |
meter |
meter |
centimeter |
centimeter |
|
|
PRECISION |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
||
|
RANGE OR LIST OF VALUES |
0.0 to 25.0 |
0.0 to 8.0 |
|
|
NA |
|
DATA TYPE |
decimal |
decimal |
alphanumeric |
decimal |
alphanumeric |
|
MISSING DATA CODES |
blank |
none |
blank |
blank | blank |
Observations:
COMPUTATIONAL METHODS:
| Variable Name | Formula |
|
|
|
FOR DATA MANAGER USE ONLY
DATE OF LAST REVIEW:
December 9, 2008
DATE OF LAST ENTRY: 1989
STAGE OF DATA SET MANAGEMENT (dates):
RECEIVED ENTERED AND FILED: 7/90
ON-LINE Mar 2001
REVIEWED BY RESEARCHER 3/18/91
FILING MEDIA:
NAME OF DOCUMENTATION FILE: lterdb02.htm, lterdb02.htm, original files: SLEBGLI2.POP,
LTERDB-2.FM1
NAME OF ON - LINE CATALOG: LTERDB
RECORD #: 2
DOCUMENT TYPE: magnetic media (paper also)
PRIORITY TO BE ENTERED: second
Rev. date of this form: 8 June 2000