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:
Barbara A. Richardson mjrichardson@clara.net
Michael J. Richardson mjrichardson@clara.net

DATA SET IDENTIFIER: Litter invertebrate communities at different elevations in the LEF

PROJECT TITLE: Community Composition of Litter Invertebrate (Litter invertebrate diversity in the LEF)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: A study of the litter invertebrate fauna in litter from palm and non-palm canopies in each of the three main forest types in the LEF was undertaken to distinguish between the effects of elevation and of litter quality and quantity on the composition and biomass of the litter invertebrate community.
(See complete Community Composition of Litter Invertebrate Project description)

LTER CORE AREAS: Annotate all that apply (See online list)

Population Dynamics

LEF LTER 1 RESEARCH TOPIC: (Annotate all that apply) (See online list)

Animal diversity in relation to nutrient inputs


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

Litter invertebrate communities
February 1, 1999
annually
February 28, 2001

RESEARCH LOCATION: Four different areas within the LEF: Tabonuco at El Verde, Palo Colorado Tradewind Trail, and Dwarf Forest at Pico del Este, and palm forest at Pico del Oeste.

INVESTIGATORS:

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

Barbara A. Richardson mjrichardson@clara.net
Michael J. Richardson mjrichardson@clara.net

OTHER RESEARCHERS

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

Felipe. N. Soto-Adames felipe.soto@uvm.edu

CONTACT PERSONS

Phone Number (Include area code)

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

Barbara Richardson 0131-447-8165 (UK) mjrichardson@clara.net

SOURCE OF FUNDING (SPONSOR): USDA Forest Service, University of Puerto Rico

DATA SET ABSTRACT: Identification and number of invertebrates recovered from each litter sample.

DATA SET METHODS: Samples of litter were taken from 0.25 m2 plots in the research locations, and invertebrate animals extracted with Tullgren funnels. Animals were collected and preserved for counting and identification. For details see Richardson, B.A., Richardson, M.J. & Soto-Adames, F. (2005). Separating the effects of forest type and elevation on the diversity of litter invertebrate communities in a humid tropical forest in Puerto Rico. Journal of Animal Ecology 74, 926-936.

REFERENCES:
Richardson, B.A., Richardson, M.J. & Soto-Adames, F. (2005). Separating the effects of forest type and elevation on the diversity of litter invertebrate communities in a humid tropical forest in Puerto Rico. Journal of Animal Ecology 74, 926-936.

CROSS-REFERENCES (other data sets related to this one): LTERDBAS 134: Invertebrate dry weight data; Litter data: see Project Nutrient Cycling in Tabonuco Forest data sets.

SAMPLE LOCATION: with the researchers and various museums

STORAGE SITES(of data files): with the researchers

INVESTIGATOR'S ASSIGNED KEYWORDS: biomass, invertebrates, diversity (species richness and abundance)

LEF LTER OFFICIAL KEYWORDS (See table): EL VERDE, PALO COLORADO TRAIDWIND TRAIL, PICO DEL ESTE, CLOUD FOREST , COLORADO, PALM, TABONUCO, COMMUNITY COMPOSITION , PRIMARY PRODUCTION, INVERTEBRATES, PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL

PUBLICATIONS:
Richardson, B.A., Richardson, M.J. & Soto-Adames, F. (2005). Separating the effects of forest type and elevation on the diversity of litter invertebrate communities in a humid tropical forest in Puerto Rico. Journal of Animal Ecology 74, 926-936.

DISSEMINATION:

RESTRICTED ___ UNRESTRICTED _X__

REASONS TO RESTRICT DATA IN THIS DATA SET BEYOND ITS TWO YEAR POLICY PERIOD*:

*WILL HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY AT LEAST ONE LUQ LTER PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: N. Brokaw, A. Lugo

FILING

_X__ "File" copy only:Data Management will only file an electronic copy of the data file and its documentation 
___ " 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

Tabonuco at El Verde 18.32°N 65.82°W
Palo Colorado Tradewind Trail 18.29°N 65.81°W
Dwarf Forest at Pico del Este 18.28°N 65.76°W
Palm Forest at Pico del Oeste 18.28°N 65.77°W

VARIABLES (ATTRIBUTES):

File Name or # above (all in which the variable appears)

1 1      

AbbreviationAbbreviation(as it appears on the data file)

ORIGINALCODES YEARCODE FORESTCODE PALMTYPECODE LITTERSAMPLENUMBER

NAME OF VARIABLE

Original column codes of year, forest , palm type and sample number Year corresponding to the year code Original forest code Palm type code Litter sample identifier

DEFINITION OF VARIABLE

A code form with the format 'Year code/forest code/palmtype code/sample number', where year = 99,00,01; forest code = T (tabonuco), C (palo Colorado), D (dwarf forest), palm type = P (palm), NP ( non-palm), and sample number = 1, 2, 3, 4 forming a total of 72 codes. No data is missing in this column. The corresponding year to the year code in numeric yyyy format. No data is missing in this column. A code corresponding to the type forest in the Luquillo Experimental Forest where the samples where extracted from. . No data is missing in this column. A code that identifies the litter in terms of its palm or no-palm litter content???????????. No data is missing in this column. A number identifying one of the four litter sample taken at the corresponding site. . No data is missing in this column.

UNIT

         

PRECISION

         

RANGE OR LIST OF VALUES

  1999, 2000, 2001 T = tabonuco, C = palo Colorado, D = dwarf forest) P = palm, NP = non-palm  

DATA TYPE

alphanumeric numeric alphabetic alphabetic  

MISSING DATA CODES

         

VARIABLES (ATTRIBUTES):

File Name or # above (all in which the variable appears)

1 1 1 1 1

AbbreviationAbbreviation(as it appears on the data file)

Taxon Classification State MM COUNTS

NAME OF VARIABLE

Species name Classification State Length of animal Count of organisms

DEFINITION OF VARIABLE

Assigned name of animal constituted by its order, family or genus and a number or by its scientific name. No data is missing in this column. Higher taxonomic group to which the taxon belongs (order). No data is missing in this column. Developmental stage of animal in terms of its maturity. A blank means the animal found was mature. No data is missing in this column. Length of animal in mm Count of organisms of that species, of that size group, in that litter sample of the specific forest type. A blank means no individual of that species was found.

UNIT

      millimeter  

PRECISION

         

RANGE OR LIST OF VALUES

    IMM = immature (larva or pupa) 0-100 0-1500

DATA TYPE

alphanumeric alphabetic alphabetic numeric numeric

MISSING DATA CODES

         

COMPUTATIONAL METHODS:

Variable Name

Formula

   


FOR DATA MANAGER USE ONLY

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: May 15, 2009

DATE OF LAST ENTRY: February 28, 2001

STAGE OF DATA SET MANAGEMENT (dates):
RECEIVED: October 11, 2005
ENTERED: February 2, 2006
FILED ON-LINE :February 2, 2006
REVIEWED BY RESEARCHER:

FILING MEDIA:
NAME OF DOCUMENTATION FILE: Litter Invertebrate data.doc, lterdb137.htm
NAME OF ON - LINE CATALOG: LTERDBAS
RECORD #: 137
DOCUMENT TYPE: binary data only
PRIORITY TO BE ENTERED: N/A

Rev. date of this form: 28 July 200/ 15 July  2001/June 9, 2003/March 16, 2004/12 April 2005/ 8 November 2005/ 16 January 2006