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:

• Add rows to tables or lines to paraghaphs as you need them for entering your data.
• Contact emelendez@lternet.edu, if you have any question.

PERSON(S) COMPLETING THIS FORM: E-MAIL ADDRESS:

DATA SET IDENTIFIER: 40 X 40 grid vegetation and site characteristics, Bisley

PROJECT TITLE: Bisley Vegetation Plots

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Relationships between landforms, soil nutrients, forest structure, and the relative importance of different disturbances were quantified in two subtropical wet steepland watersheds in Pueno Rico. Ridges had fewer landslides and treefall gaps, more above-ground biomass, older aged stands, and greater species richness than other landscape positions. Ridge soils had relatively low quantities of exchangeable bases but high soil organic matter, acidity and exchangeable iron. Valley sites had higher frequencies of disturbance, less biomass, younger aged stands, lower species richness and soils with more exchangeable bases. Soil N, P, and K were distributed relatively independently of geomorphic setting, but were significantly related to the composition and age of vegetation. On a watershed basis, hurricanes were the dominant natural disturbance in the turnover of individuals, biomass, and forest canopy. However. turnover by the mortality of individuals that die without creating canopy openings was faster than the turnover by any natural disturbance. Only in riparian areas was forest turnover by treefall gaps faster than turnover by hurricanes. The same downslope mass transfer that links soil forming processes across the landscape also influences the distribution of landslides, treefall gaps, and the structure and composition of the forest. One consequence of these interactions is that the greatest aboveground biomass occurs on ridges where the soil nutrient pools are the smallest. Geomorphic stability, edaphic conditions, and biotic adaptations apparently override the importance of spatial variations in soil nutrients in the accumulation of above-ground biomass at this site.

LTER CORE AREAS: (Annotate all that apply)

Population Dynamics

Primary Productivity

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

Environmental monitoring

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	Vegetation and site charactericts of plots on a 40x40 m grid that covers Bisley watersheds	BisleyGridVegetation.txt	March 1, 1988	First 17 years varies; every 5 years after 2004	March 31, 2004

RESEARCH LOCATION: This study was conducted in two of the Bisley Experimental Watersheds of the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF) of Puerto Rico. The Bisley watersheds 1 and 2 are on the windward side of the mountains, have a mean annual precipitation of approximately 3500 mm, and occur in the subtropical forest life zone (Scatena, 1989).

INVESTIGATORS:

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS E-MAIL address

Frederick N. Scatena

fns@sas.upenn.edu

OTHER RESEARCHERS E-MAIL address

Tamara Heartsill-Scalley	theartsill@lternet.edu
Ariel Lugo	alugo@fs.fed.us

CONTACT PERSONS E-MAIL address Phone Number (Include area code)

Frederick N. Scatena	fns@sas.upenn.edu	(787) 766-5335
Tamara Heartsill-Scalley	theartsill@lternet.edu	(787)766-5335 (204)

SOURCE OF FUNDING (SPONSOR): USFS-LTER

DATA SET ABSTRACT: Relationships between landforms, soil nutrients, forest structure, and the relative importance of different disturbances were quantified in two subtropical wet steepland watersheds in Pueno Rico. Ridges had fewer landslides and treefall gaps, more above-ground biomass, older aged stands, and greater species richness than other landscape positions. Ridge soils had relatively low quantities of exchangeable bases but high soil organic matter, acidity and exchangeable iron. Valley sites had higher frequencies of disturbance, less biomass, younger aged stands, lower species richness and soils with more exchangeable bases. Soil N, P, and K were distributed relatively independently of geomorphic setting, but were significantly related to the composition and age of vegetation. On a watershed basis, hurricanes were the dominant natural disturbance in the turnover of individuals, biomass, and forest canopy. However. turnover by the mortality of individuals that die without creating canopy openings was faster than the turnover by any natural disturbance. Only in riparian areas was forest turnover by treefall gaps faster than turnover by hurricanes. The same downslope mass transfer that links soil forming processes across the landscape also influences the distribution of landslides, treefall gaps, and the structure and composition of the forest. One consequence of these interactions is that the greatest aboveground biomass occurs on ridges where the soil nutrient pools are the smallest. Geomorphic stability, edaphic conditions, and biotic adaptations apparently override the importance of spatial variations in soil nutrients in the accumulation of above-ground biomass at this site.

DATA SET METHODS: Vegetation and site characteristics were measured in 83 permanent plots that were geographically referenced to a 1:500 scale topographic map of the area. These plots consisted of 10-m diameter circles that were established at the nodes of a 40 X 40 grid that covered both watersheds. See List of Codes assigned to these plots . In 1988 and again 3 months after Hurricane Hugo, each stem within the plots that had a diameter at 1.3 m height (DBH) greater than or equal to 2.5cm was identified and measured. Species names follow Liogier and Martorell (1982) and Chinea et al. (1994). (For more details see Scatena and Lugo, 1995). Observations were performed again in 1994 and 2004, and will be repeated every 5 years from 2004 on.

For more information on Grid and vegetation see Scatena and Lugo, 1995 Geomorphology V13:199-213

REFERENCES:
Scatena, F.N. 1989. An introduction to the physiography and history of the Bisley Experimental Watersheds in the Luquillo Mountains of Puerto Rico. General Technical Report SO-72. USDA Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station, New Orleans, Louisiana.

CROSS-REFERENCES:

SAMPLE LOCATION: N/A

STORAGE SITES: IITF: USDA International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Rio Piedras; ITES, Data Manager's File DM-001 , Drawer #1

INVESTIGATOR'S ASSIGNED KEYWORDS: Bisley, grid points, geomorphology, soil catena, biomass

LEF LTER OFFICIAL KEYWORDS (See table): BISLEY WATERSHEDS, TABONUCO, CLIMATE, RAINFALL, TREES , PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL

PUBLICATIONS:
Scatena F.N and A. Lugo. 1995. Geomorphology, disturbance, and the soil and vegetation of two subtropical wet steepland watersheds of Puerto Rico. Geomorphology 13:199-213.

Chinea, J.D., R. J. Beymer, C. Rivera, I. Sastre de Jesus, and F.N. Scatena . 1994. An annotated list of the flora of the Bisley area, Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, 1987 to 1992. General Technical Report SO-94. USDA Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station, New Orleans, Louisiana

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: This study was conducted in two of the Bisley Experimental Watersheds of the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF) of Puerto Rico. The Luquillo mountains (18°;20'N, 65°49'W) are the predominant physiographic feature in northeastern Puerto Rico and are from sea level to an elevation of 1075 m over a distance of approximately 10 km. The Bisley watersheds 1 and 2 are on the windward side of the mountains, have a mean annual precipitation of approximately 3500 mm, and occur in the subtropical forest life zone (Scatena, 1989). These adjacent watersheds drain a total of 13 highly dissected hectares that are underlain by a Cretaceous age volcanoclastic oldstone of andesitic composition.

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)	YEAR	GRID-X	GRID-Y	SPECIESCODE	stemsperPlot
NAME OF VARIABLE	Year of measurement	Grid number(X)	Grid number(Y)	Species Code	Stems per Species per Plot
DEFINITION OF VARIABLE	Year when observation was performed	Grid number assigned to the geographic x-coordinate of the plot center. Each grid point is a 10M diameter circle that was measured in 1988 prior to Hurricane Hugo.	Grid number assigned to the geographic y-coordinate of the plot center.Each grid point is a 10M diameter circle that was measured in 1988 prior to Hurricane Hugo.	Six letter code: first 3 letters of the genus and first 3 letters of the species. (used by other projects as well). (Format used is GggSss, here Ggg = first three letters of the genus, and Sss = first 3 letters of the species )	Number of stems of species per plot with DBH >= 2.5cm
UNIT					number
PRECISION
RANGE OR LIST OF VALUES	1988, 1989,1994, 2004	0, 40, 80, 120, 200, 240, 280, 320, 360	200, 240, 280, 320, 360, 400, 440, 480, 520, 560, 600, 640, 680, 720, 760	ALCFLO = Alchorneopsis floribunda (Benth.) Muell. Arg.; previously Alchorneopsis portoricensis (ALCPOR). ALCLAT = Alchornea latifolia Sw.. ALSPOR = Alsophila portoricensis; previously Cyathea portoricensis? (CYAPOR). ANDINE = Andira inermis (W. Wright) HBK. ANIBRA = . ANTOBT = Antirhea obtusifolia Urban. BUCCAP = Buchenavia capitata (Vahl) Eichl.. BYRSPI = Byrsonima spicata (Cav.) HBK. CALSQU = Calycogonium squamulosum Cogn.. CASARB = Casearia arborea (L.C. Rich.) Urban. CASGUI = Cassipourea guianensis Aubl. OR Casearia guianensis (Aubl.) Urban. CECSCH = Cecropia schreberiana Miq.. CONHOT = . CORBOR = Cordia borinquensis Urban. CORSUL = Cordia sulcata DC.. CYAARB = Cyathea arborea (L.) J. E. Smith. DACEXC = Dacryodes excelsa Vahl. DENARB = Dendropanax arboreus (L.) Decne. & Planch.. DRYGLA = Drypetes glauca Vahl. EUGEGE = . EUGJAM = Eugenia jambolana?. EUGSTA = Eugenia stahlii (Kiaersk.) Krug & Urban. GUAGLA = Guarea glabra Vahl. GUAGUI = Guarea guidonia (L.) Sleumer. HENFAS = Henriettea fascicularis (Sw.) Gomez Maza. HIRRUG = Hirtella rugosa Pers.. HOMRAC = Homalium racemosum Jacq.. ILESIN = ILESID = Ilex sideroxyloides (Sw) Griseb.?. INGLAU = Inga laurina (Sw.) Willd.. INGVER = Inga vera Willd.. KHANYA = . LAEPRO = Laetia procera (P. & E.) Eichl.. LAPPOR = Laplacea portoricensis (Krug & Urban) Dyer. MAGSPL = Magnolia splendens Urban. MANBID = Manilkara bidentata ( A. DC.) A. Chev.. MELHER = Meliosma herbertii Rolfe. MICFOE = Miconia foveolata Cogn.?. MICMIR = Miconia mirabilis (Aubl.) L. O. Williams. MICPRA = Miconia prasina (Sw.) DC.. MICRAC = Miconia racemosa (Aubl.) DC.. MICSER = Miconia serrulata (DC.) Nand.. MICTET = Miconia tetrandra (Sw.) D. Don. MYRDEF = Myrcia deflexa (Poir.) DC.. MYRFAL = . MYRLEP = Myrcia leptoclada DC.. MYRSPL = Myrcia splendens (Sw.) DC.. NECTUR = Nectandra Turbacensis (Nees) Mez; previously Ocotea sintenisii (Mez) Alain (NECSIN). NEPPOR = . OCOLEU = Ocotea leucoxylon (Sw.) Mez. OCOSPA = Ocotea spathulata Mez. ORMKRU = Ormosia Krugii Urban. PALRIP = Palicourea riparia Benth.. PREMON = Prestoea montana (R. Graham) Nichols.. PSYBER = Psychotria berteriana DC.. PSYBRA = Psychotria brachiata Sw.. QUATUR = Quararibaea turbinata (Sw.) Poir .. SAPLAU = Sapium laurocerasus Desf.. SCHMOR = Schefflera morototoni (Aubl.) Decne . & Planch.. SLOBER = Sloanea berteriana Choisy. SWIMAC = Swietenia macrophylla G. King in Hooker. TABHET = Tabebuia heterophylla (DC.) Britton. TETBAL = Tetragastris balsamifera (Sw.) Kuntze. TETURB = . TRIPAL = Trichilia pallida Sw.. TUROCI = . UREBAC = Urera baccifera (L.) Wedd.
DATA TYPE	datetime	integer	integer	alphabetic	integer
MISSING DATA CODES

VARIABLES (ATTRIBUTES):

VARIABLES (ATTRIBUTES):

COMPUTATIONAL METHODS:

Variable Name	Formula

FOR DATA MANAGER USE ONLY

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: July 28, 2010
DATE OF LAST ENTRY: 1988
STAGE OF DATA SET MANAGEMENT (dates):
RECEIVED: Feb 6, 1990
CATALOGUED: Feb 6, 1990
ON-LINE: May 18, 1997
REVIEWED BY RESEARCHER: 1997
FILING MEDIA:
NAME OF DOCUMENTATION FILE: LTERDB31.FM1
NAME OF DATA FILE: bis40x40.txt
NAME OF ON - LINE CATALOG: LTERDBAS RECORD #: 31
DOCUMENT TYPE: data set (magnetic media)
PRIORITY TO BE ENTERED: N/A

Rev. date of this form: 8 June 2001