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:

L.L.Woolbright lwoolbright@lternet.edu
Eda C. Melendez-Colom emelendez@lternet.edu

DATA SET IDENTIFIER: Frog abundance infertilization plots

PROJECT TITLE: Frog Population Dynamics

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: El Verde Station, located in the tabonuco forest zone on the NW side of the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF), has hosted numerous scientific efforts since the 1960s. Thus, a great deal of information exists concerning anuran populations at the site over the past 30 years. Although past surveys did not use consistent techniques, they clearly document the general status of the anuran community of the area. I began working at El Verde in the 1970s and have collected data on the anuran community primarily in the 1980s and 1990s. Until recently, these surveys also lacked a consistent sampling protocol, although they clearly document declines in species richness in comparison to earlier records.

Most Puerto Rican Eleutherodactylus are terrestrial frogs that breed for prolonged periods of time in more or less continuous habitat. Because their life cycle lacks a free living larvae stage, reproductive behavior is not tied to bodies of water and they do not have the large aggregations typical of many aquatic breeders. For these reasons, assessing their population status requires examining fairly large areas of habitat. I began systematically sampling the anuran community on a 12 ha grid at the Bisley watersheds in 1989 and a second 16 ha grid at El Verde in 1993. These efforts have provided a comprehensive data set that can be used to evaluate future changes in the anuran community in this forest.

LTER CORE AREAS: (Annotate all that apply)  
Population Dynamics

LEF LTER 1 RESEARCH TOPIC: (Annotate all that apply)  
Spatial & temporal distribution of population 

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 Fertilization allBlocksdata.txt June 14, 1993  once June 1993 

RESEARCH LOCATION: MRCE plots at El Verde site

INVESTIGATORS:

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS E-MAIL address

Larry Woolbright

Lwoolbright@siena.edu

OTHER RESEARCHERS E-MAIL address

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

Larry Woolbright

Lwoolbright@siena.edu

(518) 783-2440

SOURCE OF FUNDING (SPONSOR): NSF

DATA SET ABSTRACT: Population estimates and body sizes of E. coqui were collected on fertilization, litter removal, and control plots.

DATA SET METHODS: Mark-recapture. Adult coquies (725 mm SVL) were and measured with dial calipers. Each was toedipped, individually in some plots, by cohorts or others. Sex and reproductive condition were noted. Juveniles were counted.

REFERENCES:

CROSS-REFERENCES (other data sets related to this one): LTERDBAS25: Frog transect data, LTERDBAS30: Frog grid data (Bisley), LTERDBAS44: Frog population plots (El Verde + Bisley), LTERDBAS45: Frog spatial distribution data (El Verde + Bisley), LTERDBAS76: Frog abundance in fertilization plots, LTERDBAS150: Pattern morphology for frogs captured at 9 locations in northeastern Puerto Rico over a 25-year period from 1978 to 2002

SAMPLE LOCATION:

STORAGE SITES (of data files): ITES - UPR; Data Management File Cabinet DM-001- Drawer #1

INVESTIGATOR'S ASSIGNED KEYWORDS: Amphibia, Ancura, leptodactylidae, Eleutherodactylus coqui, population density, demography, productivity

LEF LTER OFFICIAL KEYWORDS (See table): MRCE, TABONUCO, POPULATION DYNAMICS, AMPHIBIANS, PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL

PUBLICATIONS:
Woolbright, L.L. 1997. Local extinctions of anuran amphibians in the Luquillo Experimental Forest of Northeastern Puerto Rico. Journal of Herpetology 31(4):572-576.

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: J. ZIMMERMAN, A. LUGO , D.J. LODGE

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

ABBREVIATION (as it appears on the data file)

MRCEBLOCKPLOT Treatment SEX FROGID

NAME OF VARIABLE

MRCE Plot Block Number Treatment Sex of frog Frog ID (Identification)

DEFINITION OF VARIABLE

MRCE fertilization plot plot identifier Type of block treatment Sex of captured frog This codes the reproductive status, pattern morph, and toc-clip of each animal marked.

UNIT

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

PRECISION

N/A N/A N/A N/A

RANGE OR LIST OF VALUES

I, II, III

Fertilization

Litter Removal

Control Plots
(See LTERDBAS#111 for an explanation of these values)

F = female
M = male

A1 2345 b

A= reproductive status: male - female

1= pattern morph:
9- wild type mottled
11-vertebral stripe
16-dorsalatesal stripes
5-spots
6-interocular bar
1-smooth monocolor

2-5=toe numbers. The 4 digit are the 4 feet: 
2-left hand
3-right
4-left foot
5-each ranges from 1-4 where its left most toe and 4 is right most)

b= thumbs (optional and determined series):
Blank-no thumbs clipperd 
T-tumb clipped on left foot
O-thumb clipped on right foot

DATA TYPE

alphabetical

alphabetical alphabetical Alphanumeric

MISSING DATA CODES

none

none blank none

VARIABLES (ATTRIBUTES):

FILE NAME OR #ABOVE (all in which the variable appears)

1 1 1 1

ABBREVIATION (as it appears on the data file)

DATEm-dd (m=month, d=day: DATE6/14/1993, DATE6/17/1993, DATE6/18/1993, DATE6-20, NODATE1, NODATE2) Bodysize COMMENTS DATACOLLECTORS

NAME OF VARIABLE

Capturated or not captured  Body size Sub-Total indicator Data collectorsm or observers

DEFINITION OF VARIABLE

This shows whether each animal was seen on each night. (Optional addition number shows reproductive state) This shows body size from tip of snout to posterior tip of urostyle, taken with frog pressed flat against a notebook. Indicates when values represents sub-totals Observers, people that obtained the data

UNIT

N/A

millimeters

N/A N/A

PRECISION

N/A Instrument measures to 0.1 mm sizes recorded to 0.5 mm measurement repeatable to ± 1.0 mm. N/A N/A

RANGE OR LIST OF VALUES

X = frog was captured that night.

Blank = frog was nmot captured that night.

Optional numbers for report status:

If male:

1 = sex uncertain

2 = baggy throat

3 = calling

(note "c" was used in earlier data files for 1990)

If female:

1 = sex uncertain

2 = eggs visible but small

3 = grand – large eggs visible.

25.0 (Arbitrary cut-off adult status) to largest posible sizes of 50mm +   several

DATA TYPE

Numeric

real

alphanumeric alphabetic

MISSING DATA CODES

not captured

N/A

N/A none

COMPUTATIONAL METHODS:
Variable Name Formula



FOR DATA MANAGER USE ONLY

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: February 9, 2006
DATE OF LAST ENTRY: 1993

STAGE OF DATA SET MANAGEMENT (dates):
RECEIVED ENTERED: 1990

FILED ON-LINE: April 23, 2001

REVIEWED BY RESEARCHER

FILING MEDIA:
NAME OF DOCUMENTATION FILE: lterdb76.htm

NAME OF ON - LINE CATALOG: LTERDBAS

RECORD #: 76

DOCUMENT TYPE: paper and magnetic media

PRIORITY TO BE ENTERED:

Rev. date of this form: 8 June 2000