Cirsium pitcheri soil moisture and seedling density data

Variables
Variables (legacy): 

Project_Plant#

  • Label: Project_Plant#
  • Definition: A code to indicate a unique Cirsium pitcheri plant.
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified

,
Easting

  • Label: Easting
  • Definition: Number of meters East from the most southern corner.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: meter
  • Maximum: 5
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: 0.01
  • Missing values: None specified

,
Northing

  • Label: Northing
  • Definition: Number of meters North from the southern most corner of the plot
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: meter
  • Maximum: 5
  • Minimum: 0
  • Precision: 0.01
  • Missing values: None specified

,
Seedlings

  • Label: Seedlings
  • Definition: Number of Cirsium pitcheri seedlings in a 1 meter squared quadrat (density)
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified

,
VWC % (N)

  • Label: VWC % (N)
  • Definition: Volumetric water content in percent in the northern part of the quadrat.
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified

,
VWC % (E)

  • Label: VWC % (E)
  • Definition:
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified

,
VWC % (S)

  • Label: VWC % (S)
  • Definition:
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified

,
VWC % (W)

  • Label: VWC % (W)
  • Definition:
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified

,
Avg VWC

  • Label: Avg VWC
  • Definition:
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified

Methods: 

Field work was conducted at Sturgeon Bay, Wilderness State Park, in Emmett County, MI (45.72°N, -84.94°W) to attempt to understand natural soil moisture preferences of C. pitcheri and compare this to seedling and seed responses to moisture levels in the lab. Sturgeon Bay has a large population of C. pitcheri and lower levels of human disturbance than nearby dune areas, which could impact seedling establishment (cite) . I randomly selected 30 plants from 105 that had flowered the previous year and were located with GPS coordinates in early August 2016. . Since C. pitcheri plants die after reproducing with a single flowering event (monocarpic), only their remains could have been expected to be found, unless some disturbance, e.g., wave action removed them. If the remains of the flowering plant were discovered, a 1 m^2 sampling frame was centered over the remains and I counted the number of seedlings within the quadrat. If the remains could not be found, a cluster of seedlings was searched for in the area. If no seedlings were found, the sampling frame was laid where the GPS units reported the plant remains should have been. Volumetric water content (VWC) readings were taken using a soil moisture sensor (Hydrosense II, Campbell Scientific Inc., Logan, UT) near a seedling (if available) at each corner of the quadrat to get an idea of the range of moisture conditions within the area. This process was repeated for each of the 30 sites. A linear regression analysis was used to compare average VWC to density of seedlings per square meter.

Additional Information

FieldValue
mimetypeapplication/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet
filesizeunknown
resource typefile upload
timestampApr 03, 2019