Locations of sampling stations: LTER belowground study plots.

Sampling history: In 1989, sampling was done once in early July after mowing using one 10 m² plot placed randomly in the approximate center of each plot. In 1994, plant composition sampling was done in early June in the unmowed plots; sampling in the mowed plots occurred in August. In 1999, two permanent conduits were placed in each plot, and sampling was conducted in June, before mowing, and again in August using 5 m² plot sizes. In 2005 and afterward, sampling was reduced to one time in late July. Sampling occurred once every five years until 2015. Plots have been sampled annually since 2016.

Two of the long-term unburned plots in a wildfire in 1994 and 1995. Those plots and years of the fire are indicated on the linked plot map. The mowing treatment was discontinued after 2002 due to invasion of the mowed plots by old world bluestem grasses. Data users should check for exotic species impacts on specific mowed subplots prior to this. In addition, fertilization in all plots ceased in 2017 as part of recovery from chronic N enrichment experiment.

Frequency of sampling: see above.

Variables measured: Estimated canopy coverage class for each species.

Methods: to assess plant species composition all plant species in a 5 m² circular plot are recorded. A surveyor's pin is placed in the conduit marking the center of the plot. Attached to the pin is a 1.26 m long chain with a ring at the free end. The observer holds the ring on a finger, pulls the chain taut, and walks in a circle around the circumference of the plot defined by the chain radius. For each plot, canopy coverage of all species is estimated using a modified Daubenmire cover scale (Bailey and Poulton, 1968, Ecology 49:1-13).

Cover categories are: Class - Canopy cover - Mid-point:1 - '<1%' - '0.5%'; 2 - '1-5%' - '3.0%'; 3 - '5-25%' - '15.0%'; 4 - '25-50%' - '37.5%' ; 5 - '50-75%' - '62.5%'; 6 - '75-95%' - '85.0%'; 7 - '95-100%' - '97.5%'.

Form of data output: canopy coverage is computed for each plot by averaging the midpoints of the cover class ratings for each species for the 2 plots at each sampling period.

For list of species codes used: please check (updated on Jan. 2024) Konza species list (PDF), or species list in Excel version

For schematic of the plot-level treatments see: BGPVC Trt Map

For additional metadata information see: http://lter.konza.ksu.edu/sites/default/files/DC.pdf

For additional methods information see: http://lter.konza.ksu.edu/sites/default/files/MM.pdf