Date
2015
Abstract
This data set contains information regarding vegetation structure at sites in grama grassland and both creosote and mesquite shrubland habitats at the Sevilleta NWR. This information was collected at randomly selected sites throughout the refuge. Each site is within 100 meters of one of the 22 road-based transects(20 in 2008) that were used to carry out coyote scat surveys during three seasons (spring, summer and fall) in 2009 (see "Coyote scat surveys in grassland and shrubland sites at the Sevilleta NWR, spring, summer and fall 2009" data set). Data was collected within at total of 22 circular vegetation plots (40 in 2008), each of which is 30m in diameter. Each plot was surveyed a total of three times, specifically in: April (spring), July (summer), and October (fall) 2009. Variables were selected based on their relevance to patterns of coyote habitat use, as well as their utility in calibrating Landsat images of the study site and the likelihood that they would vary seasonally. Measured variables include: average percent live woody vegetation cover, average percent live grass cover, average percent live forb cover, and average woody plant height. Information on woody plant species with individuals greater than 0.5 m in height is also presented.
Handle
http://hdl.handle.net/1928/29999.1
Other Identifier
SEV221
Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB) Identifier
knb-lter-sev.221.306065
Document Type
Dataset
Rights
Data Policies: This dataset is released to the public and may be freely downloaded. Please keep the designated Contact person informed of any plans to use the dataset. Consultation or collaboration with the original investigators is strongly encouraged. Publications and data products that make use of the dataset must include proper acknowledgement of the Sevilleta LTER. Datasets must be cited as in the example provided. A copy of any publications using these data must be supplied to the Sevilleta LTER Information Manager. By downloading any data you implicitly acknowledge the LTER Data Policy (http://www.lternet.edu/data/netpolicy.html).
Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/d3d99229d86bf270ea65e49f5be362d1
Temporal coverage
2008-07-30 - 2009-11-01
Spatial coverage
Location: McKenzie Flats is located within the northeastern section of the Sevilleta NWR, encompassing an area from Black Butte south to Palo Duro Canyon and east to the Los Pinos.Landform: McKenzie Flats is a broad, nearly flat grassland plain between the Los Pinos Mountains and the breaks on the east side of the Rio Grande., Geology: Deep (20,000 ft) alluvial and aeolian deposits., Soils: Turney Series: fine-loamy, mixed, thermic Typic Calciorthids. Berino Series: fine-loamy, mixed, thermic Typic Haplargids., Hydrology: Surface water only during rain events, no arroyos. Run-on plain for Los Pinos Mountains., Vegetation: The terrain is generally a mixed-species desert grassland, dominated by black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda), blue grama (B. gracilis), sand muhly (Muhlenbergia arenicola), various drop seeds and sacatons (Sporobolus spp.), purple three-awn (Aristida purpurea), and burrow grass (Scleropogon brevifolia). Shrubs are common in the area around Five Points, including creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) and snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae)., Climate: Long-term mean annual precipitation is 243 mm, about 60% of which occurs during the summer. Long-term mean monthly temperatures for January and July are 1.5 degrees C and 25.1 degrees C, respectively., History: McKenzie Flats encompasses an area of approximately 50 square miles and was one of the primary livestock grazing areas within what is now the Sevilleta NWR. Cattle have been excluded from the site since 1974-76. The ranch headquarters buildings and corrals were located at the junction of Legs C and D of the coyote survey. , siteid: 25Location: The Rio Salado is an ephemeral tributary of the Rio Grande on the west side of the Sevilleta NWR, flowing west by northwest to east by southeast. Rio Salado Grassland and Rio Salado Larrea are two study sites established in 1989. These sites were established as counterparts to sites at Five Points. Between 1989 and 1998, vegetation, litter decomposition, and ground dwelling arthropod and rodent populations were studied at both sites. Core studies at these sites were largely terminated in 1998, although rodent populations are still monitored at the Rio Salado Larrea site because the Small Mammal Exclosure Study's Larrea plots are co-located there. Rio Salado Grassland is the location Met Station 44.The Rio Salado study sites are accessed by taking the San Acacia exit, going west and then taking the frontage road back north to the Sevilleta NWR gate. After entering the refuge turn left after 0.2 mi and take this road 1.4 mi to a "T" in the road at the power lines. An earthen berm stops road travel here and the met station is located about 300 m west on the blocked road. Vegetation: The Rio Salado Larrea site is characterized as Chihuahuan Desert Scrub, dominated by creosotebush (Larrea tridentata), with honey mesquite, fourwing saltbush, purple pricklypear (O. macrocentra), and broom snakeweed as co-occurring shrubs. Dominant grasses are black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda), galleta (Pleuraphis jamesii), burrograss (Scleropogon brevifolia), and fluffgrass (Dasyochloa pulchellum). Common forb species include desert holly (Acourtia nana), spectaclepod (Dimorphocarpa spp.), blackfoot daisey (Melampodium leucanthum), twinleaf (Senna bauhinoides), globemallow (Sphaeralcea wrightii), and plains hiddenflower (Cryptantha crassisepala). While individual creosote bushes tend to be larger, overall plant cover is less than at the creosote core site at Five Points, with more exposed embedded stones and gravel on the soil surface, creating a pavement-like appearance., Location: Bronco Well is located near the northern boundary of the Sevilleta NWR, approximately four miles west of the ATandT on the road to Red Tank.siteid: 14Location: There are 2 road based carnivore scat transects near Five Points. The beginning point for the first transect (D) is located 7.1 miles from the gate at Black Butte and is along Contreas rd, which leads west from the sign at Five Points. The second one (K) begins 2.0 miles south of the sign for Five Points (i.e. intersection of 5 roads) on Palo Duro Rd.Landform: Located on the soutwestern edge of McKenzie Flats and is in the transition zone from grama grassland to creosote shrubland. Five Points is a little north of a valley, which has a large arroyo., Geology: Very shallow and thick caliche layer., Soils: Turney Loam grading into Nickle-Caliza type of soil in the desert shrubland, Hydrology: Surface water is present only during heavy rainfall events. No major arroyos are present in this area, although Palo Duro Canyon borders the southern part of the Five Points study area., Vegetation: Transition from Desert Grassland to Chihuahuan Desert Scrub, which is dominated by creosote (Larrea tridentata)., Climate: There is a meteorological station at Five Points. For further climate details and data, consult the "Sevilleta meteorological" data set., History: This study area was part of the piece of land that was turned into the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in December, 1973, siteid: 66Location: South Gate is the major entry point onto the southeast side of the Sevilleta NWR. Just north of the gate is Met Station 41. Research here has included a Gunnison's prairie dog reintroduction as well as re-sampling of historic BLM 1976 vegetation transects, and juniper-creosote distribution. Vegetation is highly impacted by historical cattle grazing and is sparse. Burro grass (Scleropogon brevifolius) is dominant, siteid: 11
DOI
doi:10.6073/pasta/d3d99229d86bf270ea65e49f5be362d1
Permanent URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/d3d99229d86bf270ea65e49f5be362d1
Recommended Citation
Seamster, Virginia (2015): Vegetation Surveys in Chihuahuan Desert Grassland and Shrubland Sites Associated with Coyote Scat Surveys at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico. Long Term Ecological Research Network. http://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/d3d99229d86bf270ea65e49f5be362d1
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Comments
This dataset was originally published on the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network Data Portal, https://portal.lternet.edu, and potentially via other repositories or portals as described. The Digital Object Identifier (DOI) of the source data package is doi:10.6073/pasta/d3d99229d86bf270ea65e49f5be362d1, and may be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/d3d99229d86bf270ea65e49f5be362d1. Metadata and files included in this record mirror as closely as possible the source data and documentation, with the provenance metadata and quality report generated by the LTER portal reproduced here as '*-provenance.xml' and *-report.html' files, respectively.