Janneke HilleRisLambers

Department of Botany Duke University Durham North Carolina 27708 USA

(919) 660-7402 jannekeh@duke.edu http://coweeta.ecology.uga.edu James Clark

Department of Botany Duke University Durham North Carolina 27708 USA

(919) 660-7402 jimclark@duke.edu http://cwt33.ecology.uga.edu/piprofiles/pro_clark.html Rhododendron maximum leaf area was measured at 167 locations to determine the spatial extent of this understory shrub, and compare Rhododendron maximum cover with seedling germination rates and seedling diversity (measured in another study). Rhododendron maximum leaf area index was determined at 167 points within each permanent vegetation plot. LAI was estimated by counting the number of leafs touching a 2 meter pole. Each estimate is the average of four equidistant points. Coweeta LTER Rhododendron maximum Must adhere to the Coweeta LTER Data Policy (See http://coweeta.ecology.uga.edu/webdocs/3/static/datapolicies.html). http://cwt33.ecology.uga.edu/summaries/summary1007.html WS18, WS27 - permanent vegetation plots 218, 318, 427, 527 1997-06-01 1999-06-01 Coweeta LTER Information Manager

Institute of Ecology University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA

(828) 524-2128 Ted Gragson

Institute of Ecology University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA

tgragson@earthlink.net principalInvestigator James Vose

Institute of Ecology University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA

jvose@fs.fed.us principalInvestigator Brian Kloeppel

Institute of Ecology University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA

kloeppel@sparc.ecology.uga.edu principalInvestigator The Coweeta LTER Research Program has evolved since 1980 from a site-based to a site- and region-based project examining the effects of disturbance and environmental gradients on biogeochemical cycling, and the underlying watershed ecosystem processes that regulate and respond to those cycles. The objective for the 2002-2008 research is to advance scientific understanding of the spatial, temporal, and decision-making components of land use and land-use change in the southern Appalachian Mountains over the last 200 years, and forecast patterns into the future 30 years. This will be accomplished by addressing ecological and socioeconomic aspects of land-use change while continuing long-term studies of environmental gradients and natural disturbance regimes. The result will be a more complete understanding of ecological dynamics in the southern Appalachian Mountains that makes possible the development of reasonable forecasts of its future ecological state. | The guiding hypothesis for the proposed research is that the frequency, intensity, and extent of land use represents human decision-making in response to socioeconomic and bio-geophysical conditions with consequences that cascade through ecosystems. The research activities are organized into three initiatives: (1) Characterization of the Socio-Natural Template, (2) Ecosystem Responses to the Socio-Natural Template, and (3) Forecasting Ecosystem Responses to Changes in the Socio-Natural Template. The integrated scientific research will provide both a description as well as an explanation of the underlying causes of land use and the consequences of land-use change for southern Appalachian ecosystems and society. It thus recognizes the complexity of land use as a process and the research needs as defined in the LTER Program and the broader scientific community. National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. uid=cwt,o=lter,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org all public read 1007.csv 1007.csv 1 \n \n column , http://cwt33.ecology.uga.edu/data/1007.csv Plot Plot one of 4 permanent vegetation plots 218, 318,427, 527. one of 4 permanent vegetation plots 218, 318,427, 527. None Missing Value Sample_No Sample_No sample number, 1 through 167 sample number, 1 through 167 None Missing Value X_Location X_Location x coordinate on 80 x 80 meter plot meter real None Missing Value Y_Location Y_Location y coordinate on 80 x 80 meter plot meter real None Missing Value LAI LAI Rhododendron maximum Leaf Area Index (in units of # leaves) dimensionless real None Missing Value