Study Number: 

2007

Project Title:

Riparian zone seedling establishment, growth, dynamics, and the influence of Rhododendron maximum.

Investigator(s):

Brian Beckage  E-mail
Brian Kloeppel  E-Mail | Tel. 828.524.2128 x127 | Biographical Sketch
Alan Yeakley  E-mail
David C. Coleman  Biographical Sketch  (Retired)
 Sharon F. Taylor  E-mail
Susan M. Steiner  E-mail
Affiliated Institution(s): University of Georgia
Address: University of Georgia
Ecology Annex
Athens Georgia 30602-2360  USA
Study Category: Riparian
Project Type: Type 1
Study Period:

05/1997 to 12/2000
Status/Notes:

 
Funding Source(s):

National Science Foundation, Grants DEB-9632854 (Text Version) and DEB-0218001 (Text Version) to Coweeta LTER.
Abstract: The effect of Rhododendron maximum, a dominate species in the riparian zones of the Southern Appalachians, on carbon, water, and nutrients en route to the streams is an ongoing study in the LTER research program at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory. To study seedling establishment, growth, and dynamics in riparian zones one m2 quadrats have been established. There are four sites which include one treatment site, where the rhododendron has been removed from the riparian zone, one hurricane site, where there is extensive disturbance from Hurricane Opal, and two control sites, one upslope from the treatment site and one upstream from the hurricane site. Each of these fours sites have ten randomly located natural regeneration one m2 quadrats as well as four randomly located replicates of three adjacent one m2 quadrats. In each of the three adjacent quadrats, the litter was removed from the lower half to determine the effect of litter on the germination and growth of seedlings. Two of the adjacent quadrats have been broadcast seeded with Acer rubrum, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Quercus rubra. In one of the two quadrats that have been broadcast seeded, a predator exclusion mesh screen, 1m x 1/2m with ¼" openings, has been installed in the quadrat to determine the effect of small mammal predation on regeneration. Quadrats were installed on 24 April 1997 and an initial vegetation survey was conducted in May 1997. All seedlings were permanently tagged at this time and quadrat physical characteristics such as slope, aspect, and distance from stream were recorded. Broadcast seeding was done on 21 May 1997. Each year censuses will be conducted in spring and fall on each quadrat and seedling species, density, age, and annual height growth will be recorded. This project will help to document the effect of Rhododendron maximum on regeneration in the riparian areas as well as the effect of hurricane disturbance on regeneration.
Location(s), Described: Watershed 55.
See LTER Riparian Seedling Quadrats for detailed information about plot photographs.
Location(s):
Elevation
 Decimal Degrees
 UTM, Zone 17, NAD83
 		GPS landmark coordinates:
Control coordinates based on corner of footbridge, instrumented side of creek, downstream edge: 0,0
Lat 35 03` 57.70805"N Long 83 25` 52.33338" W MSL 775.321m (RO90415A)

Treatment coordinates GPS`d: downstream end (35,0)
Lat : 35 03` 56.46524"N Long: 83 25` 50.03931" W MSL: 754.731m (RO82216A)

Treatment coordinates GPS`d: upstream end (0,0)
Lat: 35 03` 57.38320"N Long: 83 25` 50.85767" W MSL: 763.545m (R082217A)

Marker up TDR slope above boardwalks: (10, 50)
Lat: 35 03` 56.61363"N Long: 83 25` 51.97495"W MSL: 787.12m (RO9O415B)

Marker up TDR slope w/org-grn-org paint (w/flags sticking in it): (8.1, 92.2)
Lat: 35 03` 56.53161"N Long: 83 25` 53.49741" W MSL: 810.718m (R090416A)

Marker top of TDR slope above hpX, Y, and Z: (-21.3, 136.7) (6-sided iron stake)
Lat: 35 03` 56.16060"N Long: 83 25` 55.09659" W MSL: 827.475m (R090614A)
Lat: 35 03 58.20497"N by 83 25' 53.74732" W at MSL 788.103m
 
Seedling Establishment # 2007 x y
AC1 23.5 21
AC2 25 24
AC3 28 28
AC4 31 30.9
AC5 25 38.3
AC6 20.5 30.7
AC7 16 29
AC8 14 28.8
AC9 14 26
AC10 12 25
AR1 22.2 3.7
AR2 30.9 4.2
AR3 23.3 9.3
AR4 19 10.2
AR5 9.7 10.4
AR6 7.5 8.1
AR7 10.3 4.9
AR8 5.7 3.7
AR9 9.4 1.7
AR10 15 1.2

 

Triple Plots x,y x,y
Lower Left (LL) 26.9,3.8 25.7,3.8
Upper Left (UL) 29,10 28.3,7.4
Lower Right (LR) 15.4,7.3 16.8,7.6
Upper Right (UR) 11.2,12.3 12.9,12.4
Upper Lower Left (ULL) 27.9,25 .
Upper Upper Left (UUL) 25.1,31.8 26,31
Upper Lower Right (ULR) 11,19 .
Upper Upper Right (UUR) 15.5,23 .

 
Control (Hurricane) site x y
HR1 16 11
HR2 19.7 12
HR3 7 20
HR4 6.5 22
HR5 5 25
HR6 7 27
HR7 -2 36
HR8 0 31
HR9 1 27
HR10 0 23
HC1 20.6 3
HC2 20.6 11
HC3 21.5 16.5
HC4 17.3 18.5
HC5 14 24
HC6 11.3 25
HC7 11 31
HC8 3.2 24
HC9 3.2 16
HC10 5.9 12

 
Hurricane triple plots x,y x,y
HRLL 15.5,8 14.5,7
HRUL (buried) 2,16 1.5,16
HRLR 6.5,25 6,25
HRUR 5,30 3,30

 
Hurricane control triple plots x,y x,y
HCLL 14.8,12.5 15.3,12.5
HCUL 13.5,18 14.0,18
HCLR 12.0,14.7 11.5,14.5
HCUR 7.5,22 7.0,22

Location(s), Download GPS: ArcView Shape Files (shp.):  UTM, NAD83, Zone 17  |  Lat/Lon 
Location(s), Online Map(s): USGS Topographic-based Maps of Research Sites
 (Printable for fieldwork)
Methods/Experimental Design: There are four sites, located in watershed 55, in this study. One treatment site, AR, had the rhododendron artificially removed in August, 1995. The second treatment site, HR, experienced extensive disturbance from Hurricane Opal in October, 1995. These are the sites of the ongoing riparian study to determine the effect of removal of the streamside rhododendron on the export of hillslope nutrients (K, Na, Ca, Mg, N, P, S) and organic matter. There are two control sites. One is located upslope from the artificial removal site, AC, and the second is located upstream for the hurricane removal site, HC. These sites have not been disturbed. Within each site, there are four randomly located replicates of three adjacent 1m2 quadrats, or plots. Within each quadrat, there is a 1m x 1/2m subquadrat. Each subquadrat has had the litter removed from the lower 1/2m2 area and a mesh screen installed to separate the two areas. Two of the subquadrats have been broadcast seeded with Acer rubrum, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Quercus rubra. On one of these two subquadrats, a predator exclusion mesh screen has been installed to exclude small mammals. In addition to these plots, each site has ten randomly located natural regeneration 1m2 quadrats.
Sampling Frequency: Semi-annual seedling surveys will be conducted in these established plots. Previously-tagged seedlings will have height and age recorded. The death of tagged individuals will also allow calculation of seedling mortality. New seedlings will be tagged and measured.
Data Columns: soil moisture data set
site - site; (AC = Artificial Control, AR = Artificial Removal, HC = Hurricane Control, HR = Hurricane Removal)
plot - 1 through 10
slope - percent slope
aspect - plot aspect in degrees
PAR - photosynthetically active radiation in umol m-2 s-1
soil moisture - 6 sampling dates measured in percent volumetric water content

forest floor data set
site - site; (AC = Artificial Control, AR = Artificial Removal, HC = Hurricane Control, HR = Hurricane Removal)
mean plot leaf litter mass - grams (g)
mean plot humus mass - grams (g)
mean plot total organic mass (litter + humus) - grams (g)

seedling data set
inventory date - date
site - site; (AC = Artificial Control, AR = Artificial Removal, HC = Hurricane Control, HR = Hurricane Removal)
plot - 1 through 10
original seedling number - original seedling number
seedling ID - seedling ID
species code - ACRU=Acer rubrum, AMAR=Amelanchier arboreum, BELE=Betula lenta, COFL=Cornus florida, UNKNOWN=unknown, LITU-Liriodendron tulipifera, PIST=Pinus strobus, QUPR=Quercus prinus, QUSP=Quercus species, SAAL=Sassafras albidum
seedling age - in years
seedling height - in centimeters (cm) at date listed
seedling status - status; (0=live, 1=dead at date listed)

Missing Data Codes: . (Period)
Publications:

Beckage, B., B.D. Kloeppel, J.A. Yeakley, S.F. Taylor, and D.C. Coleman. 200_. Differential effects of understory and overstory gaps on tree regeneration. Accepted in Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 08 October 2007.
Data Restrictions: Users must adhere to the Coweeta LTER Data Policy.
Metadata: EML Format (XML Schema) | Information about EML
Data Downloads: 2007 Soil Moisture Data:
 Microsoft® Excel (.xls)
 Text Comma Delimited (.csv)
 DBase (.dbf)

2007 Forest Floor Data:
 Microsoft® Excel (.xls)
 Text Comma Delimited (.csv)
 DBase (.dbf)

2007 Seedling Data:
 Microsoft® Excel (.xls)
 Text Comma Delimited (.csv)
 DBase (.dbf)