Fall 2012 plant monitoring survey -- shoot height and flowering status of plants in permanent plots at GCE sampling sites 1-10

A quadrat survey was conducted in October 2012 to measure the species and size distribution of plants at 10 GCE LTER sampling sites. The quadrats were established as permanent plots at GCE sampling sites in October 2000 by placing wooden stakes at random locations across two nominal zones at each site, designated based on marsh structure (creekbank and high marsh). Several new plots were also added in October 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010 and 2012 to replace those lost due to catastrophic wrack disturbance or creek bank erosion. The plots were visually surveyed and the species, shoot height, and flowering status was recorded individually for each shoot over 10 cm in height present in each plot. Observations from plots exhibiting signs of disturbance were noted in the data set. This survey will be repeated annually to assess changes in plant distribution and biomass in relation to environmental changes documented by other GCE LTER monitoring efforts.

2012年10月，研究团队开展样方调查，以测定10个GCE LTER采样站点的植物物种组成与尺寸分布。该样方体系于2000年10月在GCE采样站点设立为永久样地：每个站点依据沼泽结构划分为两个名义区域（溪岸带与高潮滩），随后在这两个区域的随机位置布设木桩以划定样方范围。2001、2002、2003、2004、2009、2010及2012年，研究团队又新增了若干样地，用以替换因灾难性海藻堆积扰动或溪岸侵蚀而损毁的原有样地。研究人员对各样地开展目视调查，对每个样地内高度超过10厘米的所有植株嫩枝，分别记录其物种、株高及开花状态。数据集同时记录了存在扰动迹象的样地的观测数据。本调查将每年重复开展，以结合其他GCE LTER监测项目所记录的环境变化数据，评估植物分布与生物量的动态变化。