Sawgrass above ground biomass from the Taylor Slough, Everglades National Park (FCE), South Florida from August 1999 to Present

Sawgrass biomass is measured for TS/Ph-1, 2, 3, & 6 since 1999; TS/Ph-4 & 5 since 1997 to 2006; SRS-1b, 2, & 3 since 2000; SRS1c for 2005 to 2006, and SRS1d since 2006. Three 1 m2 plots are placed on each site. The sites are measured every two months. The number of sawgrass plants is counted for each 1 m2 plot and one third or a minimum of fifteen plants is measured. For each measured plant, measurements of the total number of live leaves, length of the live leaves, and culm diameter at the base are taken. From these measurements we calculate the average leaf length, and the sum of the length of the leaves. We created a model for biomass using a stepwise regression to see which of the variables measured and calculated are more correlated to explain plant biomass. Obtaining the mean biomass for the plants within the plot and multiplying it by the number of plants counted in the plot calculates biomass for each plot. The total biomass for each plot is summed with the other two plots in the same site, and they are averaged to obtain one biomass number per site. To validate our model, plant clippings are obtained in which four plants are clipped (small, medium, large, inflorescence) from each site. The same measurements are applied to the clipped plants as those applied to the measured plants in the plots. The plant clippings are oven dried at 70 degrees C and weighed.