Survey 200 long term study of multiple sites in central Arizona-Phoenix: Cacti

The Ecological Survey of Central Arizona (ESCA) is an extensive field survey and
integrated inventory designed to capture key ecological indicators of the CAP LTER study
area consisting of the urbanized, suburbanized, and agricultural areas of metropolitan
Phoenix, and the surrounding Sonoran desert. The survey is conducted every five years at
approximately 200 sample plots (30m x 30m) that were located randomly using a
tessellation-stratified dual-density sampling design. Study plots cover habitats throughout
the CAP LTER study area ranging from native Sonoran desert sites to residential yards to an
airport tarmac. Measurements include an inventory of all plants (identified to the lowest
possible taxonomic unit, typically species), plant biovolume, soil coring for
physicochemical properties, arthropod sweep-net sampling, photo documentation, and a visual
survey of site and area characteristics. The objectives of the survey are to (1)
characterize patches in terms of key biotic, physical, and chemical variables, and (2)
examine relationships among land use, general plant diversity, native plant diversity, plant
biovolume, soil nutrient status, and social-economic indices along an indirect urban
gradient. Survey 200 was the original name of the project, and it was renamed to ESCA following
the survey conducted in 2015. The data set here includes a subset of information from the
Survey200/ESCA focusing exclusively on cacti and succulents in the survey plots.
Investigators interested in more recent survey data, or other variables measured as part of
ESCA should search the data catalog for 'ecological survey of central arizona' or 'survey
200'.