Santa Cruz island time series vegetation data

Methods This dataset was collected as part of a long-term vegetation
monitoring program on Santa Cruz Island, California, USA, following the
removal of non-native grazers. Sampling was conducted across 100 30 x 2 m
plots representing a range of plant communities (oak woodland, chaprral,
pine, grassland, coastal scrub), restoration histories and management
strategies. Field Methods:Vegetation surveys were conducted annually
during peak biomass (typically between March and May). Within each plot,
species presence and cover were recorded using a modified point-intercept
method along permanent transects. Each transect consisted of a
standardized number of regularly spaced points where all hits were
identified to species when possible. Environmental Data:In addition to
vegetation data, abiotic variables such as slope, aspect, soil type, and
elevation were recorded for each plot using GPS, topographic maps, and
field observations. Climatic data were interpolated from nearby weather
stations and remote sensing sources when relevant. Data Processing:Species
names were standardized to The Jepson eFlora taxonomy (2022). Percent
cover was calculated from point-intercept data and averaged across
transects within each plot-year. Quality control steps included filtering
misidentifications, removing non-vascular plant records, and excluding
plots with incomplete metadata. Data Structure:The final dataset includes:
Plot metadata (location, environmental variables, management history),
Annual species composition data (percent cover by species), and survey
year identifiers. Each row represents a unique plot-year combination, with
associated species-level or community-level attributes.