Plant and litter cover estimates derived from overhead microplot photos in the Cross-Scale Interactions Study (CSIS) at Jornada Basin LTER, 2013-ongoing

This dataset contains plant and litter cover estimates derived from
overhead photos collected from microplots in a long-term experiment
(2013-present) of cross-scale interactions (CSIs) at the Jornada
Basin LTER site in southern New Mexico, U.S.A. Experimental
treatments were initiated in 2013 at 15 experimental blocks, each
with 4 treatment plots: plant-scale herbicide of mesquite shrubs,
patch-scale connectivity modifiers (ConMods), herbicide + ConMods,
control without manipulations. Repeat, overhead (downward-looking)
photographs of ten "microplots" in each plot were taken
for estimation of litter, soil, and vegetation cover in the
experimental treatment and control plots over time. Photographs were
rotated and then cropped to provide standardized areas, and then
were analyzed with USDA SamplePoint software to determine coverage
by ~27 plant, litter or other cover classes on a 100 point grid. Raw
and corrected cover estimates are provided. This study is ongoing
and new data will be added annually. Cover estimates are derived
from photos in EDI dataset knb-lter-jrn.210413004.