Spartina alterniflora marsh vegetation data along the Georgia coast used in the Belowground Ecosystem Resiliency Model version 2.0

Study plots (1-m2) were established in eight Spartina alterniflora-dominated marshes (7 on Sapelo Island, Georgia, and 1 on Skidaway Island, Georgia). At three sites, plots were sampled once each during May, July, August, September, and October of 2016. At all sites, plots were sampled once each during June, August, and November of 2021, February, May, August, and November of 2022, and February of 2023. One long-term (quarterly 2013 to 2023) GCE LTER sampling site is also included. Nine replicate plots were placed in vegetated marsh along transects that spanned 3 Landsat-8 and -9 pixel footprints, with 3 plots per pixel footprint. In each plot, measurements included plant biomass, plant species, stem density, and height. Aboveground biomass was calculated using allometric relationships between plant height and mass from plant clipping studies. During these surveys, destructive core sampling was also performed in the proximity of the plots (n = 1 per plot) to measure above and below ground biomass. Chlorophyll, foliar N, and Leaf Area Index measurements were taken in the proximity of the plots.

This dataset reflects an update to the "PLT-GCED-2106" dataset (doi: 10.6073/pasta/03f4f78c6498aecca34faf4339591129). This project also utilized data from the "PLT-GCEM-1610" dataset doi: 10.6073/pasta/9746c71b35e9f8c544ea12c601c33949). Those data utilized in this project are duplicated here for completeness.