Biomass, %N, and %C data for the BBC collapse scar for 2003 and 2004

This data set contains biomass measurements for a destructively harvested transect 30 m to the east of the permanent transect from the center of the BBC collapse scar (0m) into the surrounding fire scar (30m) of the Survey Line Fire (burned in June-July 2001). Biomass samples were collected on DOY 231 2004. Two 61 cm x 61 cm plots were harvested on the east and west side of every point along the transect (0, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 30 m).
We sorted these above-ground biomass samples into plant type (Sphagnum spp., other mosses, Marchantia spp., Eriophorum vaginatum, Carex spp., Grasses, Betula spp., Salix spp., Potentilla palustris, Ledum groenlandicum, Vaccinium uliginosum, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Chamaedaphne calyculata, other vascular plants, dead mosses, dead Carex spp., dead Graminoid, dead Potentilla palustris, dead Salix spp., and other litter). Photosynthetic green tissues were separated from the above-ground biomass samples. Samples were dried at 60degC to measure the dry mass. Samples were also analyzed for %C and %N.
We oven-dried at 50 - 65degC and ground all samples before analysis. We analyzed samples for %C and %N using a Carlo Erba EA1108 CHNS analyzer (CE Instruments, Milan, Italy) and a COSTECH ECS 4010 CHNS-O analyzer (Costech Analytical Technologies Inc., Valencia, CA, USA). Sample standard errors were +/- 0.01% for nitrogen, +/- 0.45% for carbon. For the biomass transect samples, we analyzed for %C and %N when the samples were more than 10% of the plot biomass allowing for representative sampling of carbon and nitrogen from the dominant plant types.

This data set was collected to monitor the change in biomass across the transect to relate this to disturbance, topography, soils, soil moisture and measured fluxes of CO2 and CH4 emissions.