Groundwater, soil moisture, light and weather data in Brownsville forest, Nassawadox, VA, 2019-2023

This dataset includes groundwater, soil moisture, weather and light data collected in eight study sites in the Brownsville forested area (VA). In particular, sites H5 and H7 characterize the high forest where healthy Pinus taeda dominate, sites L1 and L6 characterize the low forest, where barren or dead Pinus taeda are present, sites M1 and M2 characterize the medium forest, representing transition between high and low forest, transition site where dead trees and saltmarsh vegetation live together and marsh site dominated by saltmarsh vegetation. Data collection, started in January 2019, is done for VCR-LTER and CCZN (Coastal Critical Zone Network) long term projects. CTD-Diver are used to measure groundwater pressure, specific conductance and temperature. They hang from a cable in six wells, one for each study site. Water pressure is compensated using barometric pressure data collected by the weather station nearby. Water levels are georeferenced to NAVD 88. Two soil moisture sensors for each site are placed 7-10 cm and 30 cm below the ground surface to detect water content, specific conductance and temperature of the first soil layer. Two weather stations are always installed in different sites. Their position is periodically changed to cover all sites.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 2012322, Collaborative Research: Network Cluster: The Coastal Critical Zone: Processes that transform landscapes and fluxes between land and sea.