Fall 2005 plant monitoring survey -- shoot height and flowering status of plants in permanent plots at GCE sampling sites 1-10

A quadrat survey was conducted in October 2005 to measure the species and size distribution of plants at 10 GCE LTER sampling sites. The quadrats were established as permanent plots at GCE sampling sites in October 2000 by placing wooden stakes at random locations across two nominal zones at each site, designated based on marsh structure (creekbank and high marsh). Several new plots were also added in October 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 to replace those lost due to catastrophic wrack disturbance or creek bank erosion. The plots were visually surveyed and the species, shoot height, and flowering status was recorded individually for each shoot over 10 cm in height present in each plot. Observations from plots exhibiting signs of disturbance were noted in the data set. This survey will be repeated annually to assess changes in plant distribution and biomass in relation to environmental changes documented by other GCE LTER monitoring efforts.

本数据集源自2005年10月开展的样方调查（quadrat survey），用于测定10个GCE LTER采样点的植物物种组成与尺寸分布特征。2000年10月，GCE采样点已设立永久样地：在每个采样点的两个基于沼泽结构划定的名义分区（溪岸带与高潮沼泽带）内，通过在随机点位布设木桩确定样方边界。2001、2002、2003及2004年，为补充因灾难性海藻堆积扰动或河岸侵蚀而损失的样地，研究团队额外增设了若干新样方。调查人员对每个样方内高度超过10cm的每一株植物开展目视普查，逐一记录其物种、株高（shoot height）及开花状态（flowering status）。数据集中同步记录了存在扰动迹象的样方的观测详情。本调查将按年度重复开展，以结合其他GCE LTER监测项目所记录的环境变化数据，评估植物分布与生物量（biomass）的动态变化。