Animal abundance and diversity in coastal grasslands

Meta dataMethodsManagement history of Rancho Marino and Fiscalini Ranch were investigated by observing tilled/planted and untilled/unplanted grasslands. Two 100 m transects at each site were utilized. The coordinates of the transects are as follows: Fiscalini Ranch (transect 1 start: [N35.54944, E121.10043], stop: [N35.55009, E121.10102]), (transect 2 start [N35.55046, E121.10166], stop [N35.5517, E121.10227]) and Rancho Marino (transect 1 start [N35.53966, E121.09032], stop [N35.53896, E121.08968]), (transect 2 start [N35.52933, E121.07793], stop [N35.52862, E121.07728]). Each transect consisted of eight plots where animal cameras were deployed over the course of three nights. The plots on each transect were chosen by randomization of 25 numbers ranging from 1 to 100. Eight of these numbers were again randomly selected for each of the three nights. No two plots were repeated. From the transect line, the 0.5 m x 0.5 m quadrat was placed down at a distance of 3 m to avoid interference with other sampling plots. Percent coverage of Phalaris aquatica, invasive grasses, and bare ground was measured by estimation. A motion triggered animal camera was placed on the bottom right corner of the quadrat facing North. Plants obstructing the camera’s field of view were subsequently removed. The bait, consisting of peanut butter and oats, was placed 1 m away from the camera on a white paper plate and weighed down with a stone. Cameras were deployed at 4:00 PM and footage was collected from 5:00 PM to 9:00 AM. The following day, the SD cards were taken from each camera and were analyzed for the presence of animal activity. The pictures were organized based on site, transect, day, and camera. A positive hit was defined as animal presence in the capture frame. Two or more animals of the same species were considered independent positive hits if they were seen an hour apart. Total abundance and diversity of animals were counted and recorded for each location. All data was collected and recorded for further analysis of results. VariablesSite: RM is Rancho Marino and FR is Fiscalini RanchManagement History: If the land was planted with Phalaris aquatica/tilled or remained unplanted/untilled. Transect: Distinguishes the two distinct lines in each site that were selected for sampling. Each transect within each site has it’s own coordinates. Rep.day: The day that cameras were deployed Rep.cam: The number of cameras deployed per transect each nightHarding cover: Coverage of Phalaris aquatica measured as a percentage of the quadrat Exotic plant cover: Coverage of other exotic plant species measured as a percentage of the quadrat Bare cover: Coverage of bare ground measured as a percentage of the quadratAnimal sign: Evidence of animal activity noted near the quadrat such as scatt and burrowing. 1 indicates sign of animal while 0 indicates an absence Taxa: Specific taxa captured by cameraMethod: Motion triggered animal cameras were used to calculate abundance and diversity of animals Abundance: Total number of individual animals seen during footage time (a collective sum of all 8 cameras used per night) Diversity: Total number of different animal species Sample time: Total hours of footage collected between 5:00 PM and 9:00 AMRate: Number of positive hits/hour *Authors are all equal contributors listed in alphabetical order

本数据集的元数据与研究方法：通过观测翻耕/种植与未翻耕/未种植的草地，对Rancho Marino与Fiscalini Ranch的土地管理历史展开调查。每个样地布设两条100米长的样线(transect)，样线坐标如下：Fiscalini Ranch的两条样线分别为：样线1起点[N35.54944, E121.10043]、终点[N35.55009, E121.10102]，样线2起点[N35.55046, E121.10166]、终点[N35.5517, E121.10227]；Rancho Marino的两条样线分别为：样线1起点[N35.53966, E121.09032]、终点[N35.53896, E121.08968]，样线2起点[N35.52933, E121.07793]、终点[N35.52862, E121.07728]。
每条样线包含8个采样点位，连续三晚布设运动触发动物相机(motion triggered animal camera)。采样点位的选取方式为：先从1至100的数字中随机抽取25个，每晚再从这25个数字中随机选取8个，且任意两个点位均不重复。在距离样线3米处设置0.5m×0.5m的样方(quadrat)，以避免与其他采样点位产生干扰。通过估测法测定样方内球茎燕麦草(Phalaris aquatica)、入侵草本植物以及裸地的盖度百分比。
将运动触发动物相机放置于样方右下角，朝向正北，并移除遮挡相机视野的植物。诱饵由花生酱与燕麦混合制成，放置在距离相机1米处的白色纸盘上，并用石块固定以防止移位。相机于当日下午4:00布设，拍摄时段为当日下午5:00至次日上午9:00。次日回收各相机的SD存储卡，分析其中的动物活动影像。影像按样地、样线、日期及相机编号进行整理。阳性记录定义为捕获帧内出现动物；同一物种的两只及以上动物若间隔一小时以上被拍摄，则视为独立的阳性记录。统计并记录各点位的动物总丰度与多样性。所有数据均已采集并记录，用于后续结果分析。
### 变量说明
1. Site（样地）：RM代表Rancho Marino，FR代表Fiscalini Ranch
2. Management History（管理历史）：记录土地是否种植过球茎燕麦草(Phalaris aquatica)或经过翻耕，抑或未种植/未翻耕
3. Transect（样线）：区分每个样地中两条独立的采样样线，每个样地内的每条样线均有专属坐标
4. Rep.day（重复采样天数）：相机布设的日期
5. Rep.cam（重复相机数）：每晚每条样线布设的相机数量
6. Harding cover（Harding盖度）：以样方百分比计量的球茎燕麦草(Phalaris aquatica)盖度
7. Exotic plant cover（外来植物盖度）：以样方百分比计量的其他外来植物物种盖度
8. Bare cover（裸地盖度）：以样方百分比计量的裸地盖度
9. Animal sign（动物活动痕迹）：样方附近记录的动物活动证据（如粪便与洞穴），1代表存在动物痕迹，0代表无痕迹
10. Taxa（类群）：相机捕获的具体动物类群
11. Method（研究方法）：采用运动触发动物相机计算动物丰度与多样性
12. Abundance（丰度）：拍摄时段内记录的动物个体总数（单晚8台相机的总累计数）
13. Diversity（多样性）：记录的动物物种总数
14. Sample time（采样时长）：当日下午5:00至次日上午9:00的总拍摄时长
15. Rate（阳性记录率）：每小时阳性记录数

*所有作者贡献均等，按字母顺序排列。