Termite foraging data from bait mass loss at eleven locations at the Jornada Basin LTER site, 1988-2000

This data package contains data on yearly mass loss of termite baits
at the Jornada Basin LTER site in southern New Mexico, USA. Termites
are important to litter decomposition and nutrient cycling in desert
grasslands. This study measured annual feeding activity on paper baits
by subterranean termites in desert shrubland and black-grama
(Bouteloua eriopoda) grassland ecosystems over twelve years. Eleven
sites, known as the "consumer plots" were included in the
study. Toilet paper roll termite baits were placed on grids on each
consumer plot. Data include initial bait weights before deployment,
and bait weights after they were retrieved from the field each year.
Mass loss of the baits was calculated as a measure of termite foraging
activity. This study is complete.

本数据集包涵盖美国新墨西哥州南部乔纳森盆地长期生态研究（Long-Term Ecological Research, LTER）站点的白蚁诱饵年度质量损失相关数据。白蚁在荒漠草原的枯落物分解与养分循环过程中发挥着关键作用。本研究历时12年，针对荒漠灌丛与黑格兰马草（Bouteloua eriopoda）草原生态系统中的地下白蚁，测定其在纸质诱饵上的年度取食活动。本研究共纳入11个被称为"消费样地（consumer plots）"的试验站点。研究人员将卫生纸卷制成的白蚁诱饵布设至每个消费样地的网格样点中。数据集包含诱饵布设前的初始重量，以及每年从野外取回后的诱饵重量。研究以诱饵的质量损失量作为白蚁觅食活动的量化指标。本研究已结题。