Precommercial thinning direct-seeded longleaf pine data on a poor site

Metadata:

Identification_Information
Data_Quality_Information
Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
Spatial_Reference_Information
Entity_and_Attribute_Information
Distribution_Information
Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:: The data were checked for basic accuracy and consistency using programs to check for things like diameter at breast height or height going down and number of trees going up. When issues were found, the data were checked against original datasheets and adjustments made when possible. There is a variable in the data (error) that indicates potential problems that could not be fixed.

Plot number 9 shows an increase in the number of trees from age 18 to age 23. In examining the raw data collection sheet, this same increase is shown so it can’t be discarded but is probably cause by counting ingrowth or double-counting trees. The same thing happened on plot 10 at age 23 and plot 13 at age 23.

There is no specific indicator of species in original data records, so all are assumed to be longleaf pine.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

See accuracy section.

Completeness_Report:

Not all variables were measured at all times, but all recorded data are included.

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:: The horizontal position is only approximate since the original hand-drawn maps could not be accurately placed in the real world and the study no longer exists for ground truthing.

Lineage:

Methodology:

Methodology_Type: Field
Methodology_Description:: BACKGROUND

The site for this study was selected by Robert Kastner in the fall of 1963. It is in the NW ¼ NE ¼, Section 17, T4N, R4W, Rapides Parish, Louisiana. A ridge runs in the east-west direction trough the study area. Surface drainage is good. The soil is mostly a clay loam or clay. An open stand of poor-quality oaks formerly occupied the site. There was some pine reproduction also, a result of both natural and artificial seeding. The site was prepared for seeding by a controlled burn on December 28, 1964.

Longleaf pine seed used in this study was purchased from a commercial seed dealer shortly after collection in 1963 and stored at the Johnson Tract for one year. Germination averaged 48 percent for untreated seed after storage. The seed was coated with endrin 50-W, Arasan 42-S, latex sticker, and aluminum powder in December 7, 1964. After the coating dried, the seed was returned to cold storage until the day of the seeding.

The study area was broadcast sown with 6 pounds of seed per acre on December 29, 1964.

Seedlings were inventoried in July 1965. There were 1085 seedlings per acre, not enough for a precommercial thinning study. The site was broadcast sown with another 6 pounds of longleaf pine seed per acre on November 17, 1965. This seed, from a local central Louisiana seed source, was treated with endrin 50-W and Arasan 42-S as before. Two years later, in November 1967, the stand averaged 5452 trees per acre with 94 percent of the milacre plots stocked. Stocking was adequate but many trees had brown spot needle disease. The area was burned with a prescribed fire on February 8, 1968 to control the disease. A hot headfire consumed all dead grass and other low vegetation. Grass cover was poor where hardwoods formerly grew and on the ridgetops where topsoil was severely eroded.

Longleaf pine growth was slow on this poor site. Three years after the prescribed fire few trees had initiated height growth, but many were reinfected with brown spot needle disease. A second prescribed burn was necessary to control this disease. The second burn was made on February 24, 1971. Grass cover was probably heavier for this burn. A headfire was used as before.

STUDY DESIGN

This study was designed to determine how growth and development of longleaf pine are affected by different precommercial thinning treatments when applied to a dense young stand established by direct-seeding on a poor site. There were five treatments replicated three times in a randomized block design where treatments included: 1) thinning to 3000 trees per acre (TPA), 2) thinning to 1000 TPA, 3) thinning to 750 TPA, 4) thinning to 500 TPA, and 5) cutting all trees on strips 8.8 feet wide leaving 4.4 foot-wide unthinned swaths. This resulted in 15 plots, which are each 66 square feet (0.1 acre) and surrounded by 33-foot-wide similarly treated isolation strip. These thinning treatments were made in March 1974 when pines were 8 years old.

Plots were remeasured at 5-year intervals. The data included in this data publication include approximate age of stand and diameter at breast height for every tree in each plot. Also included for a subset of trees each year is: height to base of live crown, tree height, crown class, bark thickness in two directions, and height of trees to 4 different outside bark diameters (2, 4, 6, and 8 inches).

In 1973 12 well-spaced, dominant and codominant trees were selected for height measurements. In later years more heights were measured, but not on every tree. There is no documentation on the selection of these trees, but usually the subset is a random sample stratified by diameter class.

For more details see methodology citations.
Methodology_Citation:
Methodology_Citation:
Methodology_Citation:
Methodology_Citation:

Process_Step:

Process_Description:: Approximate plot locations were obtained from the establishment report and added to an ArcMap map so that plot coordinates could be generated. All of the measurement plots are 0.1 acres in size with a 33-foot buffer around each central plot so that the gross plots take up 0.4 acres.
Process_Date: 2020

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector

Point_and_Vector_Object_Information:

SDTS_Terms_Description:

SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: GT-polygon composed of chains
Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 15

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Planar:

Map_Projection:

Map_Projection_Name: NAD 1983 StatePlane Louisiana North FIPS 1701 Feet

Lambert_Conformal_Conic:

Standard_Parallel: 31.16666666666667
Standard_Parallel: 32.66666666666666
Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -92.5
Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 30.5
False_Easting: 3280833.333333333
False_Northing: 0.0

Planar_Coordinate_Information:

Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: coordinate pair

Coordinate_Representation:

Abscissa_Resolution: 0.000000028043156685697574
Ordinate_Resolution: 0.000000028043156685697574

Planar_Distance_Units: foot_us

Geodetic_Model:

Horizontal_Datum_Name: D North American 1983
Ellipsoid_Name: GRS 1980
Semi-major_Axis: 6378137.0
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257222101

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Overview_Description:

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:: Below you will find a list and description of the files included in this data publication.

DATA FILES (2)

1. \Data\study331.csv: Comma-delimited ASCII text file containing tree measurements recorded on direct-seeded longleaf pine plots in Rapides Parish, Louisiana where five different thinning treatments were applied in 1974 (Study 3.31). Data such as diameter at breast height, tree height, height to base of life crown and crown class were recorded in 1979, 1984, 1989, 2002, and 2009. Descriptions for the variables included in this file can be found in \Supplements\Data_and_Study_Descriptions.pdf.

2. \Data\study331.shp: Shapefile (and associated files) containing approximate location of each plot. This file provides the plot "Name", which is the plot number.

SUPPLEMENTAL FILES (5)

1. \Supplements\Data_and_Study_Description.pdf: Portable Document Format (PDF) file containing a short summary of Study 3.31 and a complete list and description of the variables included in the data file study331.csv.

2. \Supplements\Establishment_Notes.pdf: PDF file containing a transcription of document found in files detailing the history of plots before installation.

3. \Supplements\Establishment_Report_3.31.pdf: PDF file containing the actual establishment report "Precommercial thinning direct-seeded longleaf pine on a poor site," which includes maps and description of the experiment.

4. \Supplements\Progress_Report_3.31.pdf: PDF file containing an early progress report "Precommercial thinning direct-seeded longleaf pine on a poor site," which includes maps, description of the experiment, and some early results. It is where one explanation of height measurements can be found.

5. \Supplements\Study_Plan_3.31.pdf: PDF file containing the actual study plan "Precommercial thinning direct-seeded longleaf pine on a poor site," which includes a preliminary map, description of the experiment, and a budget. (It is probably of not too much use to a user of the data, but was included for completeness.)
Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:: none provided

Distribution_Information:

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20211109

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Daniel Leduc
Contact_Organization: USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, RWU-4158

Contact_Position: Statistician

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical
Address: 2500 Shreveport Hwy
City: Pineville
State_or_Province: LA
Postal_Code: 71360

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 318-473-7243

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: daniel.leduc@usda.gov

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001.1-1999