Long-term comparison of stem growth of outplanted longleaf pines grown in six kinds of container

Metadata:

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:

These data were checked for basic accuracy and consistency using programs to check for things like diameter at breast height (dbh) 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 these data that indicates potential problems that could not be fixed.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

See attribute accuracy notes.

Completeness_Report:

Not all variables were measured at all times, but all recorded data are included. Blank values denote missing data.

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

The location of the study is determined by looking at Google Earth for where the plots are visible.

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy:

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

The altitude of the plots is determined by using Google Earth.

Lineage:

Methodology:

Methodology_Type: Field

Methodology_Description:

Mixed seed lots of longleaf pine (LLP) seeds were sown in containers in a greenhouse in April 2004. There were six container treatments: 3 cavity sizes and 2 cavity coating. Cavity top diameter in centimeters (cm) / depth in cm / volume in milliliters (mm) for the small (S), medium (M) and large (L) sizes were 3.0/10.5/54, 3.5/14.9/93, and 4.2/15.2/170, respectively. Copper oxychloride was used for cavity coating. The seedlings, which were grown for a total of 27 weeks in the greenhouse, were replanted in early November 2004. A total of 64 LLP seedlings were planted into each of the 24 plots at 2 x 2 meter (m) spacing at the Palustris Experimental Forest in central Louisiana (31°11’N, 92°41’W). Each plot had 144 sampling spots, but a 2 row buffer surrounded each plot leaving 64 spots for seedlings. The soil is a moderately well-drained, gently sloping Beauregard silt loam (fine silty, siliceous, superactive, thermic, Plinthaquic Paludult). The study was a randomized complete block factorial design with four replications.

Seedling survival and growth were assessed at the end of each year from 2005 through 2013, and then again in 2019. Diameter at breast height (dbh) was measured with a diameter tape. Height was first measured with a meter stick when trees were small and then a height pole as they grew. Lean of stem from a vertical position was also recorded from 2009-2013 (started measuring in the 5th growing season).

It is important to note that there was a very hot prescribed burn in the summer of 2012 which scorched some trees badly.

For complete details regarding this study see Haywood et al. (2007).

Methodology_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Haywood, James D.

Originator: Sayer, Mary Anne S.

Originator: Sung, Shi-Jean Susana

Publication_Date: 2007

Title:

Study plan and establishment report: Long-term comparison of root and stem growth of outplanted longleaf pines grown in six kinds of container

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Pineville, LA

Publisher: USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, RWU-4158

Other_Citation_Details:

(File included in data publication download: \Supplements\StudyPlan_EstablishmentReport_June2007.pdf)

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

Data were checked for errors as noted above. All years of measurements were also put into common units since early measurements were metric and later ones were English.

Process_Date: Unknown

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Indirect_Spatial_Reference_Method:

An ArcMap shapefile is included showing the approximate locations of the plots.

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\CuStudy.csv: Comma-delimited ASCII text file containing diameter, total height and percent of leaning recorded on a young longleaf pine plantation in central Louisiana where the seedlings started life in six different types of containers.

The variables included in this data file are:

BLOCK: block number (1-4) for the designed experiment. The plots were blocked based on apparent soil drainage using depth to mottles and plot concavity or convexity as indicators of drainage. Block 1 is the wettest block. Block 2 is intermediate in drainage, and Blocks 3 and 4 are the drier two blocks.

PLOT: plot number (1-27). There are plot numbers up to 27, but only 24 plots in the study. The whole study area was laid out in plots, but some plots were left empty when they did not match the conditions of the utilized plots.

TREATMENT: treatment number (1-6) is the type of container in which the seedlings were grown (1=no copper-large, 2=no copper-medium, 3=no copper-small, 4=copper-large, 5=copper-medium, 6=copper-small)

This is what defines these treatments.
Longleaf pine seedlings were grown in three different sizes of Beaver Plastics Styroblock™ containers as follows:
(1) Large = container that has 170 cubic millimeters (ml³) cavity volume, 15.2 milliliters (ml) cavity depth, and 4.2 ml cavity top diameter.
(2) Medium = container that has 93 ml³ cavity volume, 14.9 ml cavity depth, and 3.5 ml cavity top diameter.
(3) Small = container that has 54 ml³ cavity volume, 10.5 ml cavity depth, and 3.0 ml cavity top diameter.
Seedling density for Small, Medium, and Large containers were, respectively, 756, 530, and 364 per square meter (m²).

The two levels of copper treatment are used with each kind of container as follows:
(1) No copper treatment = the Superblock™ Beaver Plastics Styroblocks are not treated with copper.
(2) Copper treated = the inner cavity walls are treated with a copper oxychoride coating and sold as Copperblock™ Beaver Plastics Styroblocks.

ROW and TREE: The trees were not individually numbered, but were referenced by a row number and a tree within the row. There was a buffer of two rows and two trees around the measurement plots, but only the measurement plot was used for numbering. Thus the 3rd tree in on the third row is row 1, tree 1.

AGE: age in years. The seedlings were planted from seeds in pots on April of 2004. The age shown is the actual age from seed.

YEAR: year of the measurement. The year shown is always for the next spring growing season. If a tree was measured in the late fall of the previous year, the year of the next spring is used. The trees were started from seed in the spring of 2004 so they are 1 year old in the spring of 2005.

DBH: diameter at a height of 4.5 feet in inches. If a tree is not yet 4.5 feet in height then its dbh is 0. If a tree is dead then its dbh is missing.

TOTHT: total height of a tree in feet.

PCTLEAN: lean of a tree as a percentage. This is missing (blank) for most trees where lean was not considered significant.

NOTES: If there is something to note about a tree, it is coded as a number here.
The only codes seen are:
1 = tree is dead
5 = decreasing dbh that is probably real due to growth conditions rather than an error
9 = decreasing height that is probably due to growth conditions rather than an error. Both decreases in height and dbh can probably be attributed to severe fire or browsing.
82 = tree is cut and used for research. In this study this means that it was dug up to examine its root system.

ERROR: An error code to mark if the data has probable issues. The codes are binary so multiple codes can be added up for a single number. (i.e., a tree with error 3 is actually a tree with both error code 1 and error code 2).
The codes are:
1 = tree has resurrected. The tree was previously called dead and now is a measured tree. It is suspected that an ingrowth tree has grown close to the previously dead tree and field personnel mistook it for the original tree. the tree is included in case it is real but it has this warning.
2 = dbh problem. Not the likely real dbh for this tree.
4 = totht problem. Not the likely real total height for this tree.



2. \Data\PlotLocations\CopperStudyGIS.shp: Shapefile (and associated files) containing plot locations.

The variables included in this data file are:

FID: unique internal ID #

SHAPE: shape

NAME: [blank]

CONTACT: name of data contact

COMMENTS: comments (SRS = Southern Research Station, the station affiliated with generating these data)

PLOT: plot number

BLOCK: block number

TYPE: study type (Copper Container Study)



SUPPLEMENTAL FILES (2)

1. \Supplements\Plotmap.pdf: Portable Document Format file containing a simple map of plot locations.

2. \Supplements\StudyPlan_EstablishmentReport_June2007.pdf: Portable Document Format file containing the original study plan and establishment report.

Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:

see \Supplemements\StudyPlan_EstablishmentReport_June2007.pdf

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20210909

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

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

Contact_Person: Daniel Leduc

Contact_Position: Statistician

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical

Address: 2500 Shreveport Hwy

City: Pineville

State_or_Province: LA

Postal_Code: 71360

Country: USA

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