NCPN integrated dataset

I compiled an integrated dataset form multiple sources with representation of 9 ecological sites found in the NPS I&M Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN): Desert Sandy Loam (ATCA), Semidesert sand (ATCA), Semidesert sandy loam (ATCA), Desert shallow sandy loam (CORA), Semi-desert shallow sandy loam (PIED-JUOS-CORA), Semidesert Alkali sandy loam, Semidesert stony loam, Semidesert very steep stony loam Semidesert sand (CORA). 627 records were compiled from 7 data sources. These include: 1) the Arches National Park vegetation mapping dataset (Coles et al. 2009) which provides plant community composition and some ground cover data by cover class. 2) the Capitol Reef National Park vegetation mapping dataset (Clark et al. 2009) which provides quantitative plant community composition and some ground cover data from two data collection periods and multiple disturbance regimes.
3) the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Network dataset (Witwicki 2009a, Witwicki 2009b) which provides quantitative plant community composition, soil stability, gap size distributions, ground cover and multiple years of sampling, 4) The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument rangeland health assessment data set (Miller et al. 2005) which provides quantitative plant community data, soil stability, and ground cover, 5) Miller et al. unpublished which provides plant community composition, soil stability, gap size distributions, ground cover among other data and multiple disturbance histories, 6) The Canyonlands vegetation mapping dataset (unpublished), 7) The NPS monitoring protocol development dataset (Miller et al. 2007) which provides plant community composition, soil stability, gap size distributions, ground cover among other data.

Time since grazing is estimated conservatively by subtracting the last possible date of grazing activity from the date of data collection. In the case of the NCPN dataset, the first year of plot establishment was used. In the entire database this calculation resulted in time since grazing estimates of: 0, 3, 10, 14, 20, 21, 26, 27, 31, 32, 33, 34, 44, and never grazed.

References
Clark D, Dela Cruz M, Clark T, Coles J, Topp S, Evenden A, Wight A, Wakefield G, Von Loh J. 2009. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Capitol Reef National Park. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR - 2009/187. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Coles J, Tendick A, Manis G, Wight A, Wakefield G, Von Loh J, Evenden A. 2009. Vegetation Classification and mapping report, Arches National Park. Natural Resources Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR-2009/253. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Miller, Mark E. 2008. Broad-scale assessment of rangeland health, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, USA. Rangeland Ecology and Management 61:249-262.

Miller, Mark E., Witwicki, Dana L., Mann, Rebecca K., and Tancreto, Nicole J., 2007, Field evaluations of sampling methods for long-term monitoring of upland ecosystems on the Colorado Plateau: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1243, 188 p.

Witwicki D. 2009. Integrated upland monitoring in Canyonlands National Park: Annual Report 2008. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR - 2009/236. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Witwicki D. 2009. Integrated upland monitoring in Capitol Reef National Park: Annual Report 2008. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR - 2009/237. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.