Cary canopy photo data for years 1994-1997

dataset

posted on 2025-05-05, 20:31 authored by Charles CanhamCharles Canham, Clive G. Jones, Jen Masina, Julie Hart, Victoria KellyVictoria Kelly

The Forest Response to Stress and Damage (frequently referred to as FORSTAD) and long term forest monitoring project began in 1992 to study how mixed-oak forests respond to multiple forms of environmental change. The research took place at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in the Hudson Valley of New York. FORSTAD included several sub-projects including (1) nutrient cycling dynamics, (2) spongy moth population dynamics, (3) small mammal dynamics and (4) vegetation dynamics. This dataset is a contribution to the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, and is part of the Long term monitoring of forest ecosystems: Cary vegetation dynamics archive.

Vegetation dynamics: To understand the impacts of anthropogenic stressors on forest trees, measurements were made of aspects of trees that had to do with the condition and survival of trees. The measurements included the size and species of trees in designated plots in the forest, the size and species of saplings in smaller subplots, the quantity of seeds produced by trees using seed traps and the predation of seeds and survival of seedlings in subplots. Canopy defoliation levels were recorded via fisheye canopy photography on the 20 vegetation monitoring plots, and on other plots used specifically for spongy moth or small mammal monitoring. The vegetation data were used for direct analysis of change in forest structure and composition, and also to parameterize a computer model of vegetation dynamics, which was used as a research and management tool. Datasets include:

· Canopy census – species composition, age & size structure of trees, reproductive status & condition of canopy

· Canopy condition & leaf area index via fisheye camera photos

· Seed production

· Seed predation

· Seedling survival and growth

· Mapping of all plots, trees, seed & seedling data collection plots

· Deer & small mammal exclosure census

· Soil moisture

The data included here are data from fisheye camera photos, which were taken for assessment of canopy conditions each year from 1993 to 1998. Processed data are available from 1994 and 1995 only. Photo slides are available from 1994-1997. This repository includes processed canopy photo data 1994 and 1995. Note that similar data were collected in 1982, 1983 and 1991 as part of a long-term spongy moth monitoring project using a similar but different method.

File list:

Cary_Canopy_Photo_Data_1994_1995_Metadata_public.pdf - contains complete project metadata, personnel, methodology, and definitions for data variables in all data files.

FORSTAD_Cary_Canopy_Photo_Data_1994_1995.csv

FORSTAD_Protocol_Canopy_Photo_1994.pdf

FORSTAD_Protocol_Canopy_Photo_1997.pdf

FORSTAD_Protocol_Canopy_Photo_1999.pdf

Canham_GLI_1988.pdf

See Related Materials for more data from the FORSTAD vegetation sub-project.

Funding

General Reinsurance Corporation

History

GPS COORDINATES

41° 47′N, 73° 44′W

TIME PERIOD

Years 1994-1995

Geographic description

Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook NY 12545

Methodology

See Cary_Canopy_Photo_Data_1994_1995_Metadata_public.pdf and protocol documents for complete methodology and project metadata.

Additional bibliographic references

See Cary_Canopy_Photo_Data_1994_1995_Metadata_public.pdf for bibliography.

Data Contact

canhamc@caryinstitute.org

Secondary Data Contact

datamanagement@caryinstitute.org

Data Sharing Statement

Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies furnishes code and data under the following conditions: The code or data have received quality assurance scrutiny, and, although we are confident of their accuracy, Cary Institute will not be held liable for errors in the code or data. Code and data are subject to change resulting from updates in data screening or models used. To cite code or data, click on the Cite button on this page.