Core Monitoring at CAP LTER

CAP LTER is monitoring many ecological parameters, complementing the suite of monitoring efforts by city, county and federal agencies.
Permanent sites are equipped with basic climate monitoring stations and are available to the researchers for long-term or intensive, manipulatory experiments.

The survey 200 has located 204 sites across the metropolitan area to extensively monitor the biotic communities and some abiotic parameters. A subset of these sites is currently being used for more intensive monitoring. Parameters extensively (survey 200) and intensively (subset of survey 200) monitored include:

Arthropod diversity
Bird diversity
Plant diversity
Plant growth
Mycorrhizal fungi diversity
Surface water quality
Atmospheric deposition
Microclimate
Soil chemistry
Land cover changes
Human activity
Human perception of their environment
Environmental risks to humans
Landscape management practices