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Survey 200
IPA and ASM Notes |
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Incorporating the integral role of humans in landscape pattern and process
poses uniques challenges in cities. We used an extensive field survey
and integrated inventory to sample an entire urban ecosystem (6387 sq.
km), consisting of the urbanized, suburbanized and agricultural areas
of metropolitan Phoenix and the surrounding desert. The inventory was
conducted in spring 2000 and 2005 at 204 sample
plots (30m x 30m) located randomly using a tessellation-stratified
dual-density sampling design (Information on land use -- by site
or by land use.) Objectives
were a) to characterize patches in terms of key biotic, physical, chemical
and socio-economic variables and b) to examine relationships between land
use, general plant diversity,
native plant diversity, plant
biovolume, soil nutrient status, and socio-economic indices along
an indirect urban gradient. As predicted, urbanization markedly increased
plant diversity with three times the number of genera in urban versus
undeveloped desert patches.
The following parameters were collected (Protocols):
- Basic plot characteristics -- GPS location; plot meso-climate: air
temperature, humidity, wind speed in comparison to a standard station
nearby; traffic description surrounding the plot
- Land use category
- Land cover -- Map of plot
from GPS data, edited according to hand drawn map
- Observable landscape practices.
Irrigation practice, professionally maintained, well - poorly maintained,
natural or artificial appearance
- Vegetation. Cover and
genera for all trees, shrubs, cacti and succulents, groundcover tree,
cacti and shrub measures for height, stem diameter at breast or ground
height, size of crown pruned shapes of trees and shrubs
- Soils chemistry. Five soil
cores are taken to the depth of 30 cm and analyzed for: pH, Organic
carbon, Total carbon, Total nitrogen, Electrical conductivity, Texture
- Decomposition in litter bags
and buried wood. Four bags with known amounts of litter are placed
on the soil surface. The weight loss is determined every 6 months. One
wooden dowel of known weight is pounded 30 cm into the ground and extracted
and weighed one year later. The weight loss determines decomposition. (done 2000 only)
- Pollen diversity and distribution (done 2000 only)
- Mycorrhiza biodiversity and
distribution
- Prokaryotic diversity, activity
and distribution (done 2000 only); see CAP LTER Microbial Observatory
- Human parameters. Visible
human activity and judgment of neighborhood
- Photographs
- Arthropod biodiversity and distribution
- Bird survey and human activity
survey are done separately on a subset of plots.
Example of datasheets. |
