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Methods for Experiment 062 -

Above ground vegetation sampling

Aboveground vegetation is collected in narrow strips to limit the effect of the sampling. Benches are used to avoid trampling the surrounding area. A 3m long fiberglass pole is placed along the ground next to the appropriate site of the present years sample strip. This is used as a guide to keep the 3m long sample strip straight. Vegetation is cut using a Sears/Craftsman Extra Heavy Duty Cordless Electric Grass Shears, model # 240.79672. These clippers have blades which are 10cm wide, making it easy to clip a strip of that width. The clippers are powered by 6-volt motorcycle batteries. All vegetation that is rooted in the 10cm wide strip is cut 1-2cm from the soil surface. The vegetation and litter that was in the strip is collected. Care is taken to clip and collect only that material which is actually in the 10cm wide strip, not entire plants that may lay across the strip. If there is a gopher mound in the plot where the clip strip is, the strip is moved in towards the middle of the plot until it is no longer over a gopher mound. The new position of the clip strip is then recorded.

Field Operations: Burning

Field D is within burn compartment #6 (106). This field is burned 2 years out of every three.

Field Operations: Exclosures

Exclosures (2m x 2m x 0.7m) were built around each plot to either exclude or contain various herbivores. The cages consisted of wooden frames and windowscreen. For a list of herbivore treatments for each plot, see file trmte62.

Sampling for D062

In 1989, before adding herbivores, up to five individuals of each plant species in each plot were marked and measured for length of all leaves and stems. After one month and after herbivore treatments were applied, plants were re-measured to determine mortality or damage. Effects on other plant species and total biomass were determined by clipping a 0.1m x 1m strip of vegetation (that did not include any marked plants) inside each plot. Clipped vegetation was then sorted to species, dried at 45 degrees C and weighed.

Treatment layout : trmte62

Additional notes Herbivore treatment: 1=Control (no herbivores) 2=Natural Herbivore 3=Grasshopper-High Density 4=Grasshopper-Low Density 5=Voles-High Density 6=Voles-Low Density 7=Cottontail Rabbits-High Density 8=Cottontail Rabbits-Low Density

Vegetation Sampling Methods

E062 is in field D. The plots in this experiment were sampled in 1989. A 10cm x 1m strip of vegetation was clipped from each plot. Sampling methods, except for the use of the 3m aluminum pole, are those described in above ground vegetation sampling methods.