,This data package contains vegetation cover from plots with various levels of herbivore exclusion on the Jornada Experimental Range (JER) and Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center (CDRRC) in Dona Ana County, southern New Mexico, USA. Study sites were established in 1995; one in black grama grassland and the other in creosotebush shrubland to compare the impact of herbivores on ecosystem processes between these vegetation types. Parallel studies were established at the Sevilleta LTER site (New Mexico, USA) and Mapimi Biosphere Reserve (Durango, Mexico). Each study site is 1 km by 0.5 km in area. Four replicate experimental blocks were randomly located at the grassland study site to measure vegetation responses using exclusion treatments including a) all mammalian herbivores, including cattle, lagomorphs, and rodents, b) lagomorphs and cattle only, c) cattle only, and d) control accessible to all herbivores. Because grazing cattle are excluded from the entire creosote site, only three replicate experimental blocks were randomly located there including a) all mammalian herbivores, including lagomorphs, and rodents, b) lagomorphs only, and c) control accessible to all herbivores. Thirty-six sampling points were positioned at 5.8-meter intervals on a systematically located 6 by 6 point grid within each plot. A permanent one-meter by one-meter vegetation measurement quadrat is located at each of the 36 points. At each quadrat, percent cover by individual plant species is measured. Other measurements include height (cm) of each species in the quadrat, and plant condition (living or dead). Data were collected in the spring and fall of every year from 1995 to 2005. After 2005, sampling frequency changed to every 5 years in the fall. This study is ongoing.,,

,This package contains data from a study to quantify vegetation dynamics in response to lagomorph and shrub exclusion on the Jornada Experimental Range from 1938-2001. Data consist of vertical line intercept measures of the perennial grasses, suffretescents and shrubs. Sixteen plots at each of 3 sites (Gravelly Ridges, Dona Ana exclosure, and Parker Tank) were established in 1938-39. Plots were 21.3 x 21.3 m with a 7.6 m buffer zone between each. Plots were divided into east and west halves and 14 randomly located 10.65 m transects were located in each half plot. Vegetation was measured using vertical line intercepts in 1938, 1947, 1956, 1960, 1967, 1989, 1995, and 2001 for the Gravelly Ridges site, and in 1938/9, 1947, 1960, 1967, and 2001 for the Parker Tank and Dona Ana sites. The treatments include lagomorph exclusion (using wire fencing), shrub removal (hand grubbing at the ground surface), furrowing (shallow, hand raked furrows to trap surface water), and seeding (broadcast applications of seeds of native perennials). Seeding and furrowing treatments were only applied in 1939. Lagomorph exclusion has persisted since establishment, and shrub removal treatments have been reapplied immediately following all years of vegetation sampling. The dataset contains information on the site, year of data collection, plot number, line number, vegetation, and number of vegetation present on each line. This study is complete.For more information, refer to:Havstad, K.M., R.P. Gibbens, C.A. Knorr, and L.W. Murray. 1999. Long-term influences of shrub removal and lagomorph exclusion on Chihuahuan Desert vegetation dynamics. Journal of Arid Environments 42: 155-166. https://doi.org/10.1006/jare.1999.0516,,

,This data package contains leaf litter cover data from plots with various levels of herbivore exclusion on the Jornada Experimental Range. Study sites were established in 1995; one in black grama grassland and the other in creosotebush shrubland to compare the impact of herbivores on ecosystem processes between these vegetation types. Parallel studies were established at the Sevilleta LTER site (New Mexico, USA) and Mapimi Biosphere Reserve (Durango, Mexico). Each study site is 1 km by 0.5 km in area. Four replicate experimental blocks were randomly located at the grassland study site to measure vegetation responses using exclusion treatments including a) all mammalian herbivores, including cattle, lagomorphs, and rodents, b) lagomorphs and cattle only, c) cattle only, and d) control accessible to all herbivores. Because grazing cattle are excluded from the entire creosote site, only three replicate experimental blocks were randomly located there including a) all mammalian herbivores, including lagomorphs, and rodents, b) lagomorphs only, and c) control accessible to all herbivores. Thirty-six sampling points were positioned at 5.8-meter intervals on a systematically located 6 by 6 point grid within each plot. A permanent one-meter by one-meter vegetation measurement quadrat is located at each of the 36 points. Each year in spring and fall from 1995-2005, the total percent cover of leaf litter in each quadrat was estimated by summing the percent of each 10 cm square within a quadrat (including 100 10-cm squares) containing leaf litter (See methods for a detailed explanation). After 2005, sampling frequency changed to every 5 years. This study is ongoing.,,

,This data package contains rabbit survey data from grassland and creosote shrubland habitats on Jornada Experimental Range (JER) and Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center (CDRRC) lands. Two survey routes were established along Jornada Basin roads in 1996; one in black grama grassland and the other in creosotebush shrubland. Quarterly surveys are conducted on these roads at or near the full moon to measure the density of rabbits in the two vegetation types. Each route is about 6 miles long. Parallel studies were established at the Sevilleta LTER site (New Mexico, USA) and Mapimi Biosphere Reserve (Durango, Mexico). Data collection began in April 1996 and includes date and time lagomorphs are spotted, species identification, habitat type, distance/direction from vehicle, and comments on the weather, moon, and anything unusual. This study is ongoing with new data collected quarterly.,,

,This data package contains soil disturbance data from plots with various levels of herbivore exclusion on the Jornada Experimental Range. Study sites were established in 1995; one in black grama grassland and the other in creosotebush shrubland to compare the impact of herbivores on ecosystem processes between these vegetation types. Parallel studies were established at the Sevilleta LTER site (New Mexico, USA) and Mapimi Biosphere Reserve (Durango, Mexico). Each study site is 1 km by 0.5 km in area. Four replicate experimental blocks were randomly located at the grassland study site to measure vegetation responses using exclusion treatments including a) all mammalian herbivores, including cattle, lagomorphs, and rodents, b) lagomorphs and cattle only, c) cattle only, and d) control accessible to all herbivores. Because grazing cattle are excluded from the entire creosote site, only three replicate experimental blocks were randomly located there including a) all mammalian herbivores, including lagomorphs, and rodents, b) lagomorphs only, and c) control accessible to all herbivores. Thirty-six sampling points were positioned at 5.8-meter intervals on a systematically located 6 by 6 point grid within each plot. A permanent one-meter by one-meter vegetation measurement quadrat is located at each of the 36 points. Each year in spring and fall from 1995-2005, various forms of disturbances (human, rabbit, cow, antelope, rodent, etc) were measured by depth . After 2005, sampling frequency changed to every 5 years. This study is ongoing.,,

,This data package contains rodent trapping data from plots with various levels of herbivore exclusion on the Jornada Experimental Range (JER) and Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center (CDRRC) lands. Study sites were established in 1995; one in black grama grassland and the other in creosotebush shrubland to compare the impact of herbivores on ecosystem processes between these vegetation types. Parallel studies were established at the Sevilleta LTER site (New Mexico, USA) and Mapimi Biosphere Reserve (Durango, Mexico). Each study site is 1 km by 0.5 km in area. Three replicate rodent trapping webs and four replicate experimental blocks were randomly located at each study site. Rodent trapping webs were used to measure rodent population density and species diversity over time, while the experimental blocks measure vegetation responses to herbivore exclusion treatments including a) all mammalian herbivores, including cattle, lagomorphs, and rodents, b) lagomorphs and cattle only, c) cattle only, and d) control accessible to all herbivores. Rodent populations were sampled from each of the three webs at each study site during overnight trapping campaigns twice per year, in the early (April-May) and late (September-October) summer between 1995 and 2007 (trapping study terminated after October 2007). During each trapping campaign, live-traps were left open for three consecutive nights, and captured animals were recorded on the three subsequent mornings. Each animal caught was identified, measured, and released at the same location where it was captured. This study is complete.,,

This Microsoft Excel file contains sample data from recent years for a long term program to monitor specific upland vegetation species in Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. Please read worksheet ‘Data Description & Notes’. Complete documentation for sampling and data collection is found in the NPS Greater Yellowstone Network’s Upland Vegetation Monitoring Protocol and Procedures - see worksheet 'References'. These sample data are designed primarily for landscape-scale statistical inference about the overall status and trends of target species. Please see related annual reports. These data are from a protocol for monitoring indicators of ecological condition within upland plant communities of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area (Bighorn Canyon). Upland vegetation and soils at Bighorn Canyon were identified as a vital sign in the Greater Yellowstone Network‘s (GRYN) monitoring plan (Jean et al. 2005) and as an important indicator of ecological response to climate change in the National Park Service‘s (NPS) climate change response strategy for high elevation parks (Bingham et al. 2010). The upland plant community types of interest for monitoring in this protocol are sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), juniper (Juniperus spp.), and juniper-mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius). Sagebrush and woodland communities are among the most dominant and common vegetation types in Bighorn Canyon, occurring over 60% of the land area inside the park (Knight et al. 1987). These vegetation communities provide important habitat for wildlife and are used by the Pryor Mountain wild horse herd (Komp et al. 2012). The quality and abundance of key plant species and soil cover in these communities are considered indicators of overall rangeland health and the focus of our monitoring objectives which are to determine the status (current condition) and trends (change in condition over time) in composition and abundance of key plant species and soil cover attributes. The selected monitoring metrics include ocular estimation of canopy and ground cover by Daubenmire (1959) cover class and stem counts of juniper and mountain mahogany trees <10 cm tall. The sample design for this protocol uses temporary quadrats that are randomly assigned each year. The quadrats are distributed within each sample frame by the Generalized Random-Tessellation Stratified (GRTS) algorithm. The number of sample quadrats (50, 75, 100) assigned per sample frame depends on the size of the sample frame. There are a total of 925 sample quadrats across the 15 permanent sample frames. Seven of the sample frames are visited annually while the other eight are visited on a 3 year rotation. Approximately 500 sample quadrats are visited annually. Field methods for this protocol are designed to be readily learned by individuals with some field experience identifying plants but do not depend on advanced expertise in plant taxonomy. A week of field training includes calibration exercises for ocular cover estimation and plant identification for each target species. Observed and measured data values are entered directly into a database on a field computer. At the end of the field season, the database and all physical project materials are quality-control checked and then filed with the project records archived in the GRYN office. Status results are summarized and reported after each year of data collection; analysis will primarily focus on estimating the proportion of sampling plots within each Daubenmire cover class. Differences in plant cover (%) measured during two different years (a step-change) will be assessed with a proportion test (Sheskin 2007) The significance of linear trends in plant cover will be tested using a Proportional Odds Model, following the methods of Irvine and Rodhouse (2010).

,This data package was produced by researchers working on the Shortgrass Steppe Long Term Ecological Research (SGS-LTER) Project, administered at Colorado State University. Long-term datasets and background information (proposals, reports, photographs, etc.) on the SGS-LTER project are contained in a comprehensive project collection within the Digital Collections of Colorado (http://digitool.library.colostate.edu/R/?func=collections&collection_id=3429). The data table and associated metadata document, which is generated in Ecological Metadata Language, may be available through other repositories serving the ecological research community and represent components of the larger SGS-LTER project collection. Additional information and referenced materials can be found: http://hdl.handle.net/10217/83458. The abundance and diversity of small mammals in shortgrass steppe is strongly influenced by the structure and composition of vegetation. Vegetation structure provides cover from predators and harsh abiotic conditions. Plant species composition affects the types of seeds and herbaceous material available to granivores and herbivores, and influences arthropod populations, which are important prey for the omnivorous species that dominate in shortgrass steppe. Both vegetation structure and plant community composition are sensitive to the availability of precipitation as well as the activity of large mammalian herbivores. In 1999, we began measuring vegetation structure and plant community composition on the three grassland and three shrubland trapping webs where we live-trap small mammals. Vegetation measurements are made once each year, usually in mid-July. Percent canopy cover of each plant species was estimated visually in 30 0.10-m2 Daubenmire quadrats on each web. To estimate habitat structure, we measured the height of grass, forb and shrub plants adjacent to each quadrat, the density of half-shrubs, small mammal mounds and burrows, harvester ant mounds and the dimensions of large shrubs and animal mounds.,,

,This data package was produced by researchers working on the Shortgrass Steppe Long Term Ecological Research (SGS-LTER) Project, administered at Colorado State University. Long-term datasets and background information (proposals, reports, photographs, etc.) on the SGS-LTER project are contained in a comprehensive project collection within the Digital Collections of Colorado (http://digitool.library.colostate.edu/R/?func=collections&collection_id=3429). The data table and associated metadata document, which is generated in Ecological Metadata Language, may be available through other repositories serving the ecological research community and represent components of the larger SGS-LTER project collection. Additional information and referenced materials can be found: http://hdl.handle.net/10217/83458. The abundance and diversity of small mammals in shortgrass steppe is strongly influenced by the structure and composition of vegetation. Vegetation structure provides cover from predators and harsh abiotic conditions. Plant species composition affects the types of seeds and herbaceous material available to granivores and herbivores, and influences arthropod populations, which are important prey for the omnivorous species that dominate in shortgrass steppe. Both vegetation structure and plant community composition are sensitive to the availability of precipitation as well as the activity of large mammalian herbivores. In 1999, we began measuring vegetation structure and plant community composition on the three grassland and three shrubland trapping webs where we live-trap small mammals. Vegetation measurements are made once each year, usually in mid-July. Percent canopy cover of each plant species was estimated visually in 30 0.10-m2 Daubenmire quadrats on each web. To estimate habitat structure, we measured the height of grass, forb and shrub plants adjacent to each quadrat, the density of half-shrubs, small mammal mounds and burrows, harvester ant mounds and the dimensions of large shrubs and animal mounds.,,

Sixty-eight monitoring plots within the Browns Park National Wildlife refuge in Northwest Colorado were surveyed in the Summer of 2007 and 2021 for vegetation-community changes after grazing cessation in 1986. Surveys consisted of line-point intercept measurements at 0.5m intervals along three 15-m transects arranged in a spoke around plot center at each plot location.