These data were compiled to investigate differentiation in physiological activity varies through time for different functional groups. These include the seasonal progress of 13 plant species representing perennial C3 shrub, C3 grass, C4 grass, and annual forb functional groups of the Colorado Plateau, USA. These data can be used to test for differences in carbon assimilation strategies (EcophyAciData) and how photosynthetic rates related to climate (EcophyMonthlyData). Data can be arranged at the seasonal, annual, species-, or functional group-levels to compare multi-level processes.

These tabular data were compiled for/to monitor vegetation and biocrust cover in a never grazed grassland located in Canyonlands National Park. An objective, or objectives, of our study was to document potential changes in biocrust and vegetation cover and species composition as related to changes in land use and climate change. These data represent a timeseries of long-term vegetation and biocrust monitoring plots, dating from 1996 to 2021. These data were collected at/in Virginia Park, Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, Utah. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Research Center in coordination with the US National Park Service. Data were collected via field observations twice annually, once in the Spring (April-May) and once in fall (Sept.) starting in 1996. A weather station was established in 1998 which recorded hourly temperature and precipitation measurements on a portable data storage module which was switched out and downloaded approximately every 3 months. These data can be used to monitor long term trends and changes in vegetation in a rare, protected and never grazed grassland on the Colorado Plateau, and help with monitoring trends in similar dryland ecosystems.

These tabular data were compiled for/to monitor vegetation and biocrust cover in a never grazed grassland located in Canyonlands National Park. An objective, or objectives, of our study was to document potential changes in biocrust and vegetation cover and species composition as related to changes in land use and climate change. These data represent a timeseries of long-term vegetation and biocrust monitoring plots, dating from 1996 to 2021. These data were collected at/in Virginia Park, Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, Utah. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Research Center in coordination with the US National Park Service. Data were collected via field observations twice annually, once in the Spring (April-May) and once in fall (Sept.) starting in 1996. A weather station was established in 1998 which recorded hourly temperature and precipitation measurements on a portable data storage module which was switched out and downloaded approximately every 3 months. These data can be used to monitor long term trends and changes in vegetation in a rare, protected and never grazed grassland on the Colorado Plateau, and help with monitoring trends in similar dryland ecosystems.

These tabular data were compiled for/to monitor vegetation and biocrust cover in a never grazed grassland located in Canyonlands National Park. An objective, or objectives, of our study was to document potential changes in biocrust and vegetation cover and species composition as related to changes in land use and climate change. These data represent a timeseries of long-term vegetation and biocrust monitoring plots, dating from 1996 to 2021. These data were collected at/in Virginia Park, Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, Utah. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Research Center in coordination with the US National Park Service. Data were collected via field observations twice annually, once in the Spring (April-May) and once in fall (Sept.) starting in 1996. A weather station was established in 1998 which recorded hourly temperature and precipitation measurements on a portable data storage module which was switched out and downloaded approximately every 3 months. These data can be used to monitor long term trends and changes in vegetation in a rare, protected and never grazed grassland on the Colorado Plateau, and help with monitoring trends in similar dryland ecosystems.

These data were compiled for a study that investigated the effects of drought seasonality and plant community composition on two dominant perennial grasses, Achnatherum hymenoides (C3 photosynthesis), and Pleuraphis jamesii (C4 photosynthesis), in a dryland ecosystem. In 2015 USGS Ecologists recorded vegetation and soil moisture data in 36 experimental plots which manipulated precipitation in two plant community types. The experiment consisted of three precipitation treatments: control (ambient precipitation), cool-season drought (-66% ambient precipitation November-April), and warm-season drought (-66% ambient precipitation May-October), applied in two plant communities (perennial grasses with or without a large shrub, Ephedra viridis) over a three-year period. These data were collected from 2015 to 2018 near Canyonlands National Park, UT. These data represent precipitation, soil moisture, greenness and biomass from experimental treatments. These data can be used to compare the effects of drought seasonality on two dominant perennial grasses.

These data were compiled for a study that investigated the effects of drought seasonality and plant community composition on two dominant perennial grasses, Achnatherum hymenoides (C3 photosynthesis), and Pleuraphis jamesii (C4 photosynthesis), in a dryland ecosystem. In 2015 USGS Ecologists recorded vegetation and soil moisture data in 36 experimental plots which manipulated precipitation in two plant community types. The experiment consisted of three precipitation treatments: control (ambient precipitation), cool-season drought (-66% ambient precipitation November-April), and warm-season drought (-66% ambient precipitation May-October), applied in two plant communities (perennial grasses with or without a large shrub, Ephedra viridis) over a three-year period. These data were collected from 2015 to 2018 near Canyonlands National Park, UT. These data represent precipitation, soil moisture, greenness and biomass from experimental treatments. These data can be used to compare the effects of drought seasonality on two dominant perennial grasses.

These CLIM-MET stations are meteorological/geological stations that is designed to function in remote areas for long periods of time without human intervention. These stations measure meteorological and wind-erosion parameters under varying climatic and land-use conditions to detect and describe ongoing landscape changes. These data represent multiple years of local detailed landscape and environmental change observations. These data were collected in and close to Canyonlands National Park, Utah from 1 August 2016 to 31 December 2022. These data were collected by U.S. Geological Survey researchers utilizing site visits and automated data collection data loggers. These data can be used to inform studies of local and regional landscape change as well as to provide input into regional climatic models.

These CLIM-MET stations are meteorological/geological stations that is designed to function in remote areas for long periods of time without human intervention. These stations measure meteorological and wind-erosion parameters under varying climatic and land-use conditions to detect and describe ongoing landscape changes. These data represent multiple years of local detailed landscape and environmental change observations. These data were collected in and close to Canyonlands National Park, Utah from 1 August 2016 to 31 December 2022. These data were collected by U.S. Geological Survey researchers utilizing site visits and automated data collection data loggers. These data can be used to inform studies of local and regional landscape change as well as to provide input into regional climatic models.

These data were compiled to examine how climate change affects biocrust recovery from both physical and climate-induced disturbance. Objective(s) of our study were to uncover the trajectory of biological soil crust communities and soil stability following distrubance and under warming. These data represent biological soil crust surveys under 5 treatments at three sites. These data were collected at three sites: Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Castle Valley. Data collection for a physical disturbance experiment where annual human-trampling occurred at the sites in Arches and Canyonlands began in 1996 and was concluded in 2018. Data collection for a 13-year full-factorial in situ climate manipulation experiment (undisturbed control, warming, altered precipitation, warming + altered precipitation) in Castle Valley began in 2005 and was concluded in 2018. These data were collected by U.S. Geological Survey technicians using field surveys of biological soil crusts and soil stability. These data can be used to track biological soil crust communities and soil stability through time under climate manipulation and physical disturbance treatments.