Publication Date:
2024-01-26
Description:
This data set contains information on vegetation cover, i.e. the proportion of soil surface area that is covered by different categories of plants per estimated plot area. Data was collected on the plant community level (sown plant community, weed plant community, dead plant material, and bare ground) and on the level of individual plant species in case of the sown species. Data presented here is from the Main Experiment plots of a large grassland biodiversity experiment (the Jena Experiment; see further details below). In the main experiment, 82 grassland plots of 20 x 20 m were established from a pool of 60 species belonging to four functional groups (grasses, legumes, tall and small herbs). In May 2002, varying numbers of plant species from this species pool were sown into the plots to create a gradient of plant species richness (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 60 species) and functional richness (1, 2, 3, 4 functional groups). Plots were maintained by bi-annual weeding and mowing.
In 2003, vegetation cover was estimated twice in May and August just prior to mowing (during peak standing biomass) on all experimental plots of the Main Experiment. Cover was visually estimated in a central area of each plot 3 by 3 m in size (approximately 9 m²) using a decimal scale (Londo). Cover estimates for the individual species (and for target species + weeds + bare ground) can add up to more than 100% because the estimated categories represented a structure with potentially overlapping multiple layers. In 2003, cover on the community level was only estimated for the sown plant community, weed plant community and bare soil. In contrast to later years, cover of dead plant material was not estimated.
Keywords:
Achillea millefolium, cover; Ajuga reptans, cover; Alopecurus pratensis, cover; Anthoxanthum odoratum, cover; Anthriscus sylvestris, cover; Arrhenatherum elatius, cover; Avenula pubescens, cover; Bare ground, cover; Bellis perennis, cover; Bromus erectus, cover; Bromus hordeaceus, cover; Campanula patula, cover; Cardamine pratensis, cover; Carum carvi, cover; Centaurea jacea, cover; Cirsium oleraceum, cover; Crepis biennis, cover; Cynosurus cristatus, cover; Dactylis glomerata, cover; Date/time end; Date/time start; Daucus carota, cover; EXP; Experiment; Experimental plot; Festuca pratensis, cover; Festuca rubra, cover; Galium mollugo, cover; Geranium pratense, cover; Glechoma hederacea, cover; HEIGHT above ground; Height aboveground, maximum; Height aboveground, minimum; Heracleum sphondylium, cover; Holcus lanatus, cover; Jena Experiment 2003; JenExp; JenExp_2003; Knautia arvensis, cover; Lathyrus pratensis, cover; Leontodon autumnalis, cover; Leontodon hispidus, cover; Leucanthemum vulgare, cover; Lotus corniculatus, cover; Luzula campestris, cover; Medicago lupulina, cover; Medicago x varia, cover; Onobrychis viciifolia, cover; Pastinaca sativa, cover; Phleum pratense, cover; Pimpinella major, cover; Plantago lanceolata, cover; Plantago media, cover; Poa pratensis, cover; Poa trivialis, cover; Primula veris, cover; Prunella vulgaris, cover; Ranunculus acris, cover; Ranunculus repens, cover; Rumex acetosa, cover; Sanguisorba officinalis, cover; Sown plant community, cover; Taraxacum officinale, cover; The Jena Experiment; Thuringia, Germany; Tragopogon pratensis, cover; Treatment: aboveground: pesticide; Treatment: below pesticide; Treatment: drought; Treatment: eartworm exclosure; Treatment: fertilizing; Treatment: molluscide; Treatment: mowing; Treatment: nematicide; Treatment: phytometers; Treatment: seed addition; Treatment: special; Treatment: weeding; Treatment: weeding history; Trifolium campestre, cover; Trifolium dubium, cover; Trifolium fragiferum, cover; Trifolium hybridum, cover; Trifolium pratense, cover; Trifolium repens, cover; Trisetum flavescens, cover; Veronica chamaedrys, cover; Vicia cracca, cover; Weeds plant community, cover
Type:
Dataset
Format:
text/tab-separated-values, 4852 data points
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