Wetland Plant Species Distribution and Soil Data from Cedar Creek

Permanent plot data from 15 wetlands at the Cedar Creek Natural History Area, established in 1988. The dataset includes vegetation species presence, percent cover, soil characteristics, and water level measurements for long-term monitoring. It was collected by the Long-Term Ecological Research Program and the University of Minnesota.

Use Cases

• Analyze plant species distribution in relation to water table level using transect location and species presence data.
• Detect changes in species composition over time using repeated vegetation surveys from permanent 1 m2 plots.
• Model relationships between soil characteristics (pH, organic matter, ammonium, nitrate) and wetland plant communities.
• Assess wetland hydrology by correlating spring water level measurements with vegetation survey results.

Strengths

• Long-term monitoring framework with permanent plots established in 1988.
• Multifaceted data collection covering vegetation, soil, and water across 15 wetlands.
• Transects provide spatial structure, varying from 25 m to 85 m to capture wetland gradients.

Limitations

• Sample size is limited to 21 transects across 15 specific wetlands.
• Data collection frequency is annual for vegetation, creating gaps for intra-seasonal dynamics.
• Access may be limited as subsets require permission from investigators prior to publication.

Provenance

Source

Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program, Cedar Creek Natural History Area (CDR), University of Minnesota.

Collection Method

Field surveys from permanent transects and plots; soil sampling and laboratory analysis.

Time Range

Monitoring began in 1988; vegetation data collected annually in late July.

Freshness

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Geography

Cedar Creek Natural History Area, a 2200-hectare reserve in Anoka and Isanti Counties, Minnesota, USA.