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Harvard Forest Data Archive

HF077

Long-term Vegetation Dynamics in Southwestern New Hampshire from 13000 BP to Present

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Data

Overview

  • Lead: Peter Schoonmaker, David Foster
  • Investigators:
  • Contact: Information Manager
  • Start date: -11000
  • End date: 2000
  • Status: complete
  • Location: Pisgah State Forest (NH)
  • Latitude: +42.83 degrees
  • Longitude: -72.44 degrees
  • Elevation: 350 meter
  • Datum: WGS84
  • Taxa: Acer (maple), Betula (birch), Castanea (chestnut), Fagus (beech), Pinus (pine), Quercus (oak), Tsuga (hemlock)
  • Release date: 2023
  • Language: English
  • EML file: knb-lter-hfr.77.18
  • DOI: digital object identifier
  • EDI: data package
  • DataONE: data package
  • Related links:
  • Study type: paleological
  • Research topic: historical and retrospective studies; physiological ecology, population dynamics and species interactions; regional studies
  • LTER core area: disturbance patterns
  • Keywords: dendrochronology, fires, paleoecology, pollen
  • Abstract:

    The paleoecological record allows contemporary ecologists to put current phenomena into the context of a longer time-frame, thereby providing the opportunity to evaluate the importance of slowly operating processes, past cyclic or unusual events, disturbance regimes, and historically constrained phenomena. We briefly outline the environmental history of the Quaternary, discuss the spatial and temporal resolution of the paleoecological evidence for biotic change, and summarize data relevant to such current issues as the nature of the biotic community, the role of disturbance, stability versus rapid change, evolutionary theory, explanations of species diversity, and refugia theory. Finally, we offer examples of the utility of paleoecological techniques for ecologists and environmental scientists.

  • Methods:

    Bog sediment cores were obtained with a modified Livingstone corer. The cores were cut into 1-cm intervals, and selected samples were processed for pollen using standard procedures. The cores were dated by pollen stratigraphic markers and radiocarbon isotopes, and pollen grains and microscopic charcoal were counted.

  • Organization: Harvard Forest. 324 North Main Street, Petersham, MA 01366, USA. Phone (978) 724-3302. Fax (978) 724-3595.

  • Project: The Harvard Forest Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program examines ecological dynamics in the New England region resulting from natural disturbances, environmental change, and human impacts. (ROR).

  • Funding: National Science Foundation LTER grants: DEB-8811764, DEB-9411975, DEB-0080592, DEB-0620443, DEB-1237491, DEB-1832210.

  • Use: This dataset is released to the public under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 (No Rights Reserved). Please keep the dataset creators informed of any plans to use the dataset. Consultation with the original investigators is strongly encouraged. Publications and data products that make use of the dataset should include proper acknowledgement.

  • License: Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal (CC0-1.0)

  • Citation: Schoonmaker P, Foster D. 2023. Long-term Vegetation Dynamics in Southwestern New Hampshire from 13000 BP to Present. Harvard Forest Data Archive: HF077 (v.18). Environmental Data Initiative: https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/33231d4df3dd821ac146cf42200175a7.

Detailed Metadata

hf077-01: age model - Lost Swamp

  1. sample: sample number
  2. beta: laboratory number
  3. depth: depth of sample in the sediment column (cm)
  4. sediment.type: material from the sample used for dating
  5. weight: weight (unit: gram / missing value: NA)
  6. c14.age: reported radiocarbon date (years before 1950) (unit: number / missing value: NA)
  7. error: error in radiocarbon date reported by lab (± years) (unit: number / missing value: NA)

hf077-02: pollen

  1. site: site name
    • LS: Lost Swamp
    • CP: Central Plot
    • SP: South Plot
  2. depth: depth of sample in the sediment column (unit: centimeter / missing value: NA)
  3. taxa: taxa name. Indet. Crumple: Number of indeterminable crumpled pollen grains. Indet. Corroded: Number of indeterminable corroded pollen grains. Indet. Obscured: Number of indeterminable obscured pollen grains. Unknown: Number of unknown or unidentified pollen grains. Exotic: Number of exotic pollen grains identified.
  4. count: number of pollen grains of identified individual taxa (unit: number / missing value: NA)