Field methodologies
(refinements or additions to manuals etc)

RECCE PLOTS

Q. Can ground-cover estimates sum to more than 100%?
A. Yes, as ground-cover includes everything below 135 cm and there may be several layers present.

Q. Are recce plots always bounded to the edge of a fixed-area quadrat?
A. No, recce plots may be bounded or unbounded, and serve different purposes. It is important to note on the field sheet and in the metadata which type are being measured.

Q. How do I estimate the % cover of trees with leafy foliage occurring in more than one height tier. Are they scored only in the tier which the top of the tree reaches, or in each tier where leaves are present?
A. Leafy branches should be recorded in each tier that they are found.

Q. What is the last best way to fix the position of a plot using GPS?
A. A guide to the use of GPS for fixing plot position coordinates is available. (113KB Acrobat file)

STEM DIAMETERS

Q. What is the recommended minimum diameter for tagging tree stems?
A. Typically tree stems of 3.0 cm DBH or larger should be tagged using nails and aluminium tags. Earlier versions of the permanent plot manual recommended 2.5 cm but stems that small are often permanently damaged by nailing.

Q. Is diameter at breast height over bark (DBH OB) 135 or 140 cm?
A. 135 cm.

Q. What should be done when a tree tag is found to be missing in the field?
A. Make a new tag with the original number using a Dynotape maker. Never replace with a different numbered tag.

Q. Should we tag tree ferns?
A. Yes, tree ferns can be tagged with long (>75 mm) nails and tags, or a loop of thin wire twisted around the trunk and a tag attached.

Q. Are pre-printed diameter plot sheets with earlier data available to take into the field during a remeasurement exercise?
A. Yes, they can be supplied as hard copies or electronic file. Contact the NVS team via email (nvs@landcareresearch.co.nz) for further information.

COUNTS OF SEEDLINGS & SAPLINGS (UNDERSTOREY)

Q. For seedlings and saplings do I count individual stems of multi-leadered plants or treat them as single plants?
A. If branching occurs above ground level count as one plant, if branching occurs below ground count branches as separate individuals.

Q. Is the height of a seedling measured as it stands, or pulled up straight?
A. As it stands.

Q. Should trees or saplings which occur in seedling plots be recorded on the seedling sheet?
A. No, only stems less than 135 cm are recorded on seedling sheets as all others will be recorded on sapling or tree sheets.

Q. What does 'relocated' mean when written on a remeasured seedling plot sheet?
A. 'Relocated' is an ambiguous term which has sometimes been noted when a seedling peg was not found in the ground at its mapped position, and was then re-inserted or re-established to represent the original position. Use 're-established' rather than 'relocated'.

Q. What does 'e' or 'ep' or 'eph' entered in the <15 cm tier on some seedling plot sheets?
A. They refer to ephemeral often cotyledonous very small seedlings and assumed to be short-lived. As these seedlings are often short lived, seasonally dependant, and sometimes difficult to identify they are generally not entered into the data files.

GRASSLANDS

Q. Are all grassland transects 20 m long?
A. Grassland transects, with associated ring-counts, are normally 20 m or 40 m long. As ring-counts of species presence/absence are spaced at 40 cm there are either 50 or 100 samples recorded.

Data handling (data formats, data entry etc)

Q. Can the NVS archive supply data to end-users as spreadsheet files?
A. Yes, data can be supplied in spreadsheet- or database-compatible formats, but the request will take longer to process.

Q. What is 'metadata' and why is so much information needed when depositing data to NVS?
A. Metadata are information about the data (e.g. who collected it, using what methods, and why). Metadata provide the information required for long-term use of the data and also allow users to determine data quality and whether datasets are appropriate for their needs.

Q. Are all data stored in NVS recorded in standard formats?
A. No. Although there have been efforts to standardise methods over time and the bulk of data comply with a few standards, not all datasets in NVS conform to standard methods. Metadata and associated text files help to clarify methods for each set of data.

Q. If data is entered by NVS databank data entry staff, can additional data fields be added?
A. Additional fields may be added to standard data formats, but arrangements need to be discussed with NVS operators on a case-by-case basis. Contact the NVS team (nvs@landcareresearch.co.nz).

Q. If I deposit hardcopy data to NVS will it be digitised at some time?
A. Hardcopies of data deposited into the NVS databank for archiving may eventually be digitised, but the backlog for entry of such data is currently more than a year. However, the NVS team can enter data at a cost. Contact the NVS team (nvs@landcareresearch.co.nz) for advice on the options for data entry or an estimate of the cost of data entry by NVS staff

Interactions with NVS

Q. What advantages are there to me providing data to contribute to NVS?
A. The NVS databank is a nationally recognised archive (The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology has accorded NVS the status of a Nationally Significant database) in which vegetation data can be securely curated for posterity and the public good. Archived data are kept up to date with available technology (e.g. data originally deposited in older highly coded file formats have now been migrated to a relational database) and ongoing updates ensure that data can continue to be deposited and retrieved in formats that facilitate ease of data use. In addition, systematic error-checking and correction exercises undertaken by NVS staff have improved the quality of data archived in NVS.

Q. How much does it cost to extract copies of data, electronic or hardcopy, from NVS?
A. NVS complies with the Crown Research Institute policy of providing access to data for public good or personal use (seeWiser et al 2001 732KB), but charges may be incurred for cost of supply. Costs may range from nominal for simple queries to significant where considerable manipulation of data is required. Usually, no costs are passed on to the user in straightforward requests, and no costs are associated with storage, or are incurred by providers requesting their own data. NVS charges for cost of data extraction, format conversion, or field sheet copying if appreciable time or materials is required to carry out those tasks.

Q. Can I get copies of original field sheets and plot location descriptions from NVS?
A. Yes, if present, copies of original raw field sheets and maps can be supplied. These can be provided as mailed photocopies, scanned files, or faxed. Please note that copying field sheets is often time-consuming and NVS may have to charge for the time involved.

Q. When will NVS become an interactive database where I can pick data for myself through the Internet?
A. Datasets can currently be requested over the NVS website, but NVS staff will download the data for you.  Because of data security and intellectual property issues, a completely interactive system is not anticipated in the near future

Analyses

Q. Can I run the PC analysis programs in a Windows environment?
A. Yes, the PC programs will run in a DOS Window. It will be difficult to print directly from the PC utility so save outputs to a file.

Questions

If you have any questions related to the above, please email us at nvs@LandcareResearch.co.nz

Glossary

Note: a data dictionary of all terms and fields used in the metadata, and actual data, databases is being compiled and will be added soon.

Reconnaisance descriptions, Recce plots or Recces (Allen 1992), are similar to ecological relevés (as used by Mueller-Dombois & Ellenberg 1974) or phytosociological descriptions. In addition to a relevé plant list and habit or habitat data (Lincoln etal. 1982), Recces normally include information on stand height tiers and species cover, and they may be bounded or unbounded.

Allen, R.B. 1992: RECCE An inventory method for describing New Zealand's vegetative cover. Forest Research Institute Bulletin N0. 176. 25p.

Lincoln, R.J.; Boxshall, G.A.; Clark, P.F. 1982: A dictionary of ecology, evolution and systematics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 298p.

Mueller-Dombois, D.; Ellenberg, H. 1974: Aims and methods of vegetation ecology. John Wiley & Sons. New York. 547p.