Status: 

Completed

Title

Canopy gap survey at El Verde
Summary

DOI: 

10.6073/pasta/3675d79c27956886f8e54195eeac98cc

Short name: 

LUQMetadata8

Data set ID: 

8

Abstract: 

The survey of gaps at El Verde covers about 35 ha, including the 9 ha grid. We defined a treefall gap at El Verde as a hole in the forest canopy extending down to an average height of about 3 m or less above ground. The edge of a gap was delineated by the vertical projection of the edge of the canopy foliage. We measured the dimensions ofs present in the 35-ha study site in August 1989, one month before Hurricane Hugo. For each gap we measured L, the longest axis of the gap (distance between edges), and W, the longest axis perpendicular to L, and then approximated gap area as that of an ellipse: Area = p LW/4 (Runkle 1992). Only openings ³ 20 m2; were counted as gaps.
Dates
Date Range: 
1988-11-01 00:00:00 to 1988-11-30 00:00:00
People

Owner/Creator: 

Nicholas Brokaw

Contact: 

Nicholas Brokaw

Additional Project roles: 

Name: Eda Melendez-Colom Role: Data Manager
Methodology

Methods: 

Within this area, the canopy gap area of all recent gaps (sept. 1989) are marked with yellow flagging and have been roughly measured. Each gap has a unique identifying number. Canopy gap area is determined by measuring with a rangefinder, or estimating, the lenght of the long and short axes of the hole in the canopy and using these figures to calculate the area of an ellipse as an approximation of the gap area.

Status: 

Completed

Time Period: 

Short-Term
Related

Related publications: 

Disturbance and canopy structure in two tropical forests

Related sites: 

El Verde Research Area Cecropia saplings gaps (1-76)
Categories

Core Areas: 

LTER Keywords: 

Table 4 Long-Term Classification: 

2006 Proposal Classification: 

Program: 

EML is valid: 

Yes

EML Link: 

Download EML

Variables Descriptions Data File Date Rangesort ascending
Canopy gap survey at El Verde File Gapsurve.csv 1988-11-01 to 1988-11-07