2021 Brimstone Island Vascular Plant Botanical Inventory

2021 Brimstone Island Vascular Plant Botanical Inventory 

Vinalhaven, Maine, United States.
BRIMSTONE ISLAND (CIR 63-176)
LITTLE BRIMSTONE ISLAND (CIR 63-179)

Inventory Conducted: 10 trips to the island between June and September (September 8-9, 2020, June 25-26, July 19-21, and August 2-4, 2021)

Maine Natural History Observatory
Lead Botanist: Glen Mittelhauser
Year of publication: 2022
Contact: info@mainenaturalhistory.org
Funding Sources: Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge

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Permissions and Data Use

These data are made publicly available to encourage transparency, long-term preservation, and reuse in ecological research, conservation planning, and education. These inventories represent baseline conditions at the time of survey and should be interpreted with appropriate consideration of survey year, methods, and observer effort. Users are welcome to download, analyze, and incorporate these data into derivative works, including independent analyses and publications. Any use of these data must acknowledge the original source by citing the website where the data are archived and giving credit for the historical data to Glen Mittelhauser, Maine Natural History Observatory. Users are encouraged, though not required, to notify Maine Natural History Observatory of substantial or interpretive uses of the dataset, particularly those leading to publication.

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File list and description of each file
(See report for more information)

1) Core file
File Name: Brimstone2022_EventCore_GridCells.csv
    Description: Lists the names and locations of all 25x25 meter grid cells that were botanically inventoried.  Using GIS software, we built a 25x25 m grid across the island with a total of 694 grid cells that had at least some vascular plants (Figure 1).  The grid was oriented following true compass bearings, with the UTM coordinates (NAD83, Zone 19) of the grid extent being 518100, 4873525 and 518850, 4872600 for 37 rows and 30 columns of grid cells, numbered consecutively first in rows from west to east and then from south to north.

GRID CELLS
2) Extension of Core file
File Name: Brimstone2022_Occurrences_GridCells.csv
    Connects to: Brimstone2022_EventCore_GridCells.csv linked using the gridCell column.
    Description:  By comparing species abundances within grid cells on the various trips, we documented the maximum categorical abundance of each species in each grid cell on the islands.  Abundance categories were as follows:  common = species with a wide distribution in the grid cell, occurring in large numbers, typically with over 50% cover; occasional = species with a scattered distribution throughout the grid cell, typically with 25-50% cover; uncommon = species not widely distributed and not often encountered in the grid cell, typically with 5-25% cover; and rare = species usually restricted to small areas, specialized habitats, or consisting of 1 or 2 very small "populations" in the grid cell, typically with less than 5% cover.  

QUADRATS
3) Extension of Core file
File Name: Brimstone2022_Quadrats.csv
    Connects to: Brimstone2022_EventCore_GridCells.csv linked using the gridCell column.
    Description:  Within a subset of selected grid cells with vascular plants present, we also estimated cover of each species within 1x1 m quadrats to measure the vegetation in the interior of the island and also the vegetation along the shoreline.  For measuring the vegetation in the interior of the island (23 grid cells), the location of the 1x1 m quadrats was based off of the center of each selected 25x25 m grid cell (estimated with the GPS unit), with three quadrats placed approximately 2 m from the center of the grid cell (tossed in the correct direction): one quadrat 2 m to the N, one quadrat 2 m to the SE, and one quadrat 2 m to the SW.  If trampled vegetation was in the quadrat location, the quadrat was tossed further from the center point of the grid cell. Because many species in the island interior matured earlier in the season, we conducted these surveys during July before most of the interior vegetation dried up.
Each 1x1 m vegetation sampling quadrat was sampled non-destructively for visual estimates of cover for each species of vascular plants, with separate categories recorded for rock, dead vegetation, bare soil, and washed up debris near the shore. Plant cover was estimated as accurately as possible, without rounding to categories or even the nearest percent, especially when considering rare species.  We used calibration templates showing 1 %, 2.5%, and 5% cover and negative-space templates for 0.5% and 1% cover to help with cover estimates.  We also carried transparent templates for fractions of cover from 0.1% to 1% for various size rectangles, ellipses, and circles. When estimating cover, we ignored small gaps between leaflets of compound leaves, but larger and important gaps between leaves were considered.   

BELT TRANSECTS
4) Extension of Core file
File Name: Brimstone2022_BeltTransects.csv
    Connects to: Brimstone2022_EventCore_GridCells.csv linked using the gridCell column.
    Description: To assess plants along the shoreline gradient, we set up belt transects spanning the area from first vegetation nearest to the shoreline towards the interior of the island within 12 grid cells (24 belt transects).  Because many species in this zone matured later in the season, we conducted these surveys during August and September.  For each selected 25x25 m grid cell, we set up two belt transects, each 9 m long, with 1x1 m quadrats placed every other meter along the belt transect for a total of five quadrats crossing the shore to interior vegetation gradient. The two belt transects were located to be evenly spaced within the grid cell. The belt transects started at the vascular plant closest to the intertidal zone (excluding subtidal species such as Zostera marina) and continued toward the center of the island and crossing the shore to interior vegetation gradient as directly as possible.  The UTM coordinates (NAD83, zone 190) at the start of each belt transect (i.e., the vascular plant lowest in elevation near the shore or intertidal zone) and the ending coordinates were recorded for each belt transect. Each belt transect was given a number based on the grid cell number of the start of the belt transect (and this transect number was maintained even if the transect crossed into another grid cell) and the quadrats were numbered consecutively from 1 to 5 while progressing towards the island interior.  Each 1x1 m vegetation sampling quadrat was sampled non-destructively for visual estimates of cover for each species of vascular plants, with separate categories for rock, dead vegetation, bare soil, and washed up debris, as described for the quadrats above.

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Column Definitions

Name: gridCell 
Type: Integer
Description: Identifier for the 25x25 m grid cells.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: eventID (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/eventID)

Name: verbatimCoordinateSystem 
Type: String
Description: The coordinate format for the location.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: verbatimCoordinateSystem (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/verbatimCoordinateSystem)

Name: UTMx(Easting) 
Type: Double
Description: UTM X coordinate.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core:
 
Name: UTMy(Northing) 
Type: Double
Description: UTM Y coordinate.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: 

Name: geodeticDatum 
Type: String
Description: The geodetic datum upon which the geographic coordinates given are based.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: geodeticDatum (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/geodeticDatum)

Name: UTMZone 
Type: String
Description: 
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: 

Name: year 
Type: Integer
Description: The four-digit year in which the survey occurred.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: year (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/year)

Name: samplingProtocol 
Type: String
Description: The names of, references to, or descriptions of the methods or protocols of event.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: samplingProtocol (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/samplingProtocol)

Name: island 
Type: String
Description: The name of the island on which the location occurs.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: island (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/island)

Name: scientificName 
Type: String
Description: The full scientific name, with authorship and date information if known.  All nomenclature follows Haines (2011)
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: scientificName (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/scientificName)

Name: family 
Type: String
Description: The full scientific name of the family in which the dwc:Taxon is classified.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: family (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/family)

Name: vernacularName
Type: String
Description: A common or vernacular name.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: vernacularName (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/vernacularName)

Name: statusInMaine
Type: String
Description: Native = Considered native to Maine; Exotic = considered non-native to Maine.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: 

Name: measurementType
Type: String
Description: The nature of the measurement, fact, characteristic, or assertion.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: measurementType (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/measurementType)

Name: measurementValueAbundance
Type: String
Description: C = common: species with a wide distribution in the grid cell, occurring in large numbers, typically with over 50% cover.  O = Occasional: species with a scattered distribution throughout the grid cell, typically with 25-50% cover.  U = Uncommon: species not widely distributed and not often encountered in the grid cell, typically with 5-25% cover.  R = Rare: species usually restricted to small areas, specialized habitats, or consisting of 1 or 2 very small "populations" in the grid cell, typically with less than 5% cover.  
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: measurementValue (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/measurementValue)

Name: quadratNumber
Type: String
Description: Identifier for the 1x1 m quadrats.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: eventID (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/eventID)

Name: direction
Type: String
Description: Cardinal directions.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core:

Name: eventDate
Type: Date
Description: The date-time or interval during which a Event occurred.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: eventDate (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/eventDate)

Name: verbatimEventDate
Type: String
Description: The verbatim original representation of the date information.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: verbatimEventDate (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/verbatimEventDate)

Name: measurementValuePercentage
Type: Decimal
Description: Visual estimates of percentage cover for each species, with separate categories recorded for rock, dead vegetation, bare soil, and washed up debris near the shore. 
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: measurementValue (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/measurementValue)

Name: beltQuadratNumber
Type: String
Description: Identifier for the 1x1 m quadrats.
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: eventID (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/eventID)

Name: startingCoordinates
Type: String
Description: UTM location coordinates for start of belt transect (NAD83, Zone 19)
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: 

Name: endingCoordinates
Type: String
Description: UTM location coordinates for end of belt transect (NAD83, Zone 19)
Maps to term(s) in Darwin Core: 

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File type information

.csv files:
- linesTerminatedBy: \n
- fieldsTerminatedBy: ;
- dateFormat: MM/DD/YYYY

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Coordinate System 

Using GIS software, we built a 25x25 m grid across the island with a total of 694 grid cells that had at least some vascular plants (Figure 1).  The grid was oriented following true compass bearings, with the UTM coordinates (NAD83, Zone 19) of the grid extent being 518100, 4873525 and 518850, 4872600 for 37 rows and 30 columns of grid cells, numbered consecutively first in rows from west to east and then from south to north. 

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Citation instructions

Author: Glen Mittelhauser, Maine Natural History Observatory
Title: 2022 Brimstone Island Vascular Plant Botanical Inventory 
Year of publication: 2022
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Licensing: CC-BY