DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10906164
title: Sabah Biodiversity Experiment Compiled Datasets 2002 to 2020

description: Summary

This dataset contains the data collected from a number of experiments that were conducted within the Sabah Biodiversity Experiment (SBE) project site located within the Malua Forest Reserve in Sabah, Malaysia between 2002 to 2020. The data collected are measurements taken from 16 species of Dipterocarpaceae seedlings that were planted within the project site. These measurements largely comprise of the diameters at base and breast height of the main stems (in centimeters), the height of the main stem (in centimeters), densiometer readings to determine canopy openness, and the level of herbivory experienced by seedlings.

Restrictions

This data is only accessible via a data request to Michael O'Brien (mikey.j.obrien@gmail.com) and Andy Hector (andrew.hector@biology.ox.ac.uk). The data collectors are expected to be included as authors on any articles that use this dataset.

Version 3.0

The planting dates for some seedlings have been adjusted as they were found to fall outside of our designated planting period.

Description of Columns 

pl: Plot number

li: Line number within each plot

po: Planting point on each line

location: Plot location

plantingdate: Date of planting

surveydate: Date of survey

genus: Genus of the seedling being measured

species: Species of the seedling being measured

genus_species: The genus and species of the seedling combined

SpeciesMix: Type of species mixture (refer to planting design booklet below)

survival: Did the seedling survive when measurements were being taken?  

O.N: Was the seedling planted before the 1st or 2nd census? (O = Seedlings planted before 1st Census, N = Seedlings planted before 2nd census and after 1st census)

data_origin: The experiment or study that the measurement originated from

sample: The ith sample being measured for a given study 

insectdamage: Level of leaf damage inflicted by herbivorous insects

mammaldamage: Level of leaf damage inflicted by herbivorous mammals

treefalldamage: Type of shoot damage inflicted by falling trees or branches

heightapex: Measure to the tip of leader shoot (to nearest cm)

diam1: Measure diameter of stem base at 5cm from the ground (to nearest cm)

diam2: Same as "diam1" but at right-angle to the first measurement

dbh1: Measure diameter of stem at 130cm from the ground (to nearest cm)

dbh2: As with "dbh1", but at right-angle to the first measurement

DN: Hemispherical densiometer measurements taken facing North

DE: Hemispherical densiometer measurement taken facing East

DS: Hemispherical densiometer measurement taken facing South

DW: Hemispherical densiometer measurement taken facing West

Notes for users



Each unique combination of plot number, line number, planting point, and old/new status ("O.N") is a unique seedling.

There are about 600 seedlings with no scientific name within the dataset. All of these are seedlings that are planted right before the 2nd census, but did not survive until their measurement during the 2nd census. Therefore, these are left as unknown species.

The “data_origin” column refers to the studies conducted within the SBE project site which can be easily used by users for subsetting the dataframe for a specific study. These include the tree census or full measurement studies (1st and 2nd census/sample measurements; refer to Hector et al. 2011), intensive plot measurements (10 sample measurements; refer to Philipson et al. 2014), and climber cutting sample measurements (14 sample measurements; refer to O’Brien et al. 2019).

We also want to mention that there are 475 seedlings with no survey dates in the 2nd census.  


References



Hector A, Philipson CD, Saner P, Chamagne J, Dzulkifli D et al. (2011). The Sabah Biodiversity Experiment: a long-term test of the role of tree diversity in restoring tropical forest structure and functioning. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 366, 3303-3315. (link)

Philipson CD, Dent DH, O’Brien MJ, Chamagne J, Dzulkifli D et al. (2014). A trait-based trade-off between growth and mortality: evidence from 15 tropical tree species using size-specific relative growth rates. Ecology and Evolution 4, 3675-3688. (link)

O’Brien MJ, Philipson CD, Reynolds G, Dzulkifli D, Snaddon JL et al. (2019). Positive effects of liana cutting on seedlings are reduced during El Niño-induced drought. Journal of Applied Ecology 4, 891-901. (link)


Contact

For more information, please contact Dr Michael O'Brien (mikey.j.obrien@gmail.com)