DOI: 10.5061/dryad.2fqz61327
title: Santa Cruz island time series vegetation data

description: Methods This dataset was collected as part of a long-term vegetation
 monitoring program on Santa Cruz Island, California, USA, following the
 removal of non-native grazers. Sampling was conducted across 100 30 x 2 m
 plots representing a range of plant communities (oak woodland, chaprral,
 pine, grassland, coastal scrub), restoration histories and management
 strategies. Field Methods:Vegetation surveys were conducted annually
 during peak biomass (typically between March and May). Within each plot,
 species presence and cover were recorded using a modified point-intercept
 method along permanent transects. Each transect consisted of a
 standardized number of regularly spaced points where all hits were
 identified to species when possible. Environmental Data:In addition to
 vegetation data, abiotic variables such as slope, aspect, soil type, and
 elevation were recorded for each plot using GPS, topographic maps, and
 field observations. Climatic data were interpolated from nearby weather
 stations and remote sensing sources when relevant. Data Processing:Species
 names were standardized to The Jepson eFlora taxonomy (2022). Percent
 cover was calculated from point-intercept data and averaged across
 transects within each plot-year. Quality control steps included filtering
 misidentifications, removing non-vascular plant records, and excluding
 plots with incomplete metadata. Data Structure:The final dataset includes:
 Plot metadata (location, environmental variables, management history),
 Annual species composition data (percent cover by species), and survey
 year identifiers. Each row represents a unique plot-year combination, with
 associated species-level or community-level attributes.
description: # Santa Cruz island time series vegetation data Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.2fqz61327](10.5061/dryad.2fqz61327) ## Description of the
 data and file structure **README – Santa Cruz Island Post-Grazing
 Vegetation Monitoring Dataset** ### **Data Description** This dataset was
 collected as part of a long-term ecological monitoring effort to assess
 the recovery of native grassland vegetation following the removal of
 non-native herbivores on Santa Cruz Island, California. The goal of the
 project is to track plant community composition, diversity, and structural
 changes over time in response to grazing removal, restoration treatments,
 and ongoing management. Sampling was conducted across a network of
 permanent plots representing varied environmental conditions and
 restoration histories. These data support analyses of vegetation recovery
 trajectories, treatment effectiveness, and spatial variation in community
 assembly. --- ### **Methods Summary** Vegetation surveys were conducted
 annually (1991-1995,1998, 2022) during peak growing season (typically
 March–May) using point-intercept sampling along permanent transects within
 each plot. All vascular plant species intercepted at designated points
 were recorded. Species identifications were standardized to The Jepson
 eFlora (2022). Cover values were calculated from intercept frequencies and
 averaged at the plot-year level. Environmental variables (e.g., elevation,
 aspect, slope) were collected using GPS and field measurements.
 Restoration treatment histories were compiled from land management records
 maintained by The Nature Conservancy and the National Park Service. ---
 ### **Data Usage Notes** * Percent cover values are relative to total hits
 per plot and may not sum to 100%. * Plots with missing survey years or
 incomplete records are included but should be filtered as needed for
 analysis. --- ### **Citation** If you use these data, please cite both the
 original manuscript and this Dryad dataset using the provided DOI:
 **Dataset DOI:**
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1rn8pk158](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1rn8pk158)\ **Associated manuscript:** [Insert citation for EAP25-0109 once available] --- ### Files and variables ### **Files Included** * [SantaCruzIsland_CoverData_91-95_98_22_Meeder.xlsx](/downloads/pre_submit/4173488 "Download from Dryad") * `README.md` – This document. **Description:** This dataset was collected as part of a long-term ecological monitoring effort to assess the recovery of native grassland vegetation following the removal of non-native herbivores on Santa Cruz Island, California. The goal of the project is to track plant community composition, diversity, and structural changes over time in response to grazing removal, restoration treatments, and ongoing management. Sampling was conducted across a network of permanent plots representing varied environmental conditions and restoration histories. These data support analyses of vegetation recovery trajectories, treatment effectiveness, and spatial variation in community assembly. ##### Variables | **Column** | **Variable Name** | **Description** | | :--------- | :---------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | A | `Acronym` | six-letter species code or abbreviation for plant taxon. first three = first three of genus, second three = second three of specific epithet | | B | `Plot` | Plot number (character); identifies permanent sampling location | | C | `Year` | Year of vegetation survey | | D | `Plotcode` | Unique plot identifier combining plot number and sub-code | | E | `Cover` | Cover for the species in that plot-year | | F | `Native` | Native status (`T` = native, `F` = non-native) | | G | `Guild` | Broad functional group (e.g., Grass, Forb, Shrub) | | H | `Lifecycle` | Lifecycle strategy (e.g., Annual, Perennial) | | I | `Category` | Combined growth form/lifecycle classification (e.g., `anforb`, `ntvshrub`) | | J | `L_OID` | Internal database ID or object identifier for the location | | K | `X` | X-coordinate (UTM or projected coordinate system) | | L | `Y` | Y-coordinate (UTM or projected coordinate system) | | M | `Location` | Site or subregion name (e.g., Loma Peloma)--specific to Santa Cruz Island grazing pasture history. | | N | `USGSMap` | Topographic map identifier (e.g., SCIC) | | O | `Vegtype` | Vegetation type (e.g., Grassland) | | P | `Elevation` | Elevation in meters above sea level | | Q | `Slope` | Slope in degrees | | R | `Aspect` | Aspect in degrees (0–360) | | S | `Aspectcos` | Cosine-transformed aspect (for use in models) | | T | `TRI` | Topographic Ruggedness Index | | U | `Vegline` | Survey status for vegetation line (e.g., "Complete") | | V | `Status` | Survey completeness or QC status | | W | `Pasture` | Pasture or grazing management unit | | X | Sheep.Grazing | Historical sheep grazing intensity | | Y | Cattle.Grazing | Historical attle grazing treatment or classification (e.g., "Medium") | | Z | `n` | 1 | --- Let me know if you want these saved in a CSV or markdown format for your README, or if you'd like help renaming or reordering columns for clarity in the dataset itself! ## Code/software excel