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At least 19 records

CHESS 2025: Leaf Area Index (LAI) for meadow, shrub, tree, and understory vegetation

This dataset contains Leaf Area Index (LAI) measurements made as part of the Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS) during June and July of 2025. Data were collected in the Upper Gunnison Basin, Colorado, across three study domains: the Upper East River (CRBU), Almont Triangle (ALMO), and the Upper Taylor Basin (UPTA). Field observations of LAI were collected within 72 hours of airborne data collection by the National Ecological Observatory Network’s Aerial Observation Platform (NEON AOP). The NEON AOP collected waveform LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and imaging spectrometer data in 426 spectral bands from the visible to shortwave infrared. LAI measurements were collected using the LICOR LAI-2200C Plant Canopy Analyzer following protocols outlined in the instrument manual (LI-COR 2019). Sampling targeted four distinct vegetation types: meadows, shrubs, trees, and aspen forest understory. We have archived data separately by site type because different field methods were used for each. At meadow sites, measurements were made at the four corners of 1m x 1m plots, with the instrument moving inward toward the center of the plot. At shrub sites, we measured the canopies of individual shrubs. At tree sites, we made measurements within a 10m x 10m subplot centered around a focal tree, with 30 observations taken on a regular grid. At aspen understory sites, we measured overstory trees following the tree protocol and understory herbaceous vegetation following the meadow protocol. All measurements included above-canopy (A) and below-canopy (B) readings, with specific protocols for scattering correction measurements in direct-sun conditions. Data were processed using the R package `rlai` (Worsham 2025). This package includes functions to calculate LAI, gap fraction, apparent clumping factor (Ω), scattering correction, and other canopy metrics. Package contents: Full file descriptions appear in ‘flmd.csv’. Files named according to the convention ‘lai_*_summary_data_cleaned.csv’ contain summary values of LAI, apparent clumping factor (Ωapp), and scattering correction factors for each site. These are the analysis-ready products that most data users will work with. Files named ‘lai_*_metadata_cleaned.csv’ contain additional site-level observations made during field collection. We have also archived intermediate and supplementary data for users who wish to check our processing approach or apply alternative methods. ‘raw_lai_2200C.zip’ contains the raw files as read from the LI-COR instrument, with no processing applied, in TXT format. The zip archive contains subdirectories by site type, which are further subdivided by sampling area. Filenames correspond to the sampling site number. ‘intermediate_results.zip’ contains detailed output from the processing routines, in JSON format. The zip archive contains subdirectories by site type; filenames correspond to the sampling site number. ‘scattering_correction_logs.zip’ contains logfiles from the implementation of Kobayashi et al.'s (2013) scattering correction algorithm. The logfiles report values of several parameters at each iteration of the algorithm, as the model converges toward a stable solution. They are intended for users who want to verify scattering correction performance. The zip archive contains subdirectories by site type; filenames correspond to the sampling site number. ‘spot_checks.csv’ reports LAI and other values for a small number of files processed with LI-COR FV2200 software (LI-COR 2013) using the same control parameters as in our R-based approach. Additional metadata are provided in a data dictionary describing column names and definitions (dd.csv), and in a file-level metadata file (flmd.csv). All zip files can be expanded with common archive utilities. TXT, CSV, and JSON files can be ingested into R or Python computing environments or read in common text editor utilities. Geospatial information: Geospatial data for mapping measurement site locations are in the files CHESS_polygons_lai_UTM.geojson, CHESS_polygons_shrub_UTM.geojson, and CHESS_polygons_meadow_UTM.geojson in the companion geospatial package for the 2025 CHESS campaign, ‘CHESS 2025: Location data for field observations and sampling’ (Henderson et al., 2026). CHESS Project Description: The Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS) comprised a multi-week airborne remote sensing and field observation campaign in the Upper Gunnison Basin, Colorado, conducted in June and July of 2025. Airborne remote sensing was conducted by the National Ecological Observatory Network Airborne Observation Platform (NEON AOP), concurrent with a field campaign run by the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL), the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Watershed Function Science Focus Area (SFA), and NASA-JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) program. Between June 10 and July 18, 2025, the NEON AOP flight team collected high-resolution aerial imaging spectroscopy and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data over three domains: the Upper East River (CRBU), Almont Triangle (ALMO), and the Upper Taylor Basin (UPTA). In coordination with the flights, a field campaign acquired ground-truth observations, including observations of vegetation composition, foliar traits, forest demography, and subsurface properties in 18 core sampling areas within the domains. Additional surface water observations were taken at over 380 point locations. All CHESS campaign datasets can be found within the CHESS ESS-DIVE data portal: https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/portals/chess. Funding Acknowledgement: Field and remote-sensing data acquisition was performed under a grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (80NSSC24K1005). This work was also supported by the Watershed Function Science Focus Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory funded by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231. * Todorov and Worsham are co–first authors.

2018 NEON and 2025 CHESS Campaigns↗

Intra-canopy leaf trait variation facilitates high leaf area index and compensatory growth in a clonal woody encroaching shrub

Leaf trait variation enables plants to utilize large gradients of light availability that exist across canopies of high leaf area index (LAI), allowing for greater net carbon gain while reducing light availability for understory competitors. While these canopy dynamics are well understood in forest ecosystems, studies of canopy structure of woody shrubs in grasslands are lacking. To evaluate the investment strategy used by these shrubs, we investigated the vertical distribution of leaf traits and physiology across canopies of Cornus drummondii, the predominant woody encroaching shrub in the Kansas tallgrass prairie. We also examined the impact of disturbance by browsing and grazing on these factors. Our results reveal that leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf nitrogen per area (Na) varied approximately threefold across canopies of C. drummondii, resulting in major differences in the physiological functioning of leaves. High LMA leaves had high photosynthetic capacity, while low LMA leaves had a novel strategy for maintaining light compensation points below ambient light levels. The vertical allocation of leaf traits in C. drummondii canopies was also modified in response to browsing, which increased light availability at deeper canopy depths. As a result, LMA and Na increased at lower canopy depths, leading to a greater photosynthetic capacity deeper in browsed canopies compared to control canopies. This response, along with increased light availability, facilitated greater photosynthesis and resource-use efficiency deeper in browsed canopies compared to control canopies. Furthermore, our results illustrate how C. drummondii facilitates high LAI canopies and a compensatory growth response to browsing—both of which are key factors contributing to the success of C. drummondii and other species responsible for grassland woody encroachment.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Leaf area index (LAI), Teller site, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2022

Leaf area index (LAI) sampled from locations on the Teller MM27 NGEE-Arctic site, Seward Peninsula, Alaska. These data were collected in support of the ongoing NGEE-Arctic and NASA ABoVE data synthesis work. Samples were collected in July 2022 at 100 locations that cover the down slope half of Teller MM27 hillslope. This data package includes sample information and LAI data (.csv), an ESRI shape file (.shp) and Keyhole Markup Language (.kml) that define the location and area of each LAI measurement. Metadata files include data descriptions (_dd.csv) for tabular data, file level metadata (.csv), and methods and the instrument manual (.pdf). The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

High-resolution leaf area index maps generated from unoccupied aerial system, Teller Mile 27, Seward Peninsula, Alaska

Leaf area index (LAI), a measure of the amount of one-side leaf area per ground unit, is an important indicator of plant carbon, energy, and water cycle. In the heterogeneous Arctic landscapes, it has been challenging to accurately measure LAI across species and space needed for Earth system model validation. Here, we use multispectral unoccupied aerial systems (UASs) to scale up and map leaf area index (LAI) , in a low-Arctic tundra landscape on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. We linked previous published LAI measurements with high-resolution, UAS-collected multispectral data collected over the region of Next Generation Ecosystem Experiments in the Arctic (NGEE Arctic)’s Teller Mile Maker 27 site in 2022 to develop random forest (RF) machine learning models to predict and map LAI. 100 RF models were developed to account for uncertainties in ground LAI plot measurements and process scaling. This dataset includes a raster (*.tif) map of the mean LAI value of the 100 RF models, a raster (*.tif) map of the standard deviation of the RF-modeled LAI data, and a user guide (*.pdf).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Monthly Quality-filtered Aggregation of NOAA Climate Data Record (CDR) of AVHRR (Version 5) and VIIRS (Version 1) Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR)

This dataset contains gridded monthly Leaf Area Index (LAI) derived from the daily NOAA Climate Data Record (CDR) of AVHRR (Version 5) and VIIRS (Version 1) Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR). This data record spans from 1981 to 2024 using data from NOAA polar orbiting satellites: NOAA-7, -9, -11, -14, -16, -17, -18, -19 and S-NPP. The data are projected on a 0.05 degree x 0.05 degree global grid, as in the original CDR. The original CDR is one of the Land Surface CDR products produced by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and the University of Maryland (UMD), which is accompanied by algorithm documentation, data flow diagram and source code for the NOAA CDR Program. This dataset is in the netCDF-4 file format following ACDD and CF Conventions. This dataset has applied quality assurance information to only include "OK" data from the original CDR in the monthly aggregation.

Vermote, Eric [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (G↗

Monthly Quality-filtered Aggregation of NOAA Climate Data Record (CDR) of AVHRR Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR), Version 5

This dataset contains gridded monthly Leaf Area Index (LAI) derived from the daily NOAA Climate Data Record (CDR) of AVHRR Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR), Version 5. This data record spans from 1981 to 2018 using data from eight NOAA polar orbiting satellites: NOAA-7, -9, -11, -14, -16, -17, -18 and -19. The data are projected on a 0.05 degree x 0.05 degree global grid, as in the original CDR. The original CDR is one of the Land Surface CDR Version 5 products produced by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and the University of Maryland (UMD), which is accompanied by algorithm documentation, data flow diagram and source code for the NOAA CDR Program. This dataset is in the netCDF-4 file format following ACDD and CF Conventions. This dataset has applied quality assurance information to only include "OK" data from the original CDR in the monthly aggregation.

Vermote, Eric [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (G↗

Vertical canopy gradients of respiration drive plant carbon budgets and leaf area index

Despite its importance for determining global carbon fluxes, leaf respiration remains poorly constrained in land surface models (LSMs). We tested the sensitivity of the Energy Exascale Earth System Model Land Model – Functionally Assembled Terrestrial Ecosystem Simulator (ELM-FATES) to variation in the canopy gradients of leaf maintenance respiration (R dark ). We ran global and point simulations varying the canopy gradient of R dark to explore the impacts on forest structure, composition, and carbon cycling. In global simulations, steeper canopy gradients of R dark lead to increased understory survival and leaf biomass. Leaf area index (LAI) increased up to 77% in tropical regions compared with the default parameterization, improving alignment with remotely sensed benchmarks. Global vegetation carbon varied from 308 Pg C to 449 Pg C across the ensemble. In tropical forest simulations, steeper gradients of R dark had a large impact on successional dynamics. Results show the importance of canopy gradients in leaf traits and fluxes for determining plant carbon budgets and emergent ecosystem properties such as competitive dynamics, LAI, and vegetation carbon. The high-model sensitivity to canopy gradients in R dark highlights the need for more observations of how leaf traits and fluxes vary along light micro-environments to inform critical dynamics in LSMs.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Leaf-area index of Oak-Hickory Forest at Missouri Ozark (MOFLUX) site: 2007–2022

This data set contains measurements of leaf-area index (LAI) at the Missouri Ozark (MOFLUX) site during growing seasons from 2007-2022. The MOFLUX site is located in the University of Missouri Baskett Forest, a second growth oak-hickory forest situated in the Ozark Border Region of central Missouri, USA. MOFLUX is part of the AmeriFlux network (site ID: US-MOz) and an eddy covariance tower marks the middle of the site (Figure 1). During 2003, 24 circular vegetation plots (each 0.08 hectares) were established within a ~250 meter (m) radius around the tower. The plots were situated 50 m apart along 5 linear transects radiating out from the flux tower base in southeast, south, southwest, west, and northwest directions. There were 5 plots per transect except for the northwest one, which had only 4 due to the presence of a small pond at the terminus. At weekly intervals during the growing season, leaf-area index measurements were taken within each vegetation plot on the 5 transects running from the central flux tower. A plant canopy analyzer (model LAI-2000 Li-Cor Inc., Lincoln NE) was used to make the LAI measurements. We collected samples to enable measurement of the mean LAI of each transect. LAI observations are useful for understanding vegetation phenology, and to aid in the interpretation of ecosystem gas exchange. This dataset contains one data file in comma separate (.csv) format. Additional metadata are provided: one data dictionary and a file-level metadata file in comma separate (.csv) format and a user guide in PDF (*.pdf) format.

ESS-DIVE CSV File Formatting Guidelines Reporting ↗

Leaf Area Index (LAI) of vegetation at the Teller site, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2017

Measurements of leaf area index (LAI) at 299 locations on the "tall shrub transect" at the NGEE Arctic Teller field site. Measurements were made on 2017-07-27 using a LiCor LAI-2200. The dataset includes 9 files as dGPS locations, raw measurements, processed data and R script used for processing. The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research.The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska.Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Estimating Leaf Area Index in Row Crops Using Wheel-Based and Airborne Discrete Return Light Detection and Ranging Data

Leaf area index (LAI) is an important variable for characterizing plant canopy in crop models. It is traditionally defined as the total one-sided leaf area per unit ground area and is estimated by both direct and indirect methods. This paper explores the effectiveness of using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data to estimate LAI for sorghum and maize with different treatments at multiple times during the growing season from both a wheeled vehicle and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Linear and nonlinear regression models are investigated for prediction utilizing statistical and plant structure-based features extracted from the LiDAR point cloud data with ground reference obtained from an in-field plant canopy analyzer (indirect method). Results based on the value of the coefficient of determination ( R 2 ) and root mean squared error for predictive models ranged from ∼0.4 in the early season to ∼0.6 for sorghum and ∼0.5 to 0.80 for maize from 40 Days after Sowing to harvest.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Evaluation of satellite Leaf Area Index in California vineyards for improving water use estimation

Remote sensing estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) directly quantifies plant water consumption and provides essential information for irrigation scheduling, which is a pressing need for California vineyards as extreme droughts become more frequent. Many ET models take satellite-derived Leaf Area Index (LAI) as a major input, but how uncertainties of LAI estimations propagate to ET and the partitioning between evaporation and transpiration is poorly understood. Here we assessed six satellite-based LAI estimation approaches using Landsat and Sentinel-2 images against ground measurements from four vineyards in California and evaluated ET sensitivity to LAI in the thermal-based two-source energy balance (TSEB) model. We found that radiative transfer modeling-based approaches predicted low to medium LAI well, but they significantly underestimated high LAI in highly clumped vine canopies (RMSE ~ 0.97 to 1.27). Cubist regression models trained with ground LAI measurements from all vineyards achieved high accuracy (RMSE ~ 0.3 to 0.48), but these empirical models did not generalize well between sites. Red edge bands and the related vegetation index (VI) from the Sentinel-2 satellite contain complementary information of LAI to VIs based on near-infrared and red bands. TSEB ET was more sensitive to positive LAI biases than negative ones. Positive LAI errors of 50% resulted in up to 50% changes in ET, while negative biases of 50% in LAI caused less than 10% deviations in ET. However, even when ET changes were minimal, negative LAI errors of 50% led to up to a 40% reduction in modeled transpiration, as soil evaporation and plant transpiration responded to LAI change divergently. These findings call for careful consideration of satellite LAI uncertainties for ET modeling, especially for the partitioning of water loss between vine and soil or cover crop for effective vineyard irrigation management.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

CubeSat constellations provide enhanced crop phenology and digital agricultural insights using daily leaf area index retrievals

Satellite remote sensing has great potential to deliver on the promise of a data-driven agricultural revolution, with emerging space-based platforms providing spatiotemporal insights into precision-level attributes such as crop water use, vegetation health and condition and crop response to management practices. Using a harmonized collection of high-resolution Planet CubeSat, Sentinel-2, Landsat-8 and additional coarser resolution imagery from MODIS and VIIRS, we exploit a multi-satellite data fusion and machine learning approach to deliver a radiometrically calibrated and gap-filled time-series of daily leaf area index (LAI) at an unprecedented spatial resolution of 3 m. The insights available from such high-resolution CubeSat-based LAI data are demonstrated through tracking the growth cycle of a maize crop and identifying observable within-field spatial and temporal variations across key phenological stages. Daily LAI retrievals peaked at the tasseling stage, demonstrating their value for fertilizer and irrigation scheduling. An evaluation of satellite-based retrievals against field-measured LAI data collected from both rain-fed and irrigated fields shows high correlation and captures the spatiotemporal development of intra- and inter-field variations. Novel agricultural insights related to individual vegetative and reproductive growth stages were obtained, showcasing the capacity for new high-resolution CubeSat platforms to deliver actionable intelligence for precision agricultural and related applications.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Increased leaf area index and efficiency drive enhanced production under elevated atmospheric [ CO 2 ] in a pine‐dominated stand showing no progressive nitrogen limitation

Abstract Enhancement of net primary production (NPP) in forests as atmospheric [CO 2 ] increases is likely limited by the availability of other growth resources. The Duke Free Air CO 2 Enrichment (FACE) experiment was located on a moderate‐fertility site in the southeastern US, in a loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda L.) plantation with broadleaved species growing mostly in mid‐canopy and understory. Duke FACE ran from 1994 to 2010 and combined elevated [CO 2 ] (eCO 2 ) with nitrogen (N) additions. We assessed the spatial and temporal variation of NPP response using a dataset that includes previously unpublished data from 6 years of the replicated CO 2 × N experiment and extends to 2 years beyond the termination of enrichment. Averaged over time (1997–2010), NPP of pine and broadleaved species were 38% and 52% higher under eCO 2 compared to ambient conditions. Furthermore, there was no evidence of a decline in enhancement over time in any plot regardless of its native site quality. The relation between spatial variation in the response and native site quality was suggested but inconclusive. Nitrogen amendments under eCO 2 , in turn, resulted in an additional 11% increase in pine NPP. For pine, the eCO 2 ‐induced increase in NPP was similar above‐ and belowground and was driven by both increased leaf area index ( L ) and production efficiency (PE = NPP/ L ). For broadleaved species, coarse‐root biomass production was more than 200% higher under eCO 2 and accounted for the entire production response, driven by increased PE. Notably, the fraction of annual NPP retained in total living biomass was higher under eCO 2 , reflecting a slight shift in allocation fraction to woody mass and a lower mortality rate. Our findings also imply that tree growth may not have been only N‐limited, but perhaps constrained by the availability of other nutrients. The observed sustained NPP enhancement, even without N‐additions, demonstrates no progressive N limitation.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Nitrogen fertilization effects on aged Miscanthus × giganteus stands: Exploring biomass yield, yield components, and biomass prediction using in–season morphological traits

For sustainable biomass production of Miscanthus × giganteus (hereafter miscanthus), understanding the impact of stand age and nitrogen (N) fertilization on biomass yield is crucial. This study investigated the effects of varying N fertilization rates (0, 56, 112, and 168 kg N ha –1 ) on yield components (tiller height, density, and weight) and their correlations with end-of-season biomass yield in miscanthus. We also explored end-of-season biomass yield prediction using in-season traits (canopy height, leaf area index, and leaf chlorophyll content [LCC]). The study was conducted at two sites in Illinois: a previously unfertilized 10-year-old miscanthus research stand at Urbana and a 16-year-old commercial stand at Pesotum with a history of annual 56N application. Results from 2018 to 2021 in Urbana and 2020 to 2021 in Pesotum showed increased biomass yields with N fertilization, varying by rate, year, and location. Biomass yield in Pesotum peaked at 56N, while in Urbana, it increased significantly at 112 kg N ha –1 . Biomass yield was strongly correlated with tiller height and weight measured at Urbana across N rates. Morphological traits measured every 2–3 weeks during the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons showed that canopy height was the strongest single predictor of miscanthus biomass yield, followed by LCC. Mid-August to September measurements of these traits were the best predictors of biomass yield. Multiple regressions involving the canopy height and LCC further improved yield predictions. We conclude that while N enhances biomass yields of aging miscanthus, the optimum rate depends on the site, environmental conditions, and management history.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Duke Forest FACE (FACTS-I): Plant and Soil Response Data

This dataset describing the responses of plant and soil pools and fluxes to elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration and increased nitrogen supply was collected from Duke Forest Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) – Forest-Atmosphere Carbon Transfer and Storage (FACTS-I) experiment from 1996 to 2012. The dataset includes data files for allometry (diameter at breast height, tree height, and height to live crown base), leaf area index, biomass (stem, branch, foliage, and root biomass, tree density, and basal area), net primary productivity (stem, branch, foliage, reproductive, and coarse root NPP), sap flux density, soil CO2 efflux, and stem temperature. Data files were formatted as .csv (Microsoft Excel or other spreadsheet programs can be used to read the format) and file descriptions, including variable name, unit, and data range, can be found in ‘FileDescription_[data_name].txt’ files. The Duke FACE experiment was in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation established in 1983. Naturally regenerated broadleaved species including sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) and tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.), mostly in the overstory, and winged elm (Ulmus alata Michx.) and red maple (Acer rubrum L.) were common in the understory. The FACE experiment commenced with two plots (plots 7-8) in 1994 (Oren et al. 2001), with six additional plots (plots 1-6) coming online on 27 August 1996. CO2 enrichment was terminated on 31 October 2010 and post-enrichment data collection continued through 2012. Complete fertilization was applied annually to half of plots 7-8 from 1998 to 2004. The nutrient addition experiment expanded to half of plots 1-6 with a common protocol of N-fertilization in 2005 and continued until 2012. The levels of treatment in this dataset were expressed as ambient CO2 (AMB) or elevated CO2 (ELE) for CO2 treatment and control soil (CONT) or fertilized soil (FERT) for N treatment, respectively.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗