Plant species cover and carabid beetle species counts, 2018, and bird species counts, 2019, in native reforestation, unforested and mature forest areas in the Scottish Highlands
Cite this dataset as:
Warner, E.; Lewis, O.T.; Hector, A.; Brown, N.; Green, R.; Savory, A.; Gilbert, D.; McDonnell, A. (2021). Plant species cover and carabid beetle species counts, 2018, and bird species counts, 2019, in native reforestation, unforested and mature forest areas in the Scottish Highlands. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/d31bcee5-736b-4aed-bda2-c11cacd5dfc7
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By accessing or using this dataset, you agree to the terms of the relevant licence agreement(s). You will ensure that this dataset is cited in any publication that describes research in which the data have been used.
This dataset is available under the terms of the Open Government Licence 
https://doi.org/10.5285/d31bcee5-736b-4aed-bda2-c11cacd5dfc7
Plant and carabid beetle survey data was collected in the summer of 2018 and bird survey data in the summer of 2019 in Glen Affric and Glen Moriston in the Scottish Highlands. Data was collected using a 10 × 10 m plot in each reforestation site for plants and carabid beetles and a 50 m radius plot for birds. The same data was collected in a matched plot in an unforested, grazed area associated with each site and in a matched plot in an unforested area within the fenced site. Five pairs of plots were established in grazed and ungrazed mature Caledonian pineforest, the target of reforestation, to assess the value of the reforestation sites for biodiversity, relative to the unforested state and the target habitat.
Publication date: 2021-05-11
View numbers valid from 01 June 2023 Download numbers valid from 20 June 2024 (information prior to this was not collected)
Format
Comma-separated values (CSV)
Spatial information
Study area
Spatial representation type
Tabular (text)
Spatial reference system
WGS 84
Temporal information
Temporal extent
2018-06-22 to 2018-07-05
2018-06-07 to 2018-08-18
2019-05-23 to 2019-06-01
2019-06-05 to 2021-05-14
Provenance & quality
The sampling design is hierarchical. Sites are the fourteen focal reforestation sites, all sites have associated unforested areas and three sites have associated mature forest. Plots (10 × 10 m for plants and carabids, 50 m radius for birds) were established in each treatment combination, bird surveys were conducted at a subset of ten of the fourteen reforestation sites.
Plants were surveyed in each plot using three randomly placed 1 × 1 m quadrats in each plot, the percentage cover of each species was recorded using the DOMIN scale. Carabid beetles were surveyed using six pitfall traps were set per plot, with two traps associated with the location of each plant survey quadrat. Two bird surveys were conducted per plot during different date intervals. All surveys were conducted between 6:00 am and 11.30 am. Surveys were conducted for 15 minutes, after a two minute settling period. Birds were identified visually or by songs/calls.
Plants were surveyed in each plot using three randomly placed 1 × 1 m quadrats in each plot, the percentage cover of each species was recorded using the DOMIN scale. Carabid beetles were surveyed using six pitfall traps were set per plot, with two traps associated with the location of each plant survey quadrat. Two bird surveys were conducted per plot during different date intervals. All surveys were conducted between 6:00 am and 11.30 am. Surveys were conducted for 15 minutes, after a two minute settling period. Birds were identified visually or by songs/calls.
Licensing and constraints
This dataset is available under the terms of the Open Government Licence
Cite this dataset as:
Warner, E.; Lewis, O.T.; Hector, A.; Brown, N.; Green, R.; Savory, A.; Gilbert, D.; McDonnell, A. (2021). Plant species cover and carabid beetle species counts, 2018, and bird species counts, 2019, in native reforestation, unforested and mature forest areas in the Scottish Highlands. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/d31bcee5-736b-4aed-bda2-c11cacd5dfc7
Related
Correspondence/contact details
Authors
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2236-9725
Green, R.
Department of Life Sciences, University of Manchester
Savory, A.
Department of Applied Sciences, University of West England
Gilbert, D.
Trees for Life
McDonnell, A.
Trees for Life
Other contacts
Rights holders
University of Oxford, Trees for Life
Custodian
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
info@eidc.ac.uk
Publisher
NERC Environmental Information Data Centre
info@eidc.ac.uk