Contact Information:
Meliah Schwitzer - meliah.schwitzer@usask.ca

This data was collected to create generative additive models to estimate trembling aspen biomass in Southern Saskatchewan.

Methods: Trees were semi-randomly selected across 13 sites in Southern Saskatchewan. Each tree's height (m) and diameter at breast height (DBH) (cm) was recorded. Trees were then cut down and weighed in the field to record a "wet weight". DBH samples were saved from the cut down trees and brought back to the lab to oven dry at 40 degrees Celsius. Using the "wet weights" of the total tree and the DBH samples, as well as the dry DBH sample weight, biomass was calculated. All this data was then used to create a generative additive model for the growth of trembling aspen trees in Southern Saskatchewan.

Structure of the files:

1. All data are contained in Aspen_Saskatchewan.csv
2. File contains 9 attributes:
   -Site: site location
   -Longitude: longitudinal value in decimal degrees east
   -Latitude: Latitudinal value in decimal degrees north
   -Soil Zone: Chernozemic Great-Group describing regional soil characteristic
   -Tree ID: Individual tree identifier
   -Age: Measured age (years) measured from diameter at breast height (1.3 m)
   -Height: Measured height (m) of total tree (including stump) rounded to the nearest 0.1 m
   -DBH: Diameter at breast height (cm) of each tree rounded to the nearest 0.1 cm
   -Biomass: Total dry weight of tree (kg)

Explanation of Tree ID: randomly assigned alpha-numeric code based on concurrent research at site level