Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.hqbzkh1x6

Description of the data and file structure

Six sites were established across a latitudinal climatic gradient and local elevation gradients to initiate an overstory tree mortality experiment and examine post-mortality juvenile tree growth responses, having control (live) overstory treatments to compare with dead overstory treatments within each site.  Overstory treatments were randomly assigned to an equal number of plots within a site.  Juvenile tree growth was measured on lateral branches and corresponding needle lengths for two years following overstory mortality and up to 5 years before overstory mortality.  A wide range of juvenile tree sizes was sampled.  Datasets include growth data for sampled juveniles, and within-plot location data for all juveniles inventoried in study plots. Climate data used in analyses are available from climatena.ca. Any NA represent data not available.

Files and variables

File: pegw_juvs.csv

Description: Inventory of all juvenile trees (Pinus edulis and Juniperus spp.) sampled in study plots, including tree size and distance and azimuth from the focal overstory tree (used as plot center).

Variables

• Sitef: identification of site in the study; site codes: AZlow = low-elevation, northern Arizona; AZmid = middle-elevation, northern Arizona; SCOlow = low-elevation, southwestern Colorado; SCOmid = middle-elevation, southwestern Colorado; SCOhigh = high-elevation, southwestern Colorado; NCOmid = middle-elevation, northern Colorado.
• Plot: identification of plot (number) within study site.
• Tx: overstory tree treatment, including live overstory control plots ("C") and dead overstory ("T") / mortality treatment.
• Drc: diamter at root collar, or basal diamter, in cm of sampled juvenile tree.
• Dist: distance in cm of sampled juvenile tree from focal tree (plot center).
• Azi_deg: azimuth in degrees of the sampled juvenile tree from the focal tree.

File: pegw_growth.csv

Description: Interannual branch and associated needle growth measurements of juvenile Pinus edulis within plots and across study sites, with associated tree and plot-level information.

Variables

• Sitef: identification of site in the study; site codes: AZlow = low-elevation, northern Arizona; AZmid = middle-elevation, northern Arizona; SCOlow = low-elevation, southwestern Colorado; SCOmid = middle-elevation, southwestern Colorado; SCOhigh = high-elevation, southwestern Colorado; NCOmid = middle-elevation, northern Colorado.
• Plot: identification of plot (number) within study site.
• Tx: overstory tree treatment, including live overstory control plots ("C") and dead overstory ("T") / mortality treatment.
• BA_tot: total plot basal area (m² ha^-1) of overstory trees (>= 9.0 cm diameter at root collar), inclusive of all overstory species (Pinus edulis and Juniperus spp.) and live or dead status
• BA_jup: proportion of total plot basal area represented by Juniperus spp.
• Juv: juvenile identifier within each Plot
• Drc: diamter at root collar, or basal diamter, in cm of sampled juvenile tree
• Branch: branch identifier for a given juvenile
• Yr: calendar year associated with each branch and needle length measurement
• BranchMx: length in mm of interannual branch elongation
• NeedleMx: average length in mm of 3 needles (calculated in situ) corresponding to each year of measured branch growth
• focmort_21: estimated (ocular) percentage of needles remaining on overstory trees in a study plot in calendar year 2021 
• focmort_22: estimated (ocular) percentage of needles remaining on overstory trees in a study plot in calendar year 2022

Code/software

MS Excel, Notepad, or any software that will open .csv files.

Access information

Other publicly accessible locations of the data:

• NA

Data was derived from the following sources:

• NA