CTFS.datafiles {CTFS} | R Documentation |
Provides an overview of the structure of datafiles that is required for use with the CTFS Package. This includes the standard format for all CTFS datafiles and discussion of what aspects of the structure are flexible for use with non-CTFS datasets.
The general format of census data files names is:
siteyear.type
tst.bci90.full
Tree based dataset (dataframe) containing
information from a single census (1990).
tst.bci90.spp
Tree based dataset (list) containing informatin
from a single census (1990) composed of dataframes of all trees within a
single species.
tst.bci90.quad
Tree based dataset (list) containing
information from a single census (1990) composed of dataframes of all
trees within a single quadrate.
tst.bci90.mult
Stem based dataset (dataframe) containing the
dbh measurement of all secondary stems from trees with multiple
stems. Multiple stems of each main stem are provided sequentially which
means a tree tag number can occur many times in the data file.
Datasets that are based on information that is valid for all censuses do not have a “year” designation. The general format for these data file names is:
sitetype.info
bcispp.info
Species based dataset (dataframe) containing
information for each species ever recorded in plot, eg. growth
form, breeding system, full latin name, etc.
bciquad.info
Quadrate based dataset (dataframe) containing
information on each quadrate (20 x 20 m), eg. elevation, habitat
designation, etc.
bcielev.info
Dataset (dataframe) containing
elevation measures for x, y coordinates. At BCI this is on a 5 x
5 m scale.
Each census data contains exactly the same number of records, one for each tree ever recorded in the plot. As new enumerations are completed and trees are added to the census due to recruitment, these records are added to previous census files as well as the file for the year they were recruited into the plot. Trees that die, break or have been lost track of (by error) are retained in all census files. Variable values are given as appropriate for such trees (see details on structure of each type of data file).
bcispp.info
contains a record for every species ever
recorded in the plot. As species names are changed due to
taxonomic updates, the names are changed in this datafile and if
this requires a change in species codes in the census data, then
the changes are done for all census files. New information about
species can be added to this file, even if not available for every
species. New variables can be used for new analyses.
bciquad.info
contains a record for each 20 x 20 m quadrate
in a plot. The total number varies according to the plot shape.
The basic information is elevation, slope and convexity but other
information can be added. Retaining the value for habitat
in this file makes analyses using this variable very easy.
Multiple versions of a habitat
variable can all be stored
here.
bcielev.info
contains the x, y coordinates of each point
that was surveyed for creating a topographic map of the plot.
This was done to different degrees of accuracy in each plot. This
information is used for drawing topographic maps and for providing
values in bciquad.info
.
To see the details on the contents of each file and its variable values, lengths, etc., see the help pages for the named file or click on the links above.