LTERN Data Portal

For each mountain summit, four variable length permanent transects have been established that run from the summit, downslope, to a contour 5 m in elevation below the highest point (the ‘-5 m contour’). Transects extend from the summit to the north (0 deg), south (180 deg), west (270 deg) and east (90 deg). For each transect 20 x 1 m2 quadrats are randomly distributed from the summit to the -5 m contour, five on each slope/aspect.

All species are recorded and assigned a percentage cover (<1%, 1%, 5%, then to the nearest 5% thereafter). Species per metre squared is also recorded. Litter, rock and bare ground are also recorded. These data allow compositional changes to be detected over time. Across the entire summit, to the -5 m contour on all aspects, a species list is compiled to indicate the Species Pool. All species are then assigned an abundance based on an approximately log scale of the number of individuals seen: fewer than 10, in the 10s, in the 100s, in the 1000s. These data allow species invasions (and depletions) to be detected.