CO State University - Natural Resource Ecology Lab - CO River Basin - Tamarix - 2014 and 2017

Study Extent

Data were restricted to the Colorado River Basin extent. Data were collected in select tributaries of the Colorado River located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. They were collected during fall 2014 and summer 2017.

Sampling

The 2014 data were collected from generated points using stratified random sampling with locations placed a minimum distance of 30 meters between them. A 7.32 meters radius circular plot was established at each of these locations where all vegetation was identified and the percent cover of each species was cataloged. The 2017 data were collected using high-resolution imagery on a digital collection interface along the Animas, Colorado, Dolores, Escalante, Fremont, Gila, Paria, San Juan, San Miguel, San Pedro, San Rafael, Verde, Virgin, Little Colorado, and Santa Clara Rivers and McElmo Creek. Most of the sampling was done from vehicles, so determination of dominance was based on ocular estimates from a distance. Dominance of data collected was defined as occupying greater than 50% of the canopy within a roughly 7 m radius circle. This plot size was selected based on its use across a broad range of agencies, and its utility in training models fit with remotely sensed imagery.

Quality Control

To eliminate some errors/bias from spatial autocorrelation, points were generated within a 30 meters (one Landsat pixel) minimum distance from each other. All vegetation types were identified and percent cover of each type was recorded in detail within each plot.

Method steps

1. [step description text]

1. Tamarix
   common name: salt cedar rank: genus

Select U.S. tributaries to the Colorado Rivier.