This design is nested, a 50 meter transect is placed through the middle of the plot. The following variables are recorded/measured along the transect: vegetation and canopy cover is surveyed. Every 2.5 m along the transect a 1 meter squared circular quadrat is used to delineate the smallest sub-plot size. Within that quadrat all vascular plants are identified and the foliar cover estimated for each species with total cover estimated for moss and lichen cover. Canopy cover is measured in the center of each 1 m quadrat using 4 densitometer readings in each ordinal direction. In total there are ten 1 m quadrats on the transect line spaced 5 m apart starting at 2.5 m.
The smaller 1 m quadrat are nested within a 1000 meter squared plot, which is the entire length of the transect (50 m) and extend out 10 m meters on one side of the transect line. All the vegetation is identified, however, cover is not estimated but rather presence/absence is recorded. This plot is surveyed by walking belts transects. See Figure 11 below. |
Figure 12. Water sampling in the field
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In the centre of each plot a piezometer was inserted 30cm into the ground. a siphon was used to sample the water from the piezometer. The water samples were collected in acid washed polyethylene bottles and sent to the University of Alberta Biogeochemical Analytical Services Laboratory (BASL). During the same sampling period, specific conductance and pH will be measured in the field with handheld electric meters. Water samples will be analyzed for elemental contents of Ca, Mg, Na, K, and Fe.
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Figure 13. Coring for substrate samples
Using an extendable soil auger a sample of the substrate below the peat was collected from the centre of each site. Sample were sent to the University of Alberta Natural Resources Analytical Laboratory for particle size analysis, which is reported as percent sand, silt and clay.
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Figure 14. Coring for substrate samples in deep peat
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