Effects of Wetland Management and Associated Abiotic Processes on Rare Plant Communities of Spring-fed Arid Wetlands at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge 2019-2020

This dataset consists of three datafiles: 1) vegetation, 2) abiotic factors, and 3) groundwater levels. Vegetation data were collected twice per month between July and September of 2019 and 2020. Data was collected by establishing 1m x 1m subplots within 12 5m-radius sampling plots distributed across the management units of Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Subplots were established to represent plot-level vegetation structure and facilitate estimates of rare plant relative abundance. The abiotic factors dataset includes observations of surface soil moisture, salinity, groundwater quality data, and rare plant presence taken weekly between March – October 2019 and May – October 2020 at each established plot within management units of Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Surface soil conditions were measured using a handheld TEROS 12 soil moisture and salinity sensors (METER group Inc., Pullman, Washington). Groundwater quality data was measured using an YSI handheld multi-parameter (YSI Inc., Yellow Springs, Ohio). The groundwater level dataset includes groundwater depth data. Groundwater depth was monitored by installing an In-Situ Rugged TROLL 100 water level recorder (In-Situ Inc., Fort Collins, Colorado) in 4 wells within 4 different management units. Each recorder was programmed to conduct readings every 6 hours from March 2019 to October 2020. Groundwater level data was calibrated by installing one In-Situ Rugged BaroTROLL barometric pressure transducer at a midpoint. Groundwater data was downloaded to the Win Situ 5 software, where the data was gathered, calibrated, organized and exported as a .csv file. This dataset summarizes this information and was used for analysis.