FACE_UNCOM_201209-201602.zip

This package contains the base datasets used in the paper–entitled “Elevated CO2 concentrations reduce C4 cover and decrease diversity of understorey plant community in a Eucalyptus woodland”– in press at Journal of Ecology (accepted on 26th January 2018). The effects of elevated CO2 concentrations on understorey vegetation was studies at the Eucalyptus Free-Air CO2 Enrichment (EucFACE) experiment. Understorey species cover was determined in four, randomly located permanent 2 x 2 m plots in each of the six rings. Presence/absence of all species was surveyed in each of one hundred 20 x 20 cm cells per plot. The first survey was conducted in September 2012, and all but graminoid species were identified. Graminoid species identifications were confirmed in December 2012, when most were in flower. Subsequent surveys were conducted in the same plots in summer (January 2014, January 2015 and February 2016) and identified all understorey species at these times. In addition to raw data of forb and graminoid cover, ring means of environmental variables for each survey year (soil moisture, understorey temperature and photosynthetic radiation, and soil availability of nitrate, ammonium and phosphate) are included.