covermethod_id integer,

    samplingfactor double precision DEFAULT 1 NOT NULL,

    coverbasis text,

    stemsamplemethod text

-- Name: COLUMN method.name; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN method.name IS 'A short name for the set of methods used. Although there is no existing standard, many names are widely used, and could be useful for finding plots with similar methodology.';

--

-- Name: COLUMN method.description; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN method.description IS 'Additional metadata helpful for understanding how the data were collected during the observation event.';

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN method.lengthunits IS 'Units for *all* length- or area-related measurements, e.g. m. **Any measurements not in these units must be converted, e.g. cm -> m, ha -> m^2.**';

-- Name: COLUMN method.mindiameter; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN method.mindiameter IS 'Lower diameter limit in lengthunits for inclusion of a tree.';

--

-- Name: COLUMN method.minheight; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN method.minheight IS 'Lower height limit in lengthunits for inclusion of a tree.';

--

-- Name: COLUMN method.maxdiameter; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN method.maxdiameter IS 'Upper diameter limit in lengthunits for inclusion of a tree.';

--

-- Name: COLUMN method.maxheight; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN method.maxheight IS 'Upper height limit in lengthunits for inclusion of a tree.';

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN method.taxonclassincluded IS 'e.g. tree, shrub, liana, vine, herb, hemiepiphyte, epiphyte, grass, forb, woody, non-woody, cultivated, non-cultivated (not planted), exotic, native, dominant, non-dominant, vascular, nonvascular';

COMMENT ON COLUMN method.taxonclassexcluded IS 'e.g. tree, shrub, liana, vine, herb, hemiepiphyte, epiphyte, grass, forb, woody, non-woody, cultivated, non-cultivated (not planted), exotic, native, dominant, non-dominant, vascular, nonvascular';

-- Name: COLUMN method.samplingfactor; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN method.samplingfactor IS 'Here, we could explicitly say that we are sampling a particular area by a different size representative sample area. Simply divide the number of plants connected to this record by this value to get the extrapolated (or interpolated) number of plants in the area in question. This explicitly notes a subsample or supersample.';

--

-- Name: COLUMN method.coverbasis; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN method.coverbasis IS 'Were cover values for the total taxon list collected from one contiguous area or dispersed subplots?

entire: Cover based on observation of an entire plot consisting of a single contiguous area of land. subplot-contiguous: Cover based on observation of a single contiguous area of land of less spatial extent than the entire plot.

subplot-regular: Cover based on observation of multiple subplots arranged in a regular pattern within the overall plot.

subplot-random: Cover based on observation of multiple randomly dispersed subplots within the overall plot.

subplot-haphazard: Cover based on observation of multiple subplots haphazardly arranged within the overall plot.

line-intercept: Cover based on length of line touching each species present.

point-intercept: Cover based on number of points for each species present.

';

--

-- Name: COLUMN method.stemsamplemethod; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN method.stemsamplemethod IS 'The method used to obtain basal area or tree stem data (e.g., full census, point quarter, random pairs, Bitterlich, other).

e.g.:

Full census

Point quarter

Random pairs

Bitterlich

Other

Subsample census';

--

    area double precision,

    samplearea double precision

COMMENT ON COLUMN plotmethod.name IS 'A short name for the set of methods used for the plot. Although there is no existing standard, many names are widely used, and could be useful for finding plots with similar methodology.

e.g. "1 ha treeplot", "0.1 ha transect", "line-intercept plot", "point centered quarter"';

-- Name: COLUMN plotmethod.description; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN plotmethod.description IS 'Additional metadata helpful for understanding how the data were collected during the observation event.';

--

-- Name: COLUMN plotmethod.length; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN plotmethod.length IS 'Units: lengthunits';

--

-- Name: COLUMN plotmethod.width; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN plotmethod.width IS 'Units: lengthunits';

--

-- Name: COLUMN plotmethod.radius; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN plotmethod.radius IS 'Units: lengthunits';

--

-- Name: COLUMN plotmethod.area; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN plotmethod.area IS 'Units: lengthunits^2';

--

-- Name: COLUMN plotmethod.samplearea; Type: COMMENT; Schema: public; Owner: -

--

COMMENT ON COLUMN plotmethod.samplearea IS 'The total surface area used for cover estimates and for which a complete species list is provided. If subplots were used, this would be the total area of the subplots without interstitial space.

Units: lengthunits^2';

--