Peter Groffman, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Richard V. Pouyat, U.S. Forest Service 2007-02-12 In November of 1998 four rural, forested plots were established at Oregon Ridge Park in Baltimore County northeast of the Gwynns Falls Watershed. Oregon Ridge Park contains Pond Branch, the forested reference watershed for BES. Two of these four plots are located on the top of a slope; the other two are located midway up the slope. Four urban, forested plots were established in November 1998, two at Leakin Park and two adjacent to Hillsdale Park in west Baltimore City in the Gwynns Falls. In May 1999 two grass, lawn plots were established at McDonogh School in Baltimore County west of the city in the Gwynns Falls. One of these plots is an extremely low intensity management area (mowed once or twice a year) and one is in a low intensity management area (frequent mowing, no fertilizer or herbicide use). Two grass lawn plots were established on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) in fall 2000. One of these plots is in a medium intensity management area (frequent mowing, moderate applications of fertilizer and herbicides) and one is in a high intensity management area (frequent mowing, high applications of fertilizer and herbicides). Plot locations: Hillsdale 1: 39°19'28.14"N, 76°42'16.49"W Hillsdale 2: 39°19'31.24"N, 76°42'28.62"W Leakin 1: 39°18'1.32"N, 76°41'37.08"W Leakin 2: 39°18'5.42"N, 76°41'34.15"W McDonogh 1: 39°23'44.31"N, 76°46'19.26"W McDonogh 2: 39°23'52.26"N, 76°46'23.52"W Oregon top-slope - 1: 39°28'51.11"N, 76°41'22.50"W Oregon mid-slope - 1: 39°28'51.32"N, 76°41'18.24"W Oregon top-slope - 2: 39°29'12.74"N, 76°41'22.88"W Oregon mid-slope - 2: 39°29'12.68"N, 76°41'18.62"W McDonogh 1: 39°23'44.31"N, 76°46'19.26"W McDonogh 2: 39°23'52.26"N, 76°46'23.52"W UMBC 1: 39°15'8.82"N, 76°42'10.43"W UMBC 2: 39°14'6.50"N, 76°42'48.71"W Soil moisture is measured once every four to six weeks at each plot. In each of the forested plots, five (six at Leakin plot #2) time domain reflectometry waveguide probes from SoilMoisture Equipment Corporation were installed vertically into the soil at random locations throughout the plot. The waveguide probes are 20 cm long, so those vertically installed span a depth of 0 to 20 cm below ground. Each forested plot also has one (two at Leakin plot #2) set of four waveguide probes installed horizontally into the soil in one location at four depths: 10, 20, 30, and 50 cm below ground. The McDonogh plots each have two sets of horizontal and no vertical waveguide probes. Attached to each belowground waveguide is an aboveground cable with a BNC Male Coaxial Fitting on the end. This fitting connects with SoilMoisture's Trase System I (Model 6050X1, Version 2000 Software), which uses time domain reflectometry (TDR) to measure soil moisture. Every four to six weeks each individual vertical and horizontal waveguide in each plot is connected to the portable Trase TDR processor; soil moisture is measured instantaneously and stored in the processor. After all plots are completed, the stored data is downloaded onto a computer at the BES office at UMBC. soil, science, environmental, urban Baltimore, MD, Washington, D.C, Chesapeake Bay, Baltimore-Washington, Maryland http://beslter.org/pub/soil/bes-soil-moisture-data-for-the-www.xls The Baltimore Ecosystem Study ultimately will conduct research and educational activities throughout the Baltimore metropolitan area. This large area includes Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and the counties of Ann Arundel, Carrol, Harford, Howard, and Montgomery. Gwynns Falls includes agricultural lands, recently suburbanized areas, established suburbs, and dense urban areas having residential, commercial and open spaces. In addition, a reference area has been established in a forested catchment of the Gunpowder drainage in Oregon Ridge County Park. -77.314183 -76.012008 39.724847 38.708367 50 700 feet Jonathan Walsh Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Information Manager

IES Box AB, 65 Sharon Tpke Millbrook NY 12545 USA

845-677-7600 walshj@ecostudies.org The scientists, the BES-LTER Program, and the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies must receive adequate acknowledgement for the use of data by other scientists, and the BES LTER program must receive two copies of any publication using that data. Baltimore Ecosystem Study

Room 134 TRC Building University of Maryland, Baltimore County 5200 Westland Blvd Baltimore MD 21227

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