Roche Noire Environmental Database

An ensemble of 110 permanently marked plots established in 2010 in the upper watershed of the Guisane valley (Combe Roche Noire) and for which floristic composition (all plots), soil temperature and soil water content (some plots) are available 1. FLORISTIC DATA Visual estimates of vascular plants abundance (based on Braun-Blanquet scale) in plots of subalpine and alpine vegetation This is part of a long-term monitoring program for evaluating environmental changes in alpine landscapes The main considerations in designing the approach were comparability, simplicity and economy to cover a large number of high elevation ecosystems 2. SOIL TEMPERATURE DATA soil temperature at 5cm belowground using HOBO pendant UA-64K data loggers One record every hour or every two hours From October 2007 onwards for most sites Longer time series (back to 1999) available for a few sites 3. SOIL WATER CONTENT DATA volumetric soil water content at 5cm and 20 cm belowground using DECAGON EM50 loggers and ECHO 20HS probes One record every hour From July 2011 onwards