Survey data for chaparral vegetation in masticated fuel treatments on the four southern California national forests (2011-2012)

The sampling design at each of the 149 mechanically masticated fuel treatment study sites consisted of a 10 x 100 m plot established within the treated area at the random point generated in ArcGIS and an adjacent 10 x 100 m control plot placed one meter inside the edge of untreated vegetation to avoid edge affects. Each study plot was further subdivided into 10 100-m2 subplots with a nested 1-m2 quadrat placed along the top edge of the measurement tape. Postfire study sites consisted of a 20 x 50 m plot that was equal in area to a fuel treatment study plot and was also further subdivided into 10 100-m2 subplots with a nested 1-m2 quadrat placed along the outer top and bottom edges of the plot.
Cover and density were recorded for each species within 1-m2 quadrats and a list of additional species present within the rest of the 100-m2 subplot was compiled. Ocular estimates of cover were made and density was either counted, or estimated when there were more than 30 individuals in a quadrat. First year seedlings were recorded separately from mature and resprouting individuals. Comprehensive surveys for additional species were conducted in subplots of mechanical treatments and postfire plots; whereas controls were more limited and as such total species richness in these plots was potentially underrepresented.