File: ltfetch.xls ltfetch.xls refers to long-term fetch measurements on selected transects established in USFS Studies FSRM 1706-09, FSRM 1706-12, FSRM 1706-15, and FSRM 1706-25. This file includes all measures of fetch made on these transects. Fetch is the measure of distance between objects, and in this case the measure is from a point on the transect to the closest grass and shrub plant respectively. Measures of fetch can indicate the size of base soil patches (see Herrick et al. 2005. Monitoring Manual for Grassland, Shrubland and Savannas [2 vols]. USDA Jornada Experimetnal Range, Las Cruces, NM. ISBN-13: 978-0975555200.). Fetch can also indicate the spatial pattern of bare patches, and the degree to which bare patches are not randomly distributed (see Kuehl et al. 2001. Detecting fragmentation of cover with line intercept measures in simulations of Desert Grassland conditions. Journal of Range Management 54:61-66.). This file provides the distance to the nearest perennial grass base and nearest shrub canopy at each 4’ interval along the 100-ft. transect tape (starting at 4’ and ending at 100’). Measurements were recorded to the nearest half inch. Additionally, the nearest perennial grasses were recorded as either under the canopy of any shrub species or out in the open. The column labeled “Canopy Cover O/U” in the spreadsheet indicates that grasses were under shrub cover with a “1” or that grasses were out in the open with a “0”. Each nearest perennial grass or shrub species was recorded by the scientific name four-letter code. The code “UNKN” indicates an unidentified perennial grass or shrub. In this file ARIS refers to all perennial Aristida spp., including A. glabrata formerly recorded as ARGL1 or ARGL. The column labeled “Position on Transect” indicates the position (in feet) from which each measurement was taken along the 100-feet transect tape. A measurement was taken from the transect tape at 4’, 8’, 12’, 16’, and so on up to 100’. Sources of vegetation data were the original field data sheets. A value of -9999 in a field means that no data were available because a reading was not made for that date. Measurements were taken on permanent 100-ft. transects in 11 pastures. Mesquite treatments performed on transects during the USFS studies are coded as follows: DEAD for transects on which mesquite (Prosopis velutina) was killed in USFS Studies FSRM 1706-09 and FSRM 1706-12, and LIVE for transects on which mesquite was left untreated. The 1994 burn occurred in the first week of June 1994, and 23 transects were burned at that time. The occurrence of the fire is noted in the spreadsheet column "1994 Burn". Grazing records for the USFS Studies and other individual study protocols are available in the study plans for FSRM 1706-09, FSRM 1706- 12, FSRM 1706-15, and FSRM 1706-25. A grazing plan summary for subsequent years is available on the front page of the Santa Rita web site and in the long-term record section under “Livestock Grazing History”, but note the following clarifications: A grazing year begins on November 1 and ends on October 31 of the following year. Pasture 2S from Study 1706-25 was divided into two parts after the 1984-85 grazing year. In the table, 2S refers to the western part of the original pasture, which contains transects 1-4. The eastern part of 2S (called 2SE and containing transects 5-10) became part of the UA Cell in 1987-88. The UA (HRM) Cell was formed in 1987-88 from pastures 2SE, 21, and 22; this unit has eight cells. The cattle grazing the UA Cell are rotated through the eight cells during each grazing year. Pasture 2S was grazed in a Santa Rita three-pasture rotation system with pastures 4 and 12A from 1985-86 to 2006. Pastures 6A-6B were been grazed in a Santa Rita three-pasture rotation system with pasture 6D from 1984-85 to 2006. Sources of grazing data were SRER stocking plans for the Santa Rita Ranch except for 1987-88 and 1989-90. No plans were available for these two years so grazing season is based on information from Santa Rita Ranch personnel. ltfetchnotes.txt 26 August 2012