Data Sets

• Arthropod

• Cottonwood

• Litterfall

• Precipitation

• Well

• Groundwater Chemistry

Tips for Graphing in Excel

Data sets are in Excel and available for download by clicking on the link.

The Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program is coordinated by the University of New Mexico (UNM) and conducted by student and citizen volunteers along the Middle Rio Grande and its associated riparian forest, known locally by its Spanish name Bosque. Through this project, citizen and student groups accept responsibility for gathering long-term data related to the overall condition of the forest ecosystem located along New Mexico's most prominent river. Primary program start up funding was through the National Science Foundation.

Through this program, many people who are not formal scientists gather meaningful data on the Bosque's overall condition. With this approach citizen volunteers build direct connections with their local environment and in so doing, increase public understanding of a complex ecosystem as well as fulfill essential research needs.

The program consists of a series of research sites presently located between Albuquerque and Belen. Eventually, more sites are anticipated to the north and south. Monitoring activities are synchronized between sites. Volunteers at each site gather long-term data on:

• Core weather data

• Groundwater depth

• Soil surface insect and other arthropod activity

• Measures of forest production such as:

  • Tree diameter growth

  • Woody and herbaceous plant distribution

  • Quantities of leaf and woody litter falling on the forest floor

Data gathered by volunteers is incorporated into larger UNM sponsored Bosque research efforts and is shared with other researchers, as well as land and other natural resource managers.