10.5886/dn5lei https://data.canadensys.net/ipt/resource?r=mcmaster-vegetation-samplingevents McMaster_vegetation_2020 Sebastian Irazuzta McMaster University Ph.D. candidate

Hamilton ON L8S 4K1 CA

sebastian.irazuzta@gmail.com 0000-0002-9895-2784 Noah Stegman McMaster University Ph.D. candidate

Hamilton ON L8S 4K1 CA

0009-0009-4286-5209 Sebastian Irazuzta McMaster University Ph.D. candidate

Hamilton ON L8S 4K1 CA

sebastian.irazuzta@gmail.com 0000-0002-9895-2784 2026-04-29 eng Vegetation composition was surveyed in early June 2020 at five sites in the Hamilton, Ontario region, Canada. Surveys were conducted within fixed 50 x 50 m plots corresponding spatially to standardized bee survey locations sampled between 2014 and 2016. Vegetation was sampled using replicated 1 m2 quadrats randomly selected within each plot, with 15 quadrats per site and 75 quadrats in total. All vascular plants and bryophytes within quadrats were identified to species or morphospecies, and percent cover was estimated using the Pfister cover class scale. Additional plant species observed within survey plots but outside quadrats were also recorded to supplement site level species richness. For data publication, percent cover values are reported as midpoint estimates derived from Pfister cover class bins. The dataset provides standardized site level vegetation composition and structure following the completion of bee sampling and represents realized vegetation state at the time of survey. Samplingevent; Vegetation survey; plant community composition; quadrat sampling; prairie creation; old field; meadow; percent cover; vegetation composition; restoration ecology; Pfister scale; Hamilton; Ontario; Canada; McMaster Research & Conservation Corridor. GBIF Dataset Type Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_type_2015-07-10.xml This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International https://spdx.org/licenses/CC-BY-4.0.html CC-BY-4.0 Five sampling sites were surveyed in the Hamilton, Ontario region, Canada. Four sites were located within the 48-ha McMaster Forest property north of Lower Lions Club Road and Highway 2 in Hamilton, Ontario. A fifth site was located on Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) land north of the intersection of Jerseyville Road and Shaver Road, Hamilton, Ontario. The five sites were: 1. Created Prairie (CP) (43.2463 N, 79.9524 W), a 4 ha prairie creation site established on clay substrate following seeding in 2013-2014. The site was previously an old field dominated by woody and invasive vegetation. 2. Old Field Adjacent (OA) (43.2484 N, 79.9496 W), a 3 ha old field immediately north of CP on clay substrate, sparsely vegetated and dominated by non-native grasses and ruderal species. 3. HCA Meadow (HCA) (43.2160 N, 80.0174 W), an 8 ha meadow on loam substrate located approximately 6.2 km southwest of McMaster Forest on Hamilton Conservation Authority land. The site occurs in a landscape historically associated with tallgrass prairie, as indicated by remnant prairie species persisting along fence lines and rock piles. Contemporary surveys indicate dominance by non-native old-field grasses and tall goldenrod. 4. Old Field North (ON) (43.2515 N, 79.9465 W), a 0.8 ha old field at the northern end of McMaster Forest, approximately 800 m from CP, characterized by tall, dense vegetation on loam substrate. Sites occur within the Lake Erie Lowland ecoregion of southern Ontario. Coordinates represent site-level centroids for each 50 × 50 m survey plot and do not indicate exact quadrat locations. Geographic coordinates for all sampling sites were recorded in the field using a handheld Garmin GPSMAP 62 unit and are reported in the WGS84 geodetic datum. Coordinate uncertainty values are provided to reflect spatial generalization. -180 180 90 -90 2020-06-05 2020-06-05 N/A family Onagraceae family Montiaceae family Balsaminaceae family Poaceae family Brassicaceae family Hypericaceae family Rubiaceae family Lamiaceae family Juncaceae family Malvaceae family Oxalidaceae family Fabaceae family Violaceae family Orchidaceae family Urticaceae family Caprifoliaceae family Cornaceae family Rhamnaceae family Plantaginaceae family Lauraceae family Verbenaceae family Sapindaceae family Berberidaceae family Rosaceae family Ranunculaceae family Equisetaceae family Cyperaceae family Vitaceae family Apiaceae family Oleaceae family Convolvulaceae family Primulaceae family Cupressaceae family Apocynaceae family Plygonaceae family Caryophyllaceae family Celastraceae family Asteraceae family Salicaceae family Euphorbiaceae family Polygonaceae family Juglandaceae The purpose of this dataset is to document vegetation composition and structure at five open-canopy sites in the Hamilton, Ontario region following prairie creation and old-field management. Vegetation surveys were conducted using standardized quadrat-based methods within fixed plots that correspond spatially to long-term bee sampling locations. These data provide baseline information on plant community composition, cover, and species richness and are intended to support research on habitat restoration, plant community dynamics, and pollinator–plant relationships. The dataset enables reuse in ecological analyses, comparative studies, and conservation planning involving restored and unmanaged grassland systems. This dataset documents vegetation composition and structure at open-canopy sites in the Hamilton, Ontario region of southern Canada. The surveys were conducted in early June 2020 at five sites representing prairie creation, old-field, and meadow habitats, all of which have been used as standardized sampling locations for long-term studies of wild bee communities. The vegetation data provide ecological context for pollinator research by characterizing plant species composition, ground cover, and habitat structure within a consistent spatial framework. Open-canopy habitats such as old fields, meadows, and restored prairies are increasingly common in human-modified landscapes and play an important role in supporting biodiversity, including pollinators. However, these habitats can vary widely in plant composition depending on land-use history, restoration practices, and successional stage. Quantitative vegetation data are therefore essential for understanding how habitat structure and plant community composition influence ecological patterns and processes. Vegetation surveys were conducted after the completion of bee sampling carried out between 2014 and 2016 at the same sites. As a result, the dataset represents realized vegetation conditions following the pollinator sampling period rather than contemporaneous conditions. This temporal separation allows the data to be used to interpret habitat context while acknowledging that vegetation composition may have changed over time, particularly at the prairie creation site established through seeding in 2013 and 2014. The dataset includes percent cover estimates for vascular plants, bryophytes, and bare ground recorded within replicated quadrats at each site, as well as supplementary site-level species inventories. Percent cover values are reported as derived midpoint estimates from ordinal cover classes to facilitate quantitative analysis. These data can be used for studies of habitat structure, plant community composition, ecological restoration outcomes, and for integration with pollinator, insect, or other biodiversity datasets collected in the same region. This dataset is published as a Darwin Core sampling-event dataset. The Event Core represents vegetation sampling events conducted at five fixed sites in the Hamilton, Ontario region in early June 2020. Each event corresponds to a 50 x 50 m survey plot.Vegetation observations are provided through associated extensions. Percent cover measurements are recorded using numeric values derived as midpoint estimates from Pfister cover-class categories recorded in the field.Occurrence records represent plant taxa observed within quadrats or within survey plots. The dataset provides standardized site-level vegetation composition and structure and is suitable for reuse in studies of vegetation dynamics, restoration ecology, and pollinator habitat assessment. Funding for this research was provided by the Weston Family Foundation. We thank the Hamilton Conservation Authority and McMaster University for granting access to field sites and permitting vegetation surveys. This dataset was generated as part of a doctoral research program at McMaster University. The authors thank Dr. Susan A. Dudley for supervisory guidance and support during the broader research program from which these data were derived. This dataset represents a completed vegetation survey conducted in early June 2020. No regular updates are planned, though corrections or clarifications may be made if required. notPlanned Sebastian Irazuzta McMaster University Ph.D. candidate

Hamilton ON L8S 4K1 CA

sebastian.irazuzta@gmail.com 0000-0002-9895-2784 At each site, a fixed 50 x 50 m plot was established corresponding to a previously defined bee survey area. Within each plot, 15 quadrat locations were selected at random and marked temporarily for sampling. Vegetation surveys were conducted in early June 2020. Within each 1 m2 quadrat, all vascular plant and bryophyte taxa were identified to species or morphospecies, and percent cover was visually estimated for each taxon and for bare ground using the Pfister cover-class scale. Estimates were recorded directly in the field. Additional plant species observed outside quadrats but within the plot boundary were recorded separately as site-level inventory records without associated cover estimates. Following field collection, Pfister cover-class values were converted to numeric midpoint estimates for data publication. These derived values were used to populate event-level measurements in the dataset and are identified as estimated values rather than direct measurements. Vegetation surveys were conducted at five fixed sites in the Hamilton, Ontario region, Canada. Surveys were restricted to standardized 50 x 50 m plots corresponding spatially to previously established bee survey locations. Each plot represented a discrete sampling unit, allowing vegetation structure and composition to be compared consistently among sites within a common spatial framework. Vegetation surveys were conducted in early June 2020 across all five sites. At each site, vegetation was sampled within a fixed 50 x 50 m plot corresponding to the standardized bee survey area. Within each plot, 15 randomly selected 1 m2 quadrats were surveyed, resulting in a total of 75 quadrats across the dataset. Within each quadrat, all vascular plant and bryophyte species were identified to species or morphospecies by N. Stegman and S. Irazuzta using published identification keys. For each species and for bare ground, percent cover was estimated using the Pfister cover-class scale. To improve estimates of site-level species richness, additional plant species observed outside quadrats but within the 50 x 50 m plot were recorded as supplemental site-level inventory records. These records document species presence only and do not include percent cover estimates. Percent cover was recorded in the field as ordinal Pfister cover-class categories. For data publication and analysis, percent cover values are reported as numeric midpoint estimates derived from each Pfister cover-class bin (for example, 1 to 5 percent recorded as 3 percent). These midpoint values represent approximate transformations of the original ordinal observations and are explicitly identified as derived values in the dataset. To maintain consistency across observers, cardboard reference squares scaled to represent each cover class within a 1 m2 quadrat were used during field estimation. Users are advised to interpret reported percent cover values as estimates rather than exact measurements. Vegetation surveys were conducted after the completion of bee sampling conducted between 2014 and 2016. The data therefore represent realized vegetation state following the bee sampling period rather than contemporaneous vegetation conditions during bee surveys. Sebastian Irazuzta 0000-0002-9895-2784 author Noah Stegman 0009-0009-4286-5209 author This project involved standardized vegetation surveys conducted in 2020 at prairie creation, old-field, and meadow sites in Hamilton, Ontario. The surveys were designed to characterize plant community composition and structure following multi-year pollinator sampling and to support analyses of habitat variation across restored and unmanaged open-canopy systems. No external funding was received specifically for this component of the study. Five sampling sites were surveyed in the Hamilton, Ontario region, Canada. Four sites were located within the 48 ha McMaster Forest property north of Lower Lions Club Road and Highway 2 in Hamilton, Ontario. A fifth site was located on Hamilton Conservation Authority land north of the intersection of Jerseyville Road and Shaver Road, Hamilton, Ontario. The five sites were as follows. Created Prairie (CP) at 43.2463 N, 79.9524 W. This is a 4 ha prairie creation site established on clay substrate following seeding in 2013 and 2014. The site was previously an old field dominated by woody and invasive vegetation. Old Field Adjacent (OA) at 43.2484 N, 79.9496 W. This is a 3 ha old field immediately north of the Created Prairie site on clay substrate. The site is sparsely vegetated and dominated by non native grasses and ruderal species. HCA Meadow (HCA) at 43.2160 N, 80.0174 W. This is an 8 ha meadow on loam substrate located approximately 6.2 km southwest of McMaster Forest on Hamilton Conservation Authority land. The site occurs in a landscape historically associated with tallgrass prairie, as indicated by remnant prairie species persisting along fence lines and rock piles. Contemporary surveys indicate dominance by non native old field grasses and tall goldenrod. Old Field North (ON) at 43.2515 N, 79.9465 W. This is a 0.8 ha old field at the northern end of McMaster Forest, approximately 800 m from the Created Prairie site. The site is characterized by tall, dense vegetation on loam substrate. Wet Meadow (WM) at 43.2495 N, 79.9510 W. This is a 0.8 ha seasonally wet mineral marsh meadow located approximately 400 m northwest of the Created Prairie site. All sites occur within the Lake Erie Lowland ecoregion of southern Ontario. Coordinates represent site level centroids for each 50 x 50 m survey plot and do not indicate exact quadrat locations. Geographic coordinates for all sampling sites were recorded in the field using a handheld Garmin GPSMAP 62 unit and are reported in the WGS84 geodetic datum. Coordinate uncertainty values are provided to reflect spatial generalization. Study extent Vegetation surveys were conducted at five fixed sites corresponding spatially to previously established bee survey plots. At each site, surveys were restricted to a 50 x 50 m area used for standardized bee sampling. This design allowed direct comparison of vegetation structure among sites within a consistent spatial framework. Sampling description Vegetation surveys were carried out in early June 2020 across all five sites. At each site, vegetation was sampled within a fixed 50 x 50 m plot corresponding to the bee survey area. Within each plot, 15 randomly selected 1 m2 quadrats were surveyed, resulting in a total of 75 quadrats across the dataset. Estimates of bare ground cover were made for each quadrat at all sites and are provided as event level measurements rather than taxon occurrences. Within each quadrat, all vascular plant and bryophyte species were identified to species or morphospecies by N. Stegman and S. Irazuzta using published identification keys. For each species and for bare ground, percent cover was estimated using the Pfister cover class scale. The Pfister scale included the following cover classes: 0 percent, 0 to 1 percent, 1 to 5 percent, 5 to 25 percent, 25 to 50 percent, 50 to 75 percent, 75 to 95 percent, and 95 to 100 percent. To maintain consistency across surveys and observers, cardboard reference squares scaled to represent each cover class within a 1 m2 quadrat were used during field estimation. To improve estimates of total site level species richness, additional plant species observed outside quadrats but within the 50 x 50 m survey area were also recorded as separate site level inventory records. These inventory records document species presence only and do not include percent cover estimates. Quality control Percent cover was recorded in the field as ordinal Pfister cover class categories. For data publication and analysis, percent cover values are reported as numeric midpoint estimates derived from each Pfister cover class bin, for example 1 to 5 percent recorded as 3 percent. These midpoint values represent approximate transformations of the original ordinal observations and are explicitly labeled as derived values in the dataset. Users are advised to interpret reported percent cover values as estimates rather than exact measurements. Additional information and temporal context Vegetation surveys were conducted after the completion of bee sampling between 2014 and 2016. These data provide a standardized characterization of vegetation structure and composition following the bee sampling period. Vegetation conditions at most sites were relatively stable over time, whereas the prairie creation site continued to change following seeding in 2013 and 2014. Vegetation data are therefore intended to represent realized vegetation state rather than contemporaneous conditions during bee sampling. 2026-03-18T06:46:04.715+00:00 dataset Irazuzta S, Stegman N (2026). Vegetation composition of prairie creation, old-field, and meadow sites in Hamilton, Ontario (2020). Version 1.0. McMaster University. Samplingevent dataset. https://doi.org/10.5886/dn5lei Pfister, R. D., Kovalchik, B. L., Arno, S. F., and Presby, R. C. (1977). Forest habitat types of Montana. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report INT-34. Chamberlain, S. (2018). Vascular plants of Ontario: identification guide. Newcomb, L., and Morrison, B. (1989). Newcomb's wildflower guide.