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Remote sensing methods are commonly used to assess and monitor ecosystem conditions in drylands, but accurate classification and detection of ecological state change are challenging due to sparse vegetation cover, high spatial heterogeneity, and high interannual variability in production. We evaluated whether phenological metrics are effective for distinguishing dryland ecological states using imagery from near-surface camera (PhenoCam) and satellite (Harmonized Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2, hereafter HLS) sources, and how effectiveness varied across wet and dry rainfall years. We analyzed time series over 92 site-years at a site in southern New Mexico undergoing transitions from grassland to shrubland on different soil types. Rainfall was a driver of phenological response across all ecological states, with wet years correlating with later start of season, later peak, higher peak greenness, and shorter growing season. This rainfall response was strongest in shrub-invaded grasslands on sandy soils. PhenoCam estimated significantly earlier start of season than HLS for shrublands on gravelly soils and earlier end of season than HLS for shrub-invaded grasslands on sandy soils. We propose integrating seasonal metrics from high-frequency PhenoCam time series with satellite assessments to improve monitoring efforts in drylands, use phenological differences across variable rainfall years to measure differences in ecosystem function among states, and use the timing and strength of peak greenness of key plant functional groups (grasses in our study site) as an indicator of ecological state change. 

The world's rangelands and drylands are undergoing rapid change, and consequently are becoming more difficult to manage. Big data and digital technologies (digital tools) provide land managers with a means to understand and adaptively manage change. An assortment of tools—including standardized field ecosystem monitoring databases; web‐accessible maps of vegetation change, production forecasts, and climate risk; sensor networks and virtual fencing; mobile applications to collect and access a variety of data; and new models, interpretive tools, and tool libraries—together provide unprecedented opportunities to detect and direct rangeland change. Accessibility to and manager trust in and knowledge of these tools, however, have failed to keep pace with technological advances. Collaborative adaptive management that involves multiple stakeholders and scientists who learn from management actions is ideally suited to capitalize on an integrated suite of digital tools. Embedding science professionals and experienced technology users in social networks can enhance peer‐to‐peer learning about digital tools and fulfill their considerable promise. 

This data package includes an ArcMap geodatabase: a polygon feature class, associated attribute table and metadata. The spatial data, JERStateMap_v1.gdb.zip, represents the ecological sites and states on the Jornada Experimental Range. The attribute table for the spatial data, JERStateMap.csv, and a summary of the spatial metadata, JERStateMapMetadata.pdf, are also included. 

This data package includes an ArcMap geodatabase for the Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center (CDRRC) pastures 1, 4, 14, and 15: one polygon feature class, one point feature class, associated attribute tables and metadata. The spatial data, CDRRC1_4_14_15_StateMap_v1.gdb.zip, represents the ecological sites and states on Pastures 1, 4, 14 and 15 on the Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center, and includes field traverse data. CDRRC1_4_14_15_StateMapMetadata.pdf and TraversePointsMetadata.pdf contain the geospatial metadata provided by ArcMap. CDRRC1_4_14_15_StateMap_v1.csv is the attribute table associated with the state map’s polygon feature class, and TraversePoints.xlsx is the attribute table associated with the traverse points feature class and includes a sheet containing detailed attribute metadata.