Effects of Long-term Grazing and Catena Position on Turnover of C and N
Indy Burke, Dept of Forest, Range, and Watershed Stewardship, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Co 80523
970-491-1620 indy@cnr.colostate.edu
Bill Parton, Natural Resource Ecology Lab, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO 80523
970-491-1987 billp@cnr.colostate.edu
Objective: To follow the dynamcis of aeolian soils and evaluate the effects of grazing and landscape position on N turnover and availability.
Methods: We have amended plots with 15N as a tracer, and will follow the distribution of the tracer among soil total, available, and microbial fractions, and in plant above- and belowground biomass. Data from these concentrations will be used to parameterize and validate models of long-term soil organic N turnover. The large initial isotope addition means that these experiments may be followed for up to three decades, potentially permitting them to be of use for studies of N turnover during climate variability or directional hange.
Study Area: Along eastern boundary of the heavily grazed pasture in section 23E.
03/21/2002