KBS004:Agronomic Practices of the Main Cropping System Experiment

This dataset includes information on the agronomic practices of the Main Cropping System Experiment (MCSE), including the LTER Main Site treatments (T1-T8) and the Mid-successional (TSF) and Forested (TCF, TDF) sites.

Most long-term hypotheses of the KBS LTER are tested within the context of the MCSE. The LTER Main Site contains 7 different cropping systems (T1-T7) established in 1988 on a 48-ha area divided into 6 replicate blocks (R1-R6) of seven 1-ha plots. Each system is replicated in each block. The eighth system (T8) is a mown grassland on never-tilled soil, located 200 m off-site and replicated in four 0.06 ha plots.

Current MCSE treatments at the LTER Main Site include:


  • Conventional (T1): standard chemical input corn/soybean/wheat rotation conventionally tilled (corn/soybean prior to 1992)
  • No-till (T2): standard chemical input corn/soybean/wheat rotation no-tilled (corn/soybean prior to 1992)
  • Reduced Input (T3): low chemical input corn/soybean/wheat rotation conventionally tilled (ridge till prior to 1994), with a center prairie strip planted in each replicate in 2019
  • Biologically Based (T4): zero chemical input corn/soybean wheat rotation conventionally tilled (ridge till prior to 1994), with a center prairie strip planted in each replicate in 2019
  • Poplar (T5): Populus clones on short-rotation (6-7 year) harvest cycle
  • Switchgrass (T6): planted in 2019 and converted in 2018 from continuous alfalfa, replanted every 6-7 years)
  • Early Successional (T7): early successional community on historically tilled soil abandoned in 1989 and burned annually since 1997
  • Mown Grassland (Never Tilled; T8); successional community on never-tilled soil, mown annually since 1960

In 1993 three additional successional sites were added to the MCSE to provide reference communities for population and process comparisons. All are within 3 km of and share the same soil series as the LTER Main Site. These include:


  • Mid-successional (TSF): three old-field sites on historically tilled cropland abandoned in the 1950s and 1960s
  • Coniferous Forest (TCF): three conifer long-rotation plantations established in 1965
  • Deciduous Forest: three deciduous forest stands, two old-growth and one logged once ca. 1960

For each treatment (and for some, microplots nested within treatment plots) the following variates are routinely measured (described in greater detail in associated datasets):


  • plant characteristics including species distributions and abundances, aboveground net primary production by function;
  • soil chemical and physical characteristics, including soil moisture, pH, inorganic N pools, total C and N, and bulk density;
  • soil biological characteristics including greenhouse gas fluxes, soil leachate, N mineralization potential (buried bags); and
  • insect dynamics including distributions and abundances of major insect pests and predators.

Tables

KBS004-001 Agronomic Field Log

A narrative log of the agronomic activities or observations made on MCSE Treatments. For specific questions, review the related tables or use the browsable interface of the aglog available at https://aglog.kbs.msu.edu

KBS004-002 Seeds and Planting Date

A record of the seeds planted for the main crop or cover crops and their planting date in MCSE Treatments 1-6 and the no-till, no fertilizer plots of Treatment 8 (T8nt). These data are extracted from the aglog at https://aglog.kbs.msu.edu.

KBS004-005 Treatment Descriptions

A brief description of the MCSE treatments, including addenda to the original experimental design, and features of the LTER Main Site.

KBS004-008 Agronomic Field Log (Expanded)

The expanded log of agronomic activities on MCSE treatments, including the materials applied, rate of application, and equipment associated with the agronomic activity

KBS004-009 Fertilizer Application Log

A record of fertilizer usage and rate of application to MCSE treatments, including rates of N, P, and K fertilization. These data are extracted from the aglog at https://aglog.kbs.msu.edu .

KBS004-010 Herbicide Application Log

A record of herbicide usage and its rate of application to MCSE Treatments in all Replicate Blocks (1-6) at the LTER Main Site. Consult table KBS004-008 or browse the aglog at https://aglog.kbs.msu.edu,/a>, if needed. Application rates are generally in the amount of commercial herbicide solution per hectare

KBS004-011 Insecticide Application Log

A record of insecticide usage and rate of application to MCSE Treatments at the LTER Main Site. These data are extracted from the aglog at https://aglog.kbs.msu.edu.
This table does not include insecticide treatment of seeds. In general, insecticide treated seeds have been used for corn and wheat, but not soybean .

KBS004-012 Agronomic Activity Report (Replicate 1)

A record of agronomic activities and equipment used in MCSE Treatments in Replicate Block 1 at the LTER Main Site. Note that treatment activities in other replicate blocks may differ: consult table KBS004-008 or browse the aglog at https://aglog.kbs.msu.edu if needed.

KBS004-013 Planting Details

A record of the seed and seeding rate for MCSE Treatments in all Replicate Blocks (1-6) at the LTER Main Site. Consult table KBS004-008 or browse the aglog at https://aglog.kbs.msu.edu if needed.

View_SiteUseRequests Approved Site Use Requests (SURFs)

Site Use Request Forms are filled out by investigators wishing to conduct sampling on LTER properties. When approved, the request is listed on the web.

Protocols

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