Baseline Spatial Variability Study - Soil Microbial Biomass/Respiration — Main Cropping System Experiment (MCSE)

Data in the KBS LTER core database may not be published without written permission of the lead investigator or project director Full terms of use

Soil microbial biomass, respiration and counts were analyzed in soil cores taken from an array of spatially referenced points prior to the start of the Main Cropping System Experiment. 

This datatable is part of the Baseline Spatial Variability Study dataset. A spatial variability study conducted across the LTER Main Site area (45 ha) at KBS prior to dividing the site into 1-ha experimental plots. During the 1988 growing season a stratified unaligned sampling scheme was used to collect 400-600 geo-referenced samples across the site (uniformly planted to a single variety of soybeans) for:

  1. geomorphological characteristics (microtopography, soil horizon depths, bulk density, texture);
  2. soil chemical characteristics (pH, NO3, NH4, total C, total N, moisture, inorganic P, trace metals);
  3. soil biological characteristics (N mineralization potentials, microbial biomass C, microbial biomass N, fungal/bacterial ratios, nematodes and other soil invertebrates; seed bank size);
  4. plant weed species abundance, weed biomass at peak standing crop); and
  5. insect characteristics (major pest and predator species).

Most soil samples (0-15cm) were taken before crop emergence, plant phenology samples were taken throughout the growing season, biomass samples were taken at physiological maturity, and insect samples were taken continuously. Dried soil and plant samples are archived for potential future analysis.

Note

Experiment: Main Cropping System Experiment (MCSE)
Data available from: January 1988
Dataset: KBS003
Datatable ID: KBS003-004.48
Core Areas Populations,Organic Matter,Disturbance
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Last Updated 2020-07-10
Variate Description Units
year year that the observation was made
easting easting of the sample location in UTM 16N meter
northing northing of the sample location in UTM 16N meter
organisms g organisms per gram of soil number/gram
microbial respiration microbial respiration in ng C/gram/day nanograms/gram/day
microbial biomass microbial biomass in ug C/g soil μg/g
organisms m2 organisms per square meter number/metersquared
microbial respiration m2 microbial respiration in mg C per meter squared per day mg/m2/day
microbial biomass m2 microbial biomass in mg C per square meter milligrams/squaremeter

Data Excerpt

year easting northing organisms_g microbial_respiration microbial_biomass organisms_m2 microbial_respiration_m2 microbial_biomass_m2
1988 633981 4696121 23000000 588.8 14.69 5179999828338.623 132.5 3.31
1988 634280 4696128 16000000 434.0 76.52 3599999904632.5684 97.6 16.99
1988 634081 4696127 22500000 610.1 96.71 5059999942779.541 137.3 19.0
1988 633913 4696126 72000000 591.0 89.71 16200000762939.453 133.0 14.26
1988 633914 4696128 40500000 387.2 128.08 9109999656677.246 87.1 20.75
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