Title of data set--  Effects of  underground biodiversity on  root decomposition and root decomposition stability on Konza Prairie

Abstract:
  This research was designed to examine the relationship between soil
processes (decomposition) and contrasting levels of 
soil biodiversity on the Konza Prairie. Andropogon gerardii roots collected
from eroded ravines on the Konza Prairie were rinsed, 
placed into 10 x 10 cm litter bags, and air dried. About two grams of roots
were placed in each bag.   Litter bags were made of 
polyester mesh with mesh size of 1mm^2.  Five root bags were inserted into
the ground on two 1.5m x 1.5m plots at 10 sites. Five 
sites were on unburned watersheds with high biodiversity and five sites were
on annually burned watersheds with low biodiversity. In 
May of 1999, a rainout shelter was placed on one plot at each site. The
rainout shelter was removed in the fall of 1999. Roots from 
retrieved root bags were carefully rinsed, dried at 70 degrees Celsius
for about 24 hours, and weighed.  Percent mass loss of substrates 
was determined immediately after the induced drought (rainout shelter)
and both 6 months and 1 year after the drought was removed.  
Measurements taken include soil temperature, soil moisture (see associated
metadata), and substrate mass loss before, during, and 
after induced drought. Substrates used were litter bags, root bags, wood
dowels, and cotton cellulose strips.

Investigator:  Tim Seastedt, INSTAAR, CB 450, University of Colorado, Boulder,
CO, (303) 492-3302 or (303) 492-0434,
tims@culter.colorado.edu

Variables: sample weight loss, percent weight loss.

Keywords that describe data set:  decomposition, microarthropod, drought, soil
moisture, soil temperature, litter bag, wood dowel, root 
bag	

Location; Study areas were located on Konza Prairie on lowland sites on
watersheds, 20A,20C,20D, and 1A,1B,and 1C.

Timing: begin 18 October, 1999 ongoing

Citations:

Comments:  Data for which the field placement data and the harvest date were
the same, were used to characterize the litter weight 
loss affected by transport of litter bags to the field and then back to the
lab.  A linear regression of initial litter weight vs. final litter 
weight (r square = 0.9921) was calculated to derive an equation
(y = 0.959*ilwt – 0.0917) to calculate corrected initial litter weight. 
This corrected weight was then used to calculate decomposition for subsequent
harvests.  Note that calculated columns COL7, 
COL12, and COL13 are meaningless where field placement date and harvest
date are the same since the correction factor for weight 
loss during transport has, in effect, been applied twice.
Note that the values in columns COL6, COL7, COL 11, COL12, and COL13
are calculated from the other columns as follows:
COL6 = COL5-COL4;
COL7 = 0.959*COL6 – 0.0917;
COL11 = COL10-COL9;
COL12 = COL7 – COL11;
COL13 = (COL12/COL7)*100;

/type

statisitical

/header

COL1: label=bag number, type=integer, units=none, missing value indicator=, minimum=001, maximum=, precision=1

COL2: label=treatement/plot code, type=string, units=none, missing value indicator=, minimum=,maximum=, precision= 

COL3: label=field placement date (ddmmyy), type=string, units=none, missing value indicator=, minimum=10/99/18,maximum=, 
precision= 

COL4: label=initial dry bag weight, type=real, units=grams, missing value indicator=, minimum=,maximum=, precision= 

COL5: label=initial dry bag + litter weight, type=real, units=grams, missing value indicator=, minimum=,maximum= precision= 

COL6: label=initial dry litter weight, type=real, units=grams, missing value indicator=, minimum=,maximum= precision= 

 COL7: label=corrected initial dry litter weight, type=real, units=grams, missing value indicator=, minimum=,maximum=, precision= 

COL8: label=harvest date (mm/yy/dd), type=string, units=none, missing value indicator=, minimum=10/99/18,maximum=, precision= 

COL9: label=final dry total weight (pan+litter), type=real units=grams, missing value indicator=99.999, minimum=,maximum=, 
precision= 

COL10: label=final dry pan weight, type=real, units=grams, missing value indicator=, minimum=,maximum=, precision=

COL11: label=final dry root weight, type=real, units=grams, missing value indicator=, minimum=,maximum=, precision= 

COL12: label=root weight loss, type=real, units=grams, missing value indicator=, minimum=,maximum=, precision= 

COL13: label=percent weight loss, type=real, units=percent, missing value indicator=, minimum=,maximum=, precision=