Title of data set--  Effects of  underground biodiversity on wood dowel
decomposition and wood dowel 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.  1.25 cm diameter
wood dowels (Gonystylus bancannus) were cut into 10 cm lengths and 
weighed.  Five of each substrate were laid out 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.  At each site in May of 1999, a rainout shelter 
was placed on one plot. The rainout shelter was removed in the fall
of 1999. Retrieved dowels were brushed and 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.  Substrates used were litter, roots, wood 
dowels, and cotton cellulose strips.

Investigators: Heather Reed and Tim Seastedt, INSTAAR, CB 450,
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0450 
(303) 492-3302,
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 = 0.9997) was calculated to derive an equation
(y = 0.972*ilwt – 0.251) to calculate corrected initial litter weight.  
This corrected weight was then used to calculate decomposition for
subsequent harvests.  Note that calculated columns COL5, COL8, 
and COL9 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 COL5, COL8, and COL9 are calculated from
the other columns as follows:
COL5 = 0.972*COL4 – 0.251;
COL8 = COL5 – COL7;
COL9 = (COL8/COL5)*100;.

/type

statisitical

/header

COL1: label=dowel number, type=integer, units=none, missing value indicator=,
minimum=001, maximum=160, 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 dowel weight, type=real, units=grams, missing value
indicator, minimum=,maximum=, precision= 

COL5: label=corrected initial weight, type=real, units=grams, missing value
indicator, minimum=,maximum=, precision= 

COL6: label=harvest date (mm/yy/dd), type=string, units=none, missing value
indicator, minimum=10/99/18,maximum=, precision= 

COL7: label=final weight, type=real units=grams, missing value
indicator=99.999, minimum=,maximum=, precision= 

COL8: label=dowel weight loss, type=real, units=grams, missing value indicator,
minimum=,maximum=, precision= 

COL9: label=percent weight loss, type=real, units=percent, missing value
indicator, minimum=,maximum=, precision=