Soils

For soil methodology, we draw heavily from the following book:

Robertson GP, Coleman DC, Bledoe CS,  Sollins P, editors. 1999 Standard Soil Methods for Long-Term Ecological  Research. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press. pp. 272–288. ISBN 0195120833. Link to the book in Google Books.

• Soil sampling, sieving, % soil moisture, belowground biomass, bulk density, and % soil organic matter 

• Soil inorganic nitrogen (KCl) extraction

• Soil particle size / texture analysis protocol  and datasheet (courtesy of Paul Heine, Dan Richter's lab)

• Soil Denitrification Enzyme Activity (DEA) protocol and calculations and datasheet

• Soil carbon mineralization measured using a LICOR IRGA--includes method for adjusting water holding capacity pre-incubation.

• Soil pH

• Mehlich III extraction for PO4,  K, Ca, Mg, Na (courtesy of Paul Heine, Dan Richter's lab) & how to analyze these samples on the  Atomic Absorption/Emission Spectrometer.

Plants

• Determination of major secondary chemistry classes in invasive and native herbs

• Separate, weigh, and subsample vegetation for C:N analysis

• Weigh ground up plant material into tin capsules

• Flash EA CHN Analyzer

All of the above documents describe protocols used in the Wright Lab.
updated 09 July 2012 / bmm
 

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