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ARS Home Plains Area Las Cruces, New Mexico Range Management Research Docs





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Jornada Dataheadline bar Abrasion of crust at Scrape Site Project: Crust evolution at Scrape Site
 Date range:1995 - ongoing
 Responsible investigator:Greg Okin
 Keywords:abrasion, crust, cutting, disturbance, longterm, shear strength, signature, torque, Torvane measurement, wind erosion, ongoing, aeolian, soil
 
 Abstract: Distance of crust surface to a crossbar set into the soil. Three "torvane" measurements that measure the torque needed to break the crust is also recorded. These measurements are made monthly near each of three monitoring towers (East, Middle, West) on the Scrape Site.
 Ammonia volatilization from Chihuahuan Desert habitats - 1988
 Project: Ammonia volatilization from soils
 Date range:1988 - 1988
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:ammonia volatilization, completed, gaseous nitrogen losses, nitrogen cycling, signature, trace gas emissions, inorganic nutrients, soil
 
 Abstract: Ammonia volatilization was measured at three sites in the Chihuahuan Desert of southern New Mexico, U.S.A. In dry soils, ammonia volatilization ranged from 9 to 11 micrograms of nitrogen per square meter per day, but rates increased to 95 micrograms of nitrogen per square meter per day in a shrubland site after an experimental addition of water. Ammonia volatilization also increased with experimental additions of NH4Cl and decreased with additions of sucrose. Competition by nitrifiers for available NH4+ had little effect on NH3 volatilization: N-Serve, added to inhibit nitrification, decreased NH3 volatilization in a grassland site and had little effect at other sites. We suggest that NH3 volatilization is controlled by the rate of mineralization of NH4+ from soil...
 Animal Transect Data
 Project: Animal Transects
 Date range:1989 - 1994
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:animal, animals, completed, disturbance, populations, signature, birds, consumers, populations, lizards, rabbits
 
 Abstract: Data for rabbits, birds, and lizards recorded from the LTER II animal transects. Data consists of species names, numbers of individuals, and distances observed from transects. Data is collected from each transect once every two weeks. See history file for exceptions.
 Ant nest soil nutrients
 Project: Effects of harvester ant nests on soil properties and vegetation
 Date range:1987 - 1987
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:animal, annual plants, ants, completed, disturbance, soil nutrients, inorganic nutrients
 
 Abstract: The purpose of this investigation was to answer three general questions: 1. How does the modification of soil properties and the ratios of resources (e.g., water-N) by ants alter species assemblages of winter annual plants at the edge of the ant nests? 2. How does the "spring cleaning", clipping, predation or herbivory by ants affect success of the winter annual plants at the edge of ant nests? 3. Are there significant differences in the floristic assemblage and belowground standing crop (root biomass) between the edge of ant nest and the surrounding unaffected soils? Data set contains chemical analyses for soil samples collected from five ant nests for each of the three sites for total nitrogen, (ammonium, nitrate), inorganic phosphorus, and exchangeable cations...
 Ant nest soil organic matter
 Project: Effects of harvester ant nests on soil properties and vegetation
 Date range:1987 - 1987
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:animal, annual plants, ants, completed, soil organic matter, organic matter
 
 Abstract: The purpose of this investigation was to answer three general questions: 1. How does the modification of soil properties and the ratios of resources (e.g., water-N) by ants alter species assemblages of winter annual plants at the edge of the ant nests? 2. How does the "spring cleaning", clipping, predation or herbivory by ants affect success of the winter annual plants at the edge of ant nests? 3. Are there significant differences in the floristic assemblage and belowground standing crop (root biomass) between the edge of ant nest and the surrounding unaffected soils? Data set contains % organic matter of soils sampled in January 1987 from ant nests and adjacent reference sites.
 Ant nest soil water content
 Project: Effects of harvester ant nests on soil properties and vegetation
 Date range:1987 - 1987
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:animal, annual plants, ants, completed, disturbance, soil water content, inorganic nutrients
 
 Abstract: The purpose of this investigation was to answer three general questions: 1. How does the modification of soil properties and the ratios of resources (e.g., water-N) by ants alter species assemblages of winter annual plants at the edge of the ant nests? 2. How does the "spring cleaning", clipping, predation or herbivory by ants affect success of the winter annual plants at the edge of ant nests? 3. Are there significant differences in the floristic assemblage and belowground standing crop (root biomass) between the edge of ant nest and the surrounding unaffected soils? Data set contains soil water content data measured gravimetrically at monthly intervals from January to May. Soil samples were taken from ant nest edge and from adjacent reference sites (5 m apart).
 Arson burn on LTER-I Transect plant line intercepts - field data (tape format)
 Project: Arson Burn ON Transect Plant Line Intercepts
 Date range:2000 - 2000
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:arson burn, completed, fire, line intercept, plant community, plant cover, vegetative cover, populations, plant
 
 Abstract: LTER-I Transect plant line intercept data. This data set is as transcribed (UNSORTED) from cassette tape with one intercept observation per record. Data consist of week number, transect, station, segment number, plant species, and length of species intercepted by line stretched between 2 rebar the length of the 30 meter plant line intercept transect. Measurements are made on 30-meter line intercept transects located perpendicular to each of 91 stations on each of the 2.7 km long Control, Treatment, and Alternate Control Transects established at the beginning of LTER-I. Each plant line transect is divided into 6 5-meter segments. Annuals are measured only in the first meter of segments 1, 2, and 3 and in the last meter of segments 4, 5, and 6. Perennials are...
 Arson burn on LTER-I transect plant line intercepts - LT series (percent cover)
 Project: Arson Burn ON Transect Plant Line Intercepts
 Date range:2000 - 2000
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:completed, line intercept, plant community, plant cover, vegetative cover, populations, plant
 
 Abstract: On March 19, 2000, an arson burn occurred of 2.5 acres of the upper grassland area on the Summerford bajada just below the powerline road. The area affected included portions of the LTER-I Transect Plant Line Intercept study that was begun in 1982. To evaluate the impact of the burn on those lines, the line intercepts were read for the upper grassland area extending from immediately above the creosotebush fringe to the base of Summerford Mountain. The stations measured were C73-C89, T75-T90, and X76-X91 (Control, Treatment, and Alternate Control, respectively). Measurements were made immediately after the burn, after the spring growing season, and after the fall growing season in 2000 only. In the initial sampling period, the burn area intercepted by the line was...
 Arthropod Pitfall Traps-II in 4x4 grid at LTER II NPP sites
 Project: Arthropod Pitfall Traps at LTER II NPP sites
 Date range:1988 - 1994
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:animal, arthropods, completed, pitfall traps, populations, signature, consumers, populations
 
 Abstract: Data for arthropods captured in pitfall traps on LTER II consumer plots. Data includes order, family, genus, species, and number.
 Arthropod Pitfall Traps-III in 5x1 grid at LTER II NPP sites
 Project: Arthropod Pitfall Traps at LTER II NPP sites
 Date range:1995 - 2000
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:animal, arthropods, completed, pitfall traps, populations, signature, consumers, populations
 
 Abstract: Objectives. Desertification is hypothesized to have altered the spatial and temporal availability of resources required by the biota. Results of desertification on the Jornada include changes to shrub dominated communities and major soil changes. We hypothesize that these shifts in vegetation have changed resources temporally for many of the consumers. If grassland systems respond to rainfall without significant lags, but shrub systems do not, then consumer species should reflect these differences. In addition, shifts from grassland to shrubland results in greater structural heterogeneity of the habitats. We have hypothesized that consumer populations, diversity, and densities of some consumers will be higher in grasslands than in shrublands. Diversity and/or...
 Arthropod Trophic Group Composition Data
 Project: Arthropod Species Composition from LVAR Creosotebush Study
 Date range:1985 - 1986
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:animal, completed, creosotebush, foliage arthropods, guild, herbivores, Larrea tridentata, omnivores, phytophagous insects, plant-insect interactions, predators, trophic groups, populations
 
 Abstract: *We conducted a field study to test the hypothesis that creosotebush (Larrea tridentata) shrubs growing in naturally nutrient-rich sites had better quality foliage and supported greater populations of foliage arthropods than shrubs growing in nutrient-poor sites. This is data for foliage arthropods sampled from LVAR creosotebush shrubs. Sampling was done in April of 1985 and 1986. Shrubs were sampled from 5 separate sites designated A-E. 10 shrubs of 3 different types, R=random, H=high quality, L=low quality were sampled at each site. Total numbers of taxa and individuals of each major trophic group, herbivores, predators, omnivores, from each of the 30 shrubs/site are listed.
 Biodiversity plant response, Summer 1999
 Project: Ecosystem Effects of Plant Diversity (Biodiversity Experiment)
 Date range:1999 - 1999
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:completed, plant biodiversity, plant community, plant disturbance, plant population, populations, plant
 
 Abstract: Pilot study to examine feasibility of measuring individual species response to competing vegetation removal
 Biodiversity plots vegetation transects
 Project: Ecosystem Effects of Plant Diversity (Biodiversity Experiment)
 Date range:1997 - 2004
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:completed, plant community structure, plant cover, plant diversity, signature, vegetation response to disturbance, populations, plant
 
 Abstract: Design and hypotheses. The treatments are designed to distinguish the effects of plant biomass per se from those of plant functional groups and plant species richness within functional groups. We recorded the mass of plants removed from the plots when the treatments were imposed in 1995; the total biomass removed from a plot is an index of the disturbance associated with the start of the experiment. One hypothesis is that plant biomass, rather than the species or functional group composition of the plants, is the critical regulator of ecosystem function. If so, most response variables would be highly correlated with initial biomass removed in the early seasons of the experiment. If remaining species increase in biomass over time, to the point where all treatments...
 Biodiversity tipping bucket rain gauge data - By Event
 Project: Ecosystem Effects of Plant Diversity (Biodiversity Experiment)
 Date range:1996 - ongoing
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:disturbance, longterm, precipitation, signature, climate, ongoing, climate soils and atmosphere
 
 Abstract: These data are collected to provide a measurement of rainfall at the Biodiversity site. They are detailed records providing a time stamp of month/day/year hour:minute:second for each tip of the tipping bucket rain gauge (equal to 0.1 mm of precipitation).
 Biodiversity tipping bucket rain gauge data - Daily Summary
 Project: Ecosystem Effects of Plant Diversity (Biodiversity Experiment)
 Date range:1996 - ongoing
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:disturbance, longterm, precipitation, signature, climate, ongoing, climate soils and atmosphere
 
 Abstract: These data are collected to provide a measurement of rainfall at the Biodiversity site. They are Daily Summary data providing daily totals for those dates that precipitation occurred. Values are in millimeters (mm).
 Biomass removal, initiation of biodiversity experiment
 Project: Ecosystem Effects of Plant Diversity (Biodiversity Experiment)
 Date range:1995 - 1995
 Responsible investigator:John Anderson
 Keywords:completed, disturbance, plant biomass, plant community structure, populations, plant
 
 Abstract: Sum of dry mass removed for each plant growth form from each plot of biodiversity experiment. Amount of plant material removed in initial establishment of plant diversity treatments was recorded for later use as covariate or measure of disturbance. Material was weighed in the field by species, and species-level data are available from Huenneke; however, this file summarizes plant material removed (dry mass) by growth form (shrub, subshrub, perennial grass, succulent) and by total live dry mass. Also provided are mass of dead material collected from plots (same species as live material removed for each treatment) and total dry mass, live plus dead.
 Deep Core Soil Saturation Extracts
 Project: Mesquite Soil Cores
 Date range:1986 - 1986
 Responsible investigator:
 Keywords:carbon analysis, completed, deep cores, signature, soil cores, soil saturation extract, inorganic nutrients, soil, mesquite
 
 Abstract: *We have hypothesized that large rhizobial population densities can occur at considerable depths in woody legume systems where deep moisture also occurs. However, associated with deep soil environments are low concentrations of soil nutrients that might affect nodulation and also limit survival of free-living rhizobia. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine if results from a previous study of a mesquite woodland utilizing groundwater in the Californian Sonoran desert were generizable to mesquite systems in other deserts where root depth varied with ecosystem type and (2) examine possible relationships of soil properties and host-plant phenology to rhizobial concentrations. Data set contains analyses for SO4, sodium, calcium, manganese, sodium-absorption...


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