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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Northwest Sustainable Agroecosystems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #86529
Title: SOIL BIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OVER A 700 M ELEVATION TRANSECT: ANALOG OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

Author
item Smith, Jeffrey
item BOLTON, HARVEY - BATTELLE PACIFIC NW
item HALVORSON, JONATHAN - WASHINGTON STATE UNIV.

Submitted to: American Society of Agronomy
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/20/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A 26 site transect was developed over a 700 m elevation gradient in a shrub-steppe ecosystem in southeast Washington State. The parent material, texture and type was similar over the transect, only the mean annual climate was different. The top 5 cm of soil under a grass (Agropyron) and crust material (lichens) at each site was sampled and analyzed for chemical and biochemical properties. The soil pH increased and the EC decreased up the transect for both soils. The %C and %N decreased with elevation as did the microbial biomass. However the respiration / biomass ratio increased as elevation increased. Properties were significantly different between soil type showing the plant effect. Implications of climate change on soil properties in the shrub-steppe will be discussed.