Soil Biota Responses to Short-Term Soil Manipulation Experiment

Summary

Abstract:

A short-term soil manipulation experiment has been conducted as part of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) project. The response of soil organisms (nematodes, rotifers and tardigrades) to the treatments is monitored by sampling soil following various treatment applications. Samples were taken on November 13, 1995, November 17, 1995, November 24, 1995 and December 11, 1995.

Date Range:

November 13, 1995 to December 11, 1995

Data Citation

Wall, D.H. 2014. Soil Biota Responses to Short-Term Soil Manipulation Experiment. Environmental Data Initiative. DOI: 10.6073/pasta/f9c170a2638ba21e5b861ebf09134eba. Dataset accessed 3 December 2023.

Dataset(s)

Description:

Soil biota responses to short-term soil manipulation experiment data units and spreadsheet column descriptions

Variables (click to expand):

LOCATION

Label:
Definition: Name of area where measurement was made
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

DATE_TIME

Label:
Definition: Date on which sample was gathered
Type: Date/time
Date format: mm/dd/yyyy
Missing values: None specified

SAMPLE #

Label:
Definition: Sample ID
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

TYPE OF ORGANISM

Label:
Definition: Family associated with organism
Type: Code list
Codes:
- Nematode = Nematode
- Rotifer = Rotifer
- Tardigrade = Tardigrade
Missing values: None specified

SPECIES

Label:
Definition: Species found in soil
Type: Code list
Codes:
- Scottnema = Scottnema
- Eudorylaimus = Eudorylaimus
- Plectus = Plectus
- Combined = all three species
- Unknown = Unknown
Missing values: None specified

SEX

Label:
Definition: Gender of organism (male vs. female)
Type: Code list
Codes:
- Female = Females
- Male = Males
- Combined = males and females
- Undetermined = Undetermined Sex
Missing values: None specified

LIVE/DEAD/COMBINED

Label:
Definition: Survival Status (living, dead, or both)
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

ADULT/JUVENILE/COMBINED

Label:
Definition: Maturity (adult, juvenile, or both)
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

TOTAL (#/KG DRY SOIL)

Label:
Definition: Number of organisms found per Kilogram of dry soil
Type: Physical quantity
Unit: #/kg dry soil
Maximum: Not specified
Minimum: Not specified
Precision: Not specified
Missing values: None specified

FILE NAME

Label:
Definition: Name of file in which data was stored
Type: Nominal
Missing values: None specified

File:

9511stwo.csv (203.32 KB)

Short name:

9511stwo

Dataset ID:

225

People

Principal Investigator(s):

Diana H. Wall

Contact:

McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER

Associated Personnel:

Data Manager

Methodology

Methods:

The experimental design was a randomized block, with 5 replicates per treatment. Within each block were 3 plots measuring approximately 1m x 1m, with a central circular area of 85 cm diameter (approx. 0.57 m2) used for treatments and sampling. The treatments were as follows:

(W) nanopure water added to field capacity to 10 cm depth (5.6 L/plot),

(WS) sucrose added in solution (15.82 g sucrose in 5.6 L water per plot).

Soil samples were taken for organism enumeration and moisture content analysis as follows: Sampling bags were prepared with one sterile 'Whirlpak' bag and clean plastic scoop per sample. Samples were taken from within the 85 cm diameter circular area of each plot starting at the 12:00 position on the first day. The above treatments were then applied to the plots. The 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00 positions were then sampled for each successive date. The location of the sampling was recorded each time so that areas were not re-sampled. Using the plastic scoop, soil was collected to a 10 cm depth. Very large rocks (>20 mm diameter) were excluded from the sample. The soil was shoveled into the 'Whirlpak' bag until three quarters full (about 1.5 kg soil). The soil was mixed well in the bag, then the bag was closed tightly, expelling as much air as possible. The soil samples were stored in a cooler for transportation. On return to the laboratory (within 8 hours of sampling), the soils were stored at 5 degrees C until further processing.

In the laboratory, soil samples were handled in a laminar flow hood to prevent contamination. The Whirlpak bags of soil were mixed thoroughly prior to opening. Approximately 200 cm3 of soil was placed in a pre-weighed 800mL plastic beaker. Rocks greater than 3-4mm in diameter were removed from the sample. A sub-sample of approximately 50g was removed and placed in a pre-weighed aluminum dish, and weighed on a balance accurate to 0.01g. This sample was dried at 105 degrees C for 24 hours. The sample was removed, placed in a desiccator to cool down, and re-weighed. These data were used to calculate water content of the soil and to express data as numbers of soil organisms per unit dry weight of soil. The remaining soil in the plastic beaker was weighed. Cold tap water was added up to 650 mL. The soil suspension was stirred carefully (star stir or figure of 8) for 30 seconds, using a spatula. Immediately the liquid was poured into wet screens - a stack of 40 mesh on top of a 400 mesh. The screens were rinsed gently with ice cold tap water (from a wash bottle) through the top of the stack, keeping the screens at an angle as the water filtered through. The water was kept on ice at all times. The top screen was removed, and the lower screen rinsed top down, never directly on top of the soil, but at the top of the screen and from behind. The water was allowed to cascade down and carry the particles into the bottom wedge of the angled screen. The side of the screen was tapped gently to filter all the water through. The suspension was rinsed from the front and the back, keeping the screen at an angle and not allowing the water to overflow the edge of the screen. The soil particles were backwashed into a 50mL plastic centrifuge tube, tipping the screen into the funnel above the tube and rinsing the funnel gently. The suspension was centrifuged for five minutes at 1744 RPM. The liquid was decanted, leaving a few mL on top of the soil particles. The tube was filled with sucrose solution (454g sucrose per liter of tap water, kept refrigerated) up to 45mL. This was stirred gently with a spatula until the pellet was broken up and suspended. The suspension was centrifuged for one minute at 1744 RPM, decanted into a wet 500 mesh screen, rinsed well with ice cold tap water and backwashed into a centrifuge tube. Samples were refrigerated at 5 degrees C until counted.

Samples were washed into a counting dish and examined under a microscope at x10 or x20 magnification. Rotifers and tardigrades were identified and counted. Nematodes were identified to species and sex, and counted. Total numbers in each sample were recorded on data sheets. All species of nematode, and all rotifers and tardigrades found in the sample were recorded. Data were entered in to Excel files, printed, and checked for errors.

Maintenance:

This file was created by Mark St. John at Colorado State University on 11 Nov 1998, using raw data from the Excel workbook '9511stca.raw'. The file format was suggested by the LTER data manager, to conform with the relational database structure. On 4 Dec 1998, the file was submitted to Denise Steigerwald, the MCM LTER data manager, located at INSTAAR, University of Colorado. Upon arrival at INSTAAR, the data manager removed columns for latitude and longitude, and updated the location names to match those provided in the "soil measurement locations" file (from which latitude and longitude can be found). The resulting file was reformatted to present in ascii, comma delimited text and MS-DOS text (table layout) on the MCM LTER web site. Both of these files are linked to this web page above.

Research Section:

LTER Core Areas:

MCM Keywords:

Keywords:

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