uid=MCM,o=EDI,dc=edirepository,dc=org all public read soils_biocrust Sarah Power snpower@vt.edu https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4863-290X Mark Salvatore mark.salvatore@nau.edu http://msalvatore.net https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1551-8342 Byron Adams byron_adams@byu.edu https://biology.byu.edu/adams-lab https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7815-3352 John "Jeb" Barrett jebarre@vt.edu https://www.biol.vt.edu/faculty/barrett/index.html https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7610-0505 McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER http://mcmlter.org/ Ernest Osburn e.osburn@uky.edu https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1943-5683 field crew Barbara Niederlehner bniederl@vt.edu https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6933-336X lab technician 2023-10-30 English

This data package includes ecological parameters of biocrust and soil from samples collected in-situ within the Lake Fryxell Basin of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica during December of 2019. Parameters include biological (ash-free dry mass, pigment concentration, and counts of soil invertebrates), physical (water content, electrical conductivity, and pH), and chemical properties (inorganic nitrogen, inorganic phosphorous, total nitrogen, and total organic carbon) of the surface soil, biocrust, and underlying soil. This data package also contains reflectance measurements of biocrust, soil, and granite samples acquired in a laboratory using a hyperspectral spectrometer. Included are hyperspectral reflectance measurements of a laboratory study using a variety of mixtures of soil and biocrust (0 – 100% biocrust), as well as reflectance measurements of individual grab samples collected from each of the field plots. These data aid our understanding of the ecological structure and functioning of biocrust microhabitats as well as the location of these communities throughout the Lake Fryxell Basin. This work also aims to assist in understanding the carbon budget of the basin and highlight the importance of these snowpack-fed biocrust communities, which are understudied but likely an important piece of the overall carbon budget in this region.

ammonium carbon chlorophyll a ecology electrical conductivity inorganic nitrogen invertebrates nematodes nitrate nitrogen nutrients ph phosphate phosphorus reflectance remote sensing soil soil moisture total nitrogen total organic carbon water content LTER Controlled Vocabulary ammonium Antarctica ash free dry mass carbon electrical conductivity inorganic nitrogen LTER McMurdo Dry Valleys nematodes nitrate nitrogen pH phosphorus rotifers soil soil moisture tardigrade Taylor Valley total nitrogen water content Station Keywords inorganic nutrients organic matter population dynamics primary production LTER Core Areas Funding for this work was provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) grants #OPP-1637708 and #OPP-2224760 to the MCM LTER, NSF #OPP-1745053 to Mark Salvatore, and a Virginia Space Grant Consortium award to Sarah Power.

This data package is released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which allows consumers (hereinafter referred to as “Data Users”) to freely reuse, redistribute, transform, or build on this work (even commercially) so long as appropriate credit is provided. Accordingly, Data Users are required to properly cite this data package in any publications or in the metadata of any derived products that result from its use (in whole or in part). A recommended citation is provided on the summary metadata page associated with this data package in the McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER Data Catalog (https://mcmlter.org/data), and a generic citation may be found on the summary metadata page in the repository where this data package was obtained. When these data contribute significantly to the contents of a publication, Data Users must also acknowledge that data were provided by the NSF-supported McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research program (OPP-2224760). This data package has been released in the spirit of open scientific collaboration. Hence, Data Users are strongly encouraged to consider consultation, collaboration, and/or co-authorship (as appropriate) with the data package creator(s). Data Users should be aware these data may be actively used by others for ongoing research; thus, coordination may be necessary to prevent duplicate publication. Data Users should also recognize that misinterpretation of data may occur if they are used outside the context of the original study. Hence, Data Users are urged to contact the data package creator(s) if they have any questions regarding methodology or results. While substantial efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of this data package (with all its components), complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Periodic updates to this data package may occur, and it is the responsibility of Data Users to check for new versions. This data package is made available “as is” and comes with no warranty of accuracy or fitness for use. The creator(s) of this data package and the repository where these data were obtained shall not be liable for any damages resulting from misinterpretation, use, or misuse of these data. Finally, as a professional courtesy, we kindly request Data Users notify the primary contact referenced in the metadata when these data are used in the production of any derivative work or publication. Notification should include an explanation of how the data were used, along with a digital copy of the derived product(s). Thank you.

https://mcm.lternet.edu/content/hyperspectral-reflectance-values-and-biophysicochemical-properties-biocrusts-and-soils This is the Taylor Valley, a subjectively approximated contour by San Gil. We use this to denote the geographical extent of studies that encompass the whole Taylor Valley.According to Wiki contributors, the Taylor Valley is the southernmost of the three large Dry Valleys in the Transantarctic Mountains, Victoria Land, located west of McMurdo Sound. The valley extends from Taylor Glacier in the west to McMurdo Sound at Explorers Cove at the northwest head of New Harbour in the east and is about 29 kilometres (18 mi) long. It was once occupied by the receding Taylor Glacier, from which it derives its name. Taylor Valley contains Lake Bonney in the west (inward), and Lake Fryxell in the east (coastward), and Lake Hoare, Lake Chad, Mummy Pond and Parera Pond close together between the two. Further east of Lake Bonney is Pearse Valley. Taylor Valley is separated from Wright Valley in the north by Asgard Range, and from Ferrar Glacier in the south by Kukri Hills. 161.707763671880 163.624877929690 -77.519802097166 -77.808487073526 2019-12-21 2019-12-28 McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER Information Manager im@mcmlter.org McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER http://mcmlter.org/ McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER

In-situ Environmental Sampling & Analyses At 30 locations throughout the Fryxell basin, we documented surface type present (biocrust, soil, or oxidized granite) and collected a surface layer sample of soil or biocrust (if present) and rock from all sites for subsequent hyperspectral analysis in the laboratory. At 12 of these sites, we established 5 m x 5 m intensive sampling plots. We collected 5 surface layer soil or biocrust samples (128 cm2) from each corner and center of the plots for subsequent pigment analysis and organic matter content via ash-free dry mass (AFDM). We also collected underlying soil down to 10 cm below the surface for gravimetric water content (GWC), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, inorganic nitrogen (N) concentration in the form of ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-), inorganic phosphorus (P) concentration in the form of phosphate (PO43-), total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and invertebrate abundance (nematodes, tardigrades, and rotifers). Ash-free dry mass (AFDM): The surface layer soil and biocrust samples were measured for AFDM by weighing a known area of sample, combusting at 550 °C for 24 hr using a muffle furnace, gently stirring samples halfway through combustion, and reweighing after cooling in a desiccator. The rehydration of clays was assumed negligible, so we did not rewet samples. Pigments: We estimated pigment concentration on the surface ~1 cm layer soil and biocrust samples using a trichromatic spectrophotometric method for chlorophyll-a, carotenoids, and scytonemin at 663, 490, and 384 nm, respectively (Garcia‐Pichel and Castenholz, 1991). Throughout the process, care was taken to avoid exposing the samples to light. The samples were dried at 105 °C for 24 hr, sieved through a 4 mm sieve, and extracted for 24 hr at ambient temperature in 90% unbuffered acetone using a 3.75:10 soil to solvent ratio, based on protocols from Couradeau et al. (2016) and the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research Program (MCM LTER) standard methods. After centrifugation, the extracts were analyzed on a spectrophotometer using 10 mL cuvettes. The absorbances contributed by each pigment were calculated using the trichromatic equations outlined in Garcia‐Pichel and Castenholz (1991), and the pigment concentrations were calculated using the Beer-Lambert Law with the extinction coefficients of 89.7 L g-1 cm-1 for chlorophyll-a (Couradeau et al., 2016), 112.6 L g-1 cm-1 for scytonemin (Brenowitz and Castenholz, 1997), and 262 L g-1 cm-1 for carotenoids (Thrane et al., 2015). Invertebrate counts: The number of soil organisms (nematodes, rotifers and tardigrades), divided by species, sex and maturity was determined at each of the 12 plots. Invertebrate abundance was enumerated using inverted light microscopy on soil solutions using a modified sugar-centrifugation extraction procedure described by Freckman and Virginia (1993). Gravimetric water content: Water content was determined as the mass of water per mass of dry soil. This was conducted by weighing field moist soil, drying in an oven at 105 °C for 24 hr, and reweighing the soil after. Electrical conductivity: Using the underlying 1-10 cm soil, we measured electrical conductivity using a 1:5 soil to DI H2O slurry. pH: Using the underlying 1-10 cm soil, we measured pH using a 1:2 soil to DI H2O slurry. Inorganic N and P: We extracted inorganic N (NH4+ and NO3-) in 2 M potassium chloride and inorganic P (PO43-) in 0.5 M sodium bicarbonate; inorganic N and P were measured on extracts using a Lachat flow injection analyzer.  Total N and organic C: We measured TOC and TN using an Elementar Vario Cube TOC/TN analyzer after fumigating samples with concentrated hydrochloric acid to remove the influence of carbonates on TOC values.  Remote Sensing Analyses Hyperspectral reflectance of field samples: Spectra were acquired of samples from each of the 30 plots using an Analytical Spectral Devices (ASD) FieldSpec4 high-resolution hyperspectral reflectance spectrometer set up for use in a stable lab environment. Data were collected between 400 and 2500 nm at a 1 nm sampling interval. A halogen lamp was used to illuminate the samples at 30° off-nadir, while reflectance was measured at nadir using the ASD’s bare fiber optic cable roughly 3 cm above the sample surface. To minimize instrument noise, particularly at the longest and shortest wavelengths where the output of the halogen bulb is lowest, we averaged 50 individual spectra for each sample. Hyperspectral reflectance of laboratory mixtures: Sample mixtures of varying percent biocrust and soil (not containing biocrust) were created by mixing a known amount of soil with a known amount of biocrust. The soil was collected from the Fryxell basin, Antarctica, and the biocrust was collected from Arizona, USA, and each were separately ground into a homogenous fine particle size. Hyperspectral reflectance data were gathered for dry samples with the same methods above. Samples were also moistened with DI water for damp readings as well. The targeted water content for the damp samples was approximately 0.25 GWC (g H2O/g dry soil and biocrust material). These data were used to determine the nature of the observed spectral mixing relationship between soil and biocrust, validating our ability to confidently translate spectral unmixing to orbital data.

biological mcmlter-soils-power-biocrust_biol-20231030.csv 3292 1 column , " https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-soils-power-biocrust_biol-20231030_0.csv dataset_code Dataset code Internal dataset code. string Internal dataset code. plot_id Plot ID Plot identifier. Refer to the "plot" dataset for additional metadata. string Plot identifier. Refer to the "plot" dataset for additional metadata. replicate Replicate Sample replicate number. string Sample replicate number. afdm Ash-free dry mass Ash-free dry mass (AFDM) content of the sample. milligramsPerSquareCentimeter real chla Chlorophyll-a Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration of the sample. microgramsPerSquareCentimeter real caro Carotenoid Carotenoid concentration of the sample. microgramsPerSquareCentimeter real scyto Scytonemin Scytonemin concentration of the sample. microgramsPerSquareCentimeter real remarks Remarks Remarks regarding missing values. string Remarks regarding missing values. biota mcmlter-soils-power-biocrust_biota-20231030.csv 7376 1 1 column , https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-soils-power-biocrust_biota-20231030_2.csv dataset_code Dataset code Internal dataset code. string Internal dataset code. plot_id Plot ID Plot identifier. Refer to the "plot" dataset for additional metadata. string Plot identifier. Refer to the "plot" dataset for additional metadata. replicate Replicate Sample replicate number. string Sample replicate number. SML Scottnema Male Live The total number of living male Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living male Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. smd Scottnema Male Dead The total number of dead male Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of dead male Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. sfl Scottnema Female Live The total number of living female Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living female Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. sfd Scottnema Male Dead The total number of dead female Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of dead female Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. sjl Scottnema Juvenile Live The total number of living juvenile Scottnema lindsayae nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living juvenile Scottnema lindsayae nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. sjd Scottnema Juvenile Dead The total number of dead juvenile Scottnema lindsayae nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of dead juvenile Scottnema lindsayae nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. sa Scottnema Adult The total number of living and dead Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living and dead Scottnema lindsayae adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. sj Scottnema Juvenile The total number of living and dead Scottnema lindsayae juvenile nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living and dead Scottnema lindsayae juvenile nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. stl Scottnema Total Live The total number of living Scottnema lindsayae (juvenile and adult) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living Scottnema lindsayae (juvenile and adult) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. std Scottnema Total Dead The total number of dead Scottnema lindsayae (juvenile and adult) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of dead Scottnema lindsayae (juvenile and adult) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. stld Total Scottnema Live and Dead The total number of live + dead Scottnema lindsayae (juvenile and adult) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of live + dead Scottnema lindsayae (juvenile and adult) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. eml Eudorylaimus Male Live The total number of living male Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living male Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. emd Eudorylaimus Male Dead The total number of dead male Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of dead male Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. efl Eudorylaimus Female Live The total number of living female Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living female Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. efd Eudorylaimus Female Dead The total number of dead female Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of dead female Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. ejl Eudorylaimus Juvenile Live The total number of living juvenile Eudorylaimus spp. nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living juvenile Eudorylaimus spp. nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. ejd Eudorylaimus Juvenile Dead The total number of dead juvenile Eudorylaimus spp. nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of dead juvenile Eudorylaimus spp. nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. ea Eudorylaimus Adult The total number of living and dead Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living and dead Eudorylaimus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. ej Eudorylaimus Juvenile The total number of living and dead Eudorylaimus spp. juvenile nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living and dead Eudorylaimus spp. juvenile nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. etl Eudorylaimus Total Live Total number of living Eudorylaimus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string Total number of living Eudorylaimus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. etd Eudorylaimus Total Dead The total number of dead Eudorylaimus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of dead Eudorylaimus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. etld Total Eudorylaimus Live and Dead The total number of live + dead Eudorylaimus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of live + dead Eudorylaimus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. pfl Plectus Female Live The total number of living female Plectus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living female Plectus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. pfd Plectus Female Dead The total number of dead female Plectus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of dead female Plectus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. pjl Plectus Juvenile Live The total number of living juvenile Plectus spp. nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living juvenile Plectus spp. nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. pjd Plectus Juvenile Dead The total number of dead juvenile Plectus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of dead juvenile Plectus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. pa Plectus Adult The total number of living and dead Plectus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living and dead Plectus spp. adult nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. pj Plectus Juvenile The total number of living and dead Plectus spp. juvenile nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living and dead Plectus spp. juvenile nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. ptl Plectus Total Live Total number of living Plectus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string Total number of living Plectus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. ptd Plectus Total Dead The total number of dead Plectus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of dead Plectus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. ptld Plectus Total Live and Dead The total number of live + dead Plectus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of live + dead Plectus spp. (juvenile and adults) nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. total_rotifers Total Rotifers Total number of rotifers per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent present in a sample. string Total number of rotifers per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent present in a sample. total_tardigrades Total Tardigrades Total number of tardigrades per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent present in a sample. string Total number of tardigrades per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent present in a sample. total_live Total Living Nematodes The total number of living nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. total_dead Total Dead Nematodes The total number of dead nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of dead nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. total Total The total number of living and dead nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of living and dead nematodes extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. other Other The total number of other organisms extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. string The total number of other organisms extracted from the soil sample in number of organisms per kg soil oven dry weight equivalent. remarks Remarks Sample remarks. string Sample remarks. field hyperspectra mcmlter-soils-power-biocrust_hyperfield-20231030.csv 2803365 1 column , https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-soils-power-biocrust_hyperfield-20231030.csv dataset_code Dataset code Internal dataset code. string Internal dataset code. plot_id Plot ID Plot identifier. Refer to the "plot" dataset for additional metadata. string Plot identifier. Refer to the "plot" dataset for additional metadata. band_um Band Wavelength band of reflectance. Wavelengths span 0.4 - 2.5 micrometers at 0.001 um increments. micrometer real reflectance Reflectance Reflectance values (unitless) associated with each band and measurement. string Reflectance values (unitless) associated with each band and measurement. lab hyperspectra mcmlter-soils-power-biocrust_hyperlab-20231030.csv 2885140 1 column , https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-soils-power-biocrust_hyperlab-20231030.csv dataset_code Dataset code Internal dataset code. string Internal dataset code. moisture_level Moisture level Moisture level of sample (either "dry" or "damp"). The targeted water content for damp samples was approximately 0.25 GWC (g H2O/g dry soil and biocrust material). string Moisture level of sample (either "dry" or "damp"). The targeted water content for damp samples was approximately 0.25 GWC (g H2O/g dry soil and biocrust material). biocrust_pct Biocrust percentage Percentage of biocrust by weight in laboratory mixtures of soil and biocrust. string Percentage of biocrust by weight in laboratory mixtures of soil and biocrust. band_um Band Wavelength band of reflectance. Wavelengths span 0.4 - 2.5 micrometers at 0.001 um increments. micrometer real reflectance Reflectance Reflectance values (unitless) associated with each band and measurement. string Reflectance values (unitless) associated with each band and measurement. physicochemical mcmlter-soils-power-biocrust_physchem-20231030.csv 4321 1 column , https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-soils-power-biocrust_physchem-20231030.csv dataset_code Dataset code Internal dataset code. string Internal dataset code. plot_id Plot ID Plot identifier. Refer to the "plot" dataset for additional metadata. string Plot identifier. Refer to the "plot" dataset for additional metadata. replicate Replicate Sample replicate number. string Sample replicate number. gwc Gravimetric water content Gravimetric water content (GWC) of the sample, expressed in grams of water per gram of dry soil. gramsPerGram real ec Electrical conductivity Electrical conductivity (EC) of the sample. microSiemensPerSquareCentimeter real ph pH pH of the sample. string pH of the sample. nh4 Ammonium Inorganic nitrogen concentration of the sample in the form of ammonium (NH4+), expressed in micrograms of N per gram of dry soil. microgramsPerGram real no3 Nitrate Inorganic nitrogen concentration of the sample in the form of nitrate (NO3-), expressed in micrograms of N per gram of dry soil. microgramsPerGram real po4 Phosphate Inorganic phosphorus concentration of the sample in the form of phosphate (PO43-), expressed in micrograms of P per gram of dry soil. microgramsPerGram real toc Total organic carbon Total organic carbon concentration of the sample, expressed in milligrams of C per gram of dry soil. milligramsPerGram real tn Total nitrogen Total nitrogen concentration of the sample, expressed in milligrams of N per gram of dry soil. milligramsPerGram real plot mcmlter-soils-power-biocrust_plot-20231030.csv 1636 1 column , https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-soils-power-biocrust_plot-20231030.csv dataset_code Dataset code Internal dataset code. string Internal dataset code. plot_id Plot ID Plot identifier. string Plot identifier. latitude Latitude Latitude of plot in decimal degrees. string Latitude of plot in decimal degrees. longitude Longitude Longitude of plot in decimal degrees. string Longitude of plot in decimal degrees. surface_type Surface type Plot surface type, either "biocrust", "soil", or "oxidized granite". string Plot surface type, either "biocrust", "soil", or "oxidized granite". visual_biocrust_rank Visual biocrust rank Visual assessment ranking of biocrust coverage in the plot. string 0 Biocrust not present 1 Biocrust possibly present 2 Biocrust likely present 3 Biocrust present