PBB02 Belowground Plot Experiment: Biomass and nutrient content of Rhizomes

To address the potential interactive effects of fire, aboveground biomass removal, and nutrient amendments on above- and belowground responses, a long-term field experiment was initiated in 1986 as part of the Konza Prairie Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program. The general goals of this experiment are: 1) to document both short- and long-term responses of plants and soils to fire, aboveground biomass removal (a surrogate for grazing in these small plots), and nutrient amendments (additions of N and/or P); and 2) to provide a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying tallgrass prairie responses to fire, aboveground biomass removal and nutrient enrichment. Standing crops of live and dead rhizomes (0.1 sq. m2 * 20cm deep samples) are taken in late summer periodically from 64 belowground plots. N and P content are determined on live and dead rhizomes. N and P for forb rhizomes are available for some plots in some years.

为探究火灾、地上生物量移除与养分添加对地上及地下生态响应的潜在交互作用，1986年启动了一项长期野外实验，作为Konza草原长期生态研究（Long-Term Ecological Research, LTER）项目的一部分。该实验的总体目标为：1）记录植物与土壤对火灾、地上生物量移除（小地块放牧的替代手段）及养分添加（氮和/或磷的施加）的短期与长期响应；2）深入理解高草草原对火灾、地上生物量移除及养分富集响应的潜在机制。自64个地下样地中，于夏末定期采集活根状茎（rhizomes）与死根状茎的现存量样本（0.1平方米×20厘米深度），并测定其氮磷含量。部分年份的部分样地中，可获取杂草根状茎的氮磷数据。