Long-term Dynamics in Soil Field Available Nitrogen and Potentially Mineralizable Nitrogen in a Chihuahuan Desert Grassland at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico

Associated with a project that was based upon the assumption that nitrogen may limit net primary plant production in desert grasslands, this project began measuring available inorganic soil N and potentially mineralizable N of soils at two desert grassland locations. Both available N and potentially mineralizable N were greatest following a drought period in 1989, declined during wetter periods that followed and remained relatively stable until another extended drought period. After drought in 1995-6, both forms of soil N increased, indicating the potential for greater NPP following drought and lower potential NPP during periods of normal precipitation.