Ranunculus adoneus nutrient, soil temperature, and soil moisture data for Saddle, 1990 - 1991.

Ranunculus adoneus plants were collected biweekly from Niwot Ridge Saddle grid stake 34 during the 1990 and 1991 growing seasons. Associated plant biomass, as well as nitrogen and phosphorus levels, were determined. Soil nitrogen, phosphorus, moisture, and temperature also were measured. The relationships between these factors and mycorrhizal development were examined. Mycorrhizal development corresponded with phosphorus accumulation in R. adoneus. This accumulation occurred late in the growing season after seed set, when plants were producing new tissues for the next year and appears to allow the plants to bloom the next year when snowmelt begins. Edaphic factors such as soil temperature, soil moisture, and soil N and P levels did not correlate with patterns in mycorrhizal development. In contrast to the pattern of P uptake, R. adoneus took up nitrogen (N) very early in the growing season during snowmelt, when availablitity was high, new roots had not yet formed, and old roots contained high levels of dark septate (DS) fungus.