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 (1989- )

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.

本数据集关联一项基于“氮可能限制荒漠草原植物净初级生产力”这一假设开展的研究项目，该项目对两处荒漠草原点位的土壤有效无机氮与潜在矿化氮进行了测定。1989年干旱期过后，土壤有效氮与潜在矿化氮含量均达到峰值；在随后的湿润期其含量有所下降，并在另一次持续干旱期到来前保持相对稳定。1995至1996年干旱过后，两类土壤氮含量均出现上升，这表明干旱过后植物净初级生产力（Net Primary Plant Production，简称NPP）存在提升潜力，而在正常降水时期其提升潜力则相对较低。