Co-dominant removal and N and C fertilization experiment for moist meadow tundra, 2002 - 2018.

In 2002 seven experimental sites were set up in areas of moist meadow alpine tundra on Niwot Ridge. At each site, ten 1 m^2 plots were established where there was roughly even cover by two dominant plant species, Geum rossii (forb) and Deschampsia cespitosa (grass). In a factorial design, plots were assigned treatments of 1) removal of G. rossii, D. cespitosa, or control (no plant removal), and 2) nutrient addition of nitrogen (N), carbon (C), or control (no addition). A tenth plot was assigned a treatment of random biomass removal and no nutrient addition. Plots were visited annually to implement removal and fertilization treatments, and to measure plant species composition. Plant productivity was measured every other year and nematode communities once via 18S rRNA metabarcoding, together with soils. Carbon addition plots were dropped from the experiment in 2016.