Soil Science

The discovery of the tardigrade, Milnesium sp., in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, and the potential implication for biotic interactions

Poster Number: 
399
Presenter/Primary Author: 
Uffe N. Nielsen

The McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, are a cold desert and represent one of the most inhospitable environments on earth. As a consequence the food webs are simple compared to most other terrestrial ecosystems, and limited to microbes and the nematode Scottnema lindsayae in dry areas, which includes most of the landscape. However, the few wet areas represent hotspots for soil organisms and support a greater diversity of soil fauna, often including the nematode genera Plectus and Eudorylaimus, and a few species of rotifers and tardigrades.

Dynamics of Water-Stable Soil Aggregates in Arctic Soils

Poster Number: 
336
Presenter/Primary Author: 
Rodney Simpson

Arctic warming has been linked to changes in carbon cycling in this region. Cold temperatures and anoxic conditions in the Arctic inhibit microbial activity, lowering decomposition rates. As a result mineralization rates are low, resulting in nitrogen-limited-system, further reducing biological activity. Evidence has shown that eliminating this constraint on nutrient availability results in a vegetation shift and loss of soil carbon; however, the mechanisms behind soil carbon loss are not understood.

ULTRA-Ex: Connecting the social and ecological sciences with planners, managers, and the public: Building a broad foundation for the Chicago Region ULTRA

Poster Number: 
285
Presenter/Primary Author: 
David Wise

The Chicago Region ULTRA-Ex will address a question fundamental to understanding the dynamic interactions between biodiversity conservation, ecosystem processes, and human well being in urban landscapes: In a complex urban/metropolitan system, what are the synergies and tradeoffs between conserving biodiversity and providing ecosystem services to people? The project focuses on the Green Infrastructure Vision of the Chicago Wilderness alliance, a conservation consortium of over 240 organizations.

Nitrogen fertilizer effects on soil communities and decomposition dynamics in agricultural systems

Poster Number: 
275
Presenter/Primary Author: 
Stuart Grandy

Many ecosystems, including grassland, forest, alpine, and desert, have shown responses to N enrichment. These responses vary considerably but include changes in soil respiration rates, enzyme activities, and microbial community structure. Surprisingly, little work has examined the effects of N enrichment on soil communities and processes in agricultural systems despite the high rates of N applied in most crop production systems.

The role of tree species and mycorrhizal fungi on seasonal patterns of amino acid cycling in temperate forest soils

Poster Number: 
273
Presenter/Primary Author: 
Edward Brzostek

Relatively little attention has been given to the processes that control the production and subsequent availability of amino acids in temperate forest soils. We examined how differences in soil organic matter chemistry and mycorrhizal association between temperate forest tree species of the Northeastern US lead to variation in amino acid cycling. We measured amino acid cycling throughout the growing season in soils from single tree species plots located in both the Harvard Forest, MA and the Pisgah State Forest, NH.

The LTER site Apennines high elevation ecosystems

Poster Number: 
263
Presenter/Primary Author: 
Michele Freppaz

The International Long-Term Ecosystem Research network (ILTER) includes national networks of scientists and their stakeholders engaged in long-term, site-based ecological, social and economic research. The LTER-Italy network, established in 2006, joined ILTER in 2007. The “Apennines (high elevation)” site joined LTER-Italy in 2007. It consists of “orographic islands” of alpine tundra along the Apennines chain, where many endemic and rare taxa occur that are critically endangered by climate warming.

The LTER Site “High Elevation ecosystems in the Northwestern Alps”

Poster Number: 
261
Presenter/Primary Author: 
Michele Freppaz

The Italian Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTER-Italy) was officially admitted to the International LTER Network (ILTER), during the general meeting held in Namibia in 2006. At present, LTER-Italy consists of an integrated group of 20 sites developing long term ecological research, a Secretary's Office, a group of sites managers and a Coordinating Committee. 9 research stations are CON.ECO.FOR. permanent plots under National Forest Service coordination, with many other sites and research stations in terrestrial, transitional, marine and freshwater ecosystems. CON.ECO.FOR.

KBS LTER: Field Crop Ecology

Poster Number: 
246
Presenter/Primary Author: 
Phil Robertson

The KBS LTER site is in a diverse, rural-to-semirural landscape typical of the U.S. Great Lakes and upper Midwest regions. Research at KBS asks how diverse plants, animals, and microbes in agricultural landscapes can contribute to farm productivity, environmental performance, and profitability. We study annual and perennial crops including corn, soybean, and wheat rotations, forage crops such as alfalfa, and biofuel crops such as poplars, switchgrass, and native successional communities.

Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research Program

Poster Number: 
241
Presenter/Primary Author: 
Nick Brokaw

Tropical environments are changing fast due to deforestation and regrowth, urbanization, climate change, and other forces. The consequences are immense for the whole array of ecosystem services people require. The Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research Program (LUQ) is tackling these issues in Puerto Rico. LUQ began in 1988 and focused on natural disturbances (hurricanes, landslides, droughts, floods) and ecosystem response. That work revealed patterns of resistance and resilience to cycles of natural disturbance.

Assessing Organic Carbon Stabilization in Chihuahuan Desert Soils Using Sequential Density Fractionation

Poster Number: 
238
Presenter/Primary Author: 
Heather Throop

Stabilization of organic matter on mineral surfaces strongly affects rates of soil organic matter (SOM) accumulation and turnover. Controls over SOM are of particular interest in arid and semi-arid systems where the abundance of woody plants has increased globally over the past century. This proliferation of woody plants may lead to significant soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation, although a large degree of uncertainty exists in the direction and magnitude of SOC pool responses to woody encroachment.

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