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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Northwest Sustainable Agroecosystems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #121000
Title: NITROGEN CYCLING IN A SEMI-ARID SHRUB-STEPPE ECOSYSTEM

Author
item Smith, Jeffrey
item BOLTON, H., JR. - BATTELLE PNW LABORATORY

Submitted to: Microbial Ecology International Symposium
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/15/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Climate change will alter the N cycling in the fragile soils of the semi- arid desert region possibly causing changes in structure and function. The study was conducted to determine the effect of climate change on N cycling processes in a shrub steppe ecosystem. We used 15N to trace N into plants, microbes and soil organic matter over a climate gradient. There was more N loss at the warmer and drier sites and more plant uptake at the wetter cooler sites. The interaction of climate and N cycling was not linear. The microbial processes related to the cycling of N were more affected by climate than plant competition for N. As the climate becomes warmer this ecosystem will loose N more rapidly and move towards desertification.