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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Livestock Nutrient Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #243784
Title: Response of native short grass prairie and Conservation Reserve Program grassland soil microbial communities to feedyard cattle manure applications

Author
item Rice, William
item Todd, Richard

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/30/2009
Publication Date: 11/1/2009
Citation: Rice, W.C., Todd, R.W. 2009. Response of native short grass prairie and Conservation Reserve Program grassland soil microbial communities to feedyard cattle manure applications [abstract]. 2009 Agronomy Society of America, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America International Annual Meetings, November 1-5, 2009, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 2009 CDROM.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This study documents the effect of annual (both fall and spring) applications of three rates of N (50, 125, and 200 kg/ha) in the form of feedyard cattle manure on grassland ecosystems and on soil microbial composition. Replicate treatments (n=4) of feedyard cattle manure N applications plus checks were made to native short grass prairie and Old World Bluestem grass ecosystems starting in the spring of 2000 and continued until the fall of 2006. A significant increase in biomass in response to N application was first observed in 2004 and continued through the last biomass sampling in 2007. Soil samples for microbial community composition at three depth ranges (0-2.5, 5.0-7.5, and 30.0-32.5 cm) were obtained in November of 2008. Microbial composition was investigated using 16S DGGE-PCR and clone library methods that targeted Proteobacteria, Bacteriodetes, and Firmicutes. Differences in microbial community composition were observed between both native range and Old World Bluestem grass communities and between N applications.