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Central Arizona - Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research Site - LTSE

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Data Holder: 
Information Manager, CAP LTER
Location:
Global Insititute of Sustainability
800 S. Cady Mall Arizona State University
Tempe, 85287-5402
United States
Latitude: 33.418043
Longitude: -111.932873
Background
Continent: 
North America
Website: 
Central Arizona - Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research Site
Year LTSE Began: 
1997
On-going or Terminated?: 
On-going
Environment
Annual Precipitation (mm): 
<400
Mean Annual Soil Temperature (C): 
Hyperthermic: >22C
Is temperature regime isothermic? ie, do mean monthly temperatures deviate by <6C?: 
No
Soil moisture regime: 
Xeric
Is atmospheric deposition chemistry monitored?: 
Yes
Dominant plant species (latin genus and species): 
Larrea tridentata, Ambrosia deltoidea
Landuse: 
Other
Ecoregion: 
Warm Subtropical
Landform (general description): 
Basin and Range Province, characterized by numerous mountain ranges that rise abruptly from broad, plain-like valleys or basins.
Slope (%): 
2-5%
Elevation (m): 
200-500
Geological material: 
Age of the rock in the Basin and Range Province ranges from Precambrian to Quaternary. The three major rock classes of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary are well represented. Precambrian and Tertiary granitic rocks are quite common. Abundant volcanic rocks cover the spectrum from rhyolitic to basaltic (acidic to basic) and range in age from Mesozoic to Quaternary. Composition of the older volcanics is mostly intermediate to silicic. Welded ash flows (tuffs) or ignimbrites are particularly widespread. Younger volcanic rocks in the Basin and Range Province are mostly basaltic. Metamorphic rocks include gneiss and schist, all mostly Precambrian and Mesozoic. Limestone, sandstone, quartzite and shale are sedimentary rocks mostly Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic in age. Sediments filling the intermontane basins contain gravels, sands, silts, clays, marl, gypsum and salt that represent combinations of fluvial, lacustrine, colluvial and alluvial fan deposits. Excepting areas in the lower Colorado River valley, basin fill is the product of continental sedimentation rather than of marine. The fill also has lesser amounts of interbedded volcanic rocks.
Experimental Design
Design (short description): 
204 sample plots (30m x 30m) located randomly using a tessellation-stratified dual-density sampling design over appr. 6400 km2 including urbanized and desert land.
Permanent plot area (square meters): 
10-100
Number of permanent plots: 
>20
Soil Classification
soilorder: 
Aridisol
Soil/Data Archive
Data Archive: 
Yes
Vegetative samples archived: 
Yes
Samples from multiple depths: 
Yes
Sample frequency: 
Every 5 years
Year of first sampling for archive: 
2000
Year of last sampling for archive: 
2005
Soil Solid Data
pH and acidity: 
Yes
Organic Carbon: 
Yes
Nitrogen: 
Yes
Other macronutrients: 
Yes
Micronutrients: 
Yes
Chemical Contaminents: 
Yes
Water holding capacity: 
No
Bulk Density: 
Yes
Mineralogy: 
No
Soil Water Data
pH and alkalinity: 
No
Dissolved organic carbon: 
No
Other macronutrients: 
No
Micronutrients: 
No
Soil Gas Data
Surface Fluxes: 
No
Concentrations belowground: 
No
Vegetation Data
Biomass above ground: 
Yes
Biomass below ground: 
No
Macronutrient contents: 
No
Micronutrient contents: 
No
Harvest mass: 
No
Harvest nutrient contents: 
No
Soil Biota Data
Macro-invertebrates: Biomass, Densities, Taxonomy: 
No
Micro-invertebrates: Biomass, Densities, Taxonomy: 
No
Microorganisms: Biomass, Densities, Taxonomy: 
No
Molecular biology studies: 
No