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DIRT Litter Manipulation Experiment - LTSE

Relationships
Data Holder: 
Barker Plotkin, Audrey
Subnetworks: 
DIRT - Detritus Input and Removal Treatments
Subnetworks: 
Harvard Forest Based LTSEs
Location:
Harvard Forest
United States
Latitude: 42.490000
Longitude: -72.200000
Background
Continent: 
North America
Website: 
http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu
Year LTSE Began: 
1990
On-going or Terminated?: 
On-going
Comments: 
The DIRT Experiment (Detritus Input and Removal Treatments) is a long-term study of controls on soil organic matter formation. Our goal is to assess how rates and sources of plant litter inputs control the accumulation and dynamics of organic matter and nutrients in forest soils over decadal time scales. Results from 11 years of field and laboratory studies demonstrate the relative importance of above- and belowground sources on soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics and show emerging long-term non-linear changes in soil carbon release and storage.
Environment
Annual Precipitation (mm): 
800-1200
Mean Annual Soil Temperature (C): 
Mesic: 8 to 15C
Is temperature regime isothermic? ie, do mean monthly temperatures deviate by <6C?: 
No
Dominant plant species (latin genus and species): 
Quercus rubra, Acer rubrum
Landuse: 
Forestry
Ecoregion: 
Cool Temperate
Landform (general description): 
New England Upland
Elevation (m): 
200-500
Experimental Design
Design (short description): 
Treatments established in a mixed hardwood stand in 1990 are: doubling annual aboveground litter (DL), exclusion of aboveground litter (NL), exclusion of root inputs by trenching (NR), and exclusion of aboveground litter and root inputs (NI), on replicated 3m x 3m plots (n=3 for treatments, 6 for controls). The O/A-less treatment, implemented in 1991, tracks the recovery of impoverished soil by replacing O and A horizon soil with B horizon material and allowing normal litter inputs thereafter. Comparison of data among treatments (soil respiration, soil solution chemistry, soil physical and chemical properties, and microfaunal and microbial community structure) allows us to determine the contributions of live roots, above-ground litter, and belowground detritus to SOM and nutrient dynamics in this forest soil.
Permanent plot area (square meters): 
<10
Number of permanent plots: 
10-20
Soil/Data Archive
Data Archive: 
Yes
Year of first sampling for archive: 
1990
Year of last sampling for archive: 
2000
Soil Solid Data
pH and acidity: 
Yes
Nitrogen: 
Yes
Soil Gas Data
Surface Fluxes: 
Yes
Vegetation Data
Biomass above ground: 
Yes