Changes in soil labile-C indicated by the ratio of microbial biomass-C to total Organic-C in a semi-arid grassland undergoing desertification

TitleChanges in soil labile-C indicated by the ratio of microbial biomass-C to total Organic-C in a semi-arid grassland undergoing desertification
Publication TypeThesis
Year of Publication1996
AuthorsLassetter W.L.
Number of Pages108
Date Published1996
UniversityUniversity of Nevada
CityReno, Nevada
Thesis TypeM.S. Thesispp
Accession NumberJRN00205
Call Number00683
Keywordscarbon,soil, desertification, organic carbon, dissertation, dissertations, microbial biomass, grassland, soil, labile carbon, soil, microbial biomss, soil, organic carbon, soil, organic matter turnover, theses, thesis
AbstractTo study changes in labile-C in a Chihuahuan desert grassland in southern New Mexico, microbial biomass-C (Cmic) and total soil organic-C (Corg) were measured along a gradient of long-term grazing impacts, with an ungrazed site chosen to represent steady state conditions with respect to soil organic matter. The results of this study show that the Cmic and Corg ratio is a better indicator of soil labile-C in this semi-arid ecosystem than either variable alone, and that different areas of the soil landscape have responded to grazing impacts in different ways. The Cmic and Corg ratio may thus provide a tool for monitoring changes in soil productivity that occur with desertification.