Contribution of Shrubs to the Nitrogen Economy of a Desert-Wash Plant Community
Garcia ME and McKell CM. 1970. Contribution of Shrubs to the Nitrogen Economy of a Desert-Wash Plant Community. Ecology. 51(1):81-88
Total nitrogen incorporated in the shrubs of a low-fertility desert plant community (principally Acacia Gregii, Cassia armata, and Larrea divaricata) was estimated from the nitrogen content of plant parts, the total weight of plants and proportional weight of roots, stems and leaves, and the number of plants per unit area. The average nitrogen content of shrub leaves, stems and roots was 1.31%, .87% and .80% respectively. Shrub cover occupied 20% of the ground surface and contained an average of 29 kg nitrogen/ha. Legume shrubs were not significantly greater in nitrogen content than nonlegume shrubs. Soil nitrogen content decreased significantly as a function of radial distance from the center of shrub canopy. Areas between shrub averaged .019% nitrogen in the surface inch of soil. Soil nitrogen content decreased significantly from the surface to 90-cm depth and was closely related to shrub species and their root-dsitribution patterns.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Garcia, Moya; McKell, C.
- Units
- SODN
- Keywords
- Ecology, Inventory and Monitoring (I&M), Plant Communities, Plant Studies