Impacts of Long-term Flood Irrigation on Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics in High Elevation Hay Meadows
EMSL Project ID
60506
Abstract
Irrigated meadows above 2000-m elevation are crucial but under-performing components of livestock operations in rangeland agroecosystems. Nutrient availability is key to sustainable agriculture, but irrigated meadows concentrate organic materials above the soil, constraining microbial-mediated nitrogen (N) cycling, binding nutrients, and limiting productivity and biodiversity. Improved understanding of linkages among soil organic matter (SOM) processes, management, and ecosystem services is necessary for long-term resilience. Our goal is to develop process-level understanding in support of management that improves soil health, biodiversity, and productivity of irrigated meadows. In this subproject, our objective is to determine how fertilization and irrigation management affects SOC composition using pyrolysis GC-MS analysis. We have sampled four areas in Wyoming and Colorado, each with three long-term management scenarios: fertilized irrigated meadows, unfertilized irrigated meadows, and unirrigated rangeland. These soils have already been measured for enzymatic activities and microbial communities. These data will be combined for understanding how management affects SOC dynamics and nutrient cycling. This project is currently funded by a USDA NIFA grant.
Project Details
Project type
Limited Scope
Start Date
2022-05-17
End Date
2022-08-30
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator