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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Untangling The Biological Contributions To Soil Stability In Semiarid Shrublands, V. Bala Chaudhary, Matthew Bowker, Thomas O'Dell, James Grace, Andrea Redman, Mathias Rillig, Nancy Johnson
Untangling The Biological Contributions To Soil Stability In Semiarid Shrublands, V. Bala Chaudhary, Matthew Bowker, Thomas O'Dell, James Grace, Andrea Redman, Mathias Rillig, Nancy Johnson
V. Bala Chaudhary
Communities of plants, biological soil crusts (BSCs), and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are known to influence soil stability individually, but their relative contributions, interactions, and combined effects are not well understood, particularly in arid and semiarid ecosystems. In a landscape-scale field study we quantified plant, BSC, and AM fungal communities at 216 locations along a gradient of soil stability levels in southern Utah, USA. We used multivariate modeling to examine the relative influences of plants, BSCs, and AM fungi on surface and subsurface stability in a semiarid shrubland landscape. Models were found to be congruent with the data and explained …
Recreating Mesquite Mounds (Nebkas) In The Colorado Desert, David A. Bainbridge
Recreating Mesquite Mounds (Nebkas) In The Colorado Desert, David A. Bainbridge
David A Bainbridge
Accretion dunes or mounds (also known as nebkas or nebkhas) are formed when plants capture and then are partially buried in wind-blown sand. In the San Felipe drainage in the western Colorado Desert, mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa Torrey var. torreyana (L. D. Benson) M. C. Johnston)) forms dunes up to 5 m high. These are ecologically important for both ecosystem structure (primarily habitat) and function (soil accumulation, moisture retention and nutrient cycling). The widening of California state highway 86 damaged and removed several mesquite mounds and the California Department of Transportation asked us to explore techniques for recreating them to reduce …
Soil Treatment For Restoration Projects, David A. Bainbridge
Soil Treatment For Restoration Projects, David A. Bainbridge
David A Bainbridge
Soil treatment is a critical step in restoration projects. When soil problems are ignored restoration projects fail. Erosion, compaction, limited infiltration and other problems can make a site very different from its historic function and structure. Treatment can be done with equipment or by hand and will greatly improve chances for success.