Characterizing Rooting Depth Distribution and Nitrogen Acquisition Using 15N Tracer, Barrow, Alaska, 2013-2015

• Main Author: Iversen, Colleen
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Next Generation Ecosystems Experiment - Arctic, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (US); NGEE Arctic, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States) 2016
• Subjects: 54 Environmental Sciences; soil nitrogen and 15N;15N acquisition and allocation to leaves, stem, roots by three dominant plant functional types on BEO;Barrow, Alaska; Barrow; permafrost; Tundra; Alaska
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5440/1333932; https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1333932/

Permafrost thaw and degradation may lead to altered thickness of the active soil layer and a changing distribution of plant-available nutrients throughout the soil, but little is known about the nutrient acquisition strategies of dominant tundra plant species. We conducted an 15N isotope tracer experiment to assess the vertical distribution of nutrient acquisition among three dominant species representing important plant functional types (PFTs) on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) in Barrow, Alaska. We found that vertical patterns of root distribution and nutrient acquisition varied among plant species, and that root density may not entirely explain patterns of nutrient acquisition for all species. Dataset DOI:http:10.5440/1333932; https://doi.org/10.5440/1333932 This is preliminary metadata with more information and data to come.