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The effects of changing precipitation patterns on soil microbial communities and nitrogen cycling in the New Jersey Pinelands
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Text
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Title
The effects of changing precipitation patterns on soil microbial communities and nitrogen cycling in the New Jersey Pinelands
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ETD_2007
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http://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.2/rucore10001600001.ETD.000051852
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eng
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theses
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Topic
Ecology and Evolution
Subject
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(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Soil microbiology--Climatic factors
Subject
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(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Soil microbiology--New Jersey--Pine Barrens
Subject
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(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Nitrogen cycle--New Jersey--Pine Barrens
Abstract
I studied the potential effects of a change in the amount, frequency and timing of precipitation on soil microbes and nitrogen cycling in the New Jersey Pinelands. I performed a two year field manipulation of precipitation amount and measured the response of the microbial community, potential net nitrogen mineralization and amino acid production. I found that soil microbes were not affected by rain exclusion or a doubling of rainfall. Nematode densities, but not community composition, were sensitive to precipitation amount. A large accumulation of ammonium in drought plots suggested sustained microbial activity under extreme drought conditions. I observed small changes in potential net nitrogen mineralization due to the effects of soil moisture on diffusion and immobilization. I measured the short-term response of the microbial community to a rewetting of dry soil and found a very rapid (three hour) change in the microbial community. The accumulation of ammonium within drought plots appears to have suppressed fungal biomass following the rewetting event.
In a two year winter study, I found no long-term effect of supplemental winter rainfall on the soil microbial community. Elevated winter precipitation prevented ammonium accumulation, presumably by protecting plant roots from freeze damage. I found that supplemental watering insulates soil microbes from cold stress over the short-term (days), but that mid-winter declines in biomass due to cold soil.
These experiments demonstrate that soil microbial communities in Pinelands soils are highly tolerant of abiotic stressors such as drought, upshock stress and soil freezing. Recovery from these disturbances is extremely rapid, occurring on the scale of hours to days. I conclude that changing precipitation patterns will not have a direct, long-term effect on soil microbial communities. Changes in precipitation patterns are more likely to alter nitrogen cycling rates via the influence on nitrogen diffusion and plant and microbial uptake. Furthermore, precipitation-induced changes in nematode densities may have important implications for nitrogen cycling in the New Jersey Pinelands.
In a two year winter study, I found no long-term effect of supplemental winter rainfall on the soil microbial community. Elevated winter precipitation prevented ammonium accumulation, presumably by protecting plant roots from freeze damage. I found that supplemental watering insulates soil microbes from cold stress over the short-term (days), but that mid-winter declines in biomass due to cold soil.
These experiments demonstrate that soil microbial communities in Pinelands soils are highly tolerant of abiotic stressors such as drought, upshock stress and soil freezing. Recovery from these disturbances is extremely rapid, occurring on the scale of hours to days. I conclude that changing precipitation patterns will not have a direct, long-term effect on soil microbial communities. Changes in precipitation patterns are more likely to alter nitrogen cycling rates via the influence on nitrogen diffusion and plant and microbial uptake. Furthermore, precipitation-induced changes in nematode densities may have important implications for nitrogen cycling in the New Jersey Pinelands.
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electronic resource
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xiii, 186 p. : ill.
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Ph.D.
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by William Joel Landesman
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Landesman
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William Joel
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1973-
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William Joel Landesman
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Dighton
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John
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John Dighton
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Peter
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Peter Groffman
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Max
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Max Häggblom
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Morin
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Peter
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Peter Morin
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Neher
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Deb
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Deb Neher
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Rutgers University
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Graduate School - New Brunswick
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2009
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2009-10
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xx
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Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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ETD
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Graduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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doi:10.7282/T30P1062
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ETD doctoral
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The author owns the copyright to this work
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Landesman
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William
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William Landesman
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Rutgers University. Graduate School - New Brunswick
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I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
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