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bud measurements at LTSP Soil compaction Aerial all blocks 2001 Crane Nitrogen probe Installion NC A&T soils work Herbicide application removal of forest floor in plot 1221

Croatan Long Term Soil Productivity (LTSP) Study

Objectives

The Croatan National Forest Long Term Soil Productivity study site is part of an internationally coordinated study whose objectives are to:

  • Measure the interactions of soil and site disturbance on long-term productivity.
  • Validate USDA Forest Service soil quality monitoring standards and develop effective monitoring techniques for evaluating the long-term impacts of management practices.
  • Understanding how soil and site disturbances affect the fundamental processes controlling productivity.

Design

The Croatan LTSP site is a 3 x 3 factoral split-plot design, replicated in 3 blocks. The main effects are 3 levels of organic matter removal and 3 levels of soil compaction. The split-plot effect is competition control, usually in the form of chemical herbicide. In addition, 1 treatment plot per block represents an ameliorated treatment of bedding and fertilizing. View the Croatan LTSP map.

Past Research and Measurements

  • pre and post treatment bulk density measurements
  • pre and post treatment plant community descriptions
  • Measurements of nitrogen and phosphorus mineralization by treatment
  • Soil microarthropod abundance
  • Monthly apical bud growth
  • Soil moisture using time domain reflectometry (TDR) probes
  • Soil strength using penetrometer
  • Needle carbohydrate and nutrient concentrations
  • Root growth

Current Measurements and Studies

  • Weather conditions
  • Tree height growth
  • Crown length and diameter
  • Diameter at breast height
  • Bulk density measurements at the 10th growing season
  • plant community descriptions at the 10th growing season
  • Whole tree planted pine bimass at the 10th growing season
  • Soil nutrients at the 10th growing season
  • Nitrogen forms
  • Soil CO2 efflux
  • Rotting log decomposition
  • Litter decomposition

Cooperators

Other LTSP Site Locations:

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Publications from this experiment
2006 - Soil physical property changes at the North American long-term soil productivity study sites: 1 and 5 years after compaction.
2005 - The North American long-term soil productivity experiment: findings from the first decade of research.
2004 - The North American Long-Term Soil Productivity Experiment: Coast-to-coast findings from the first decade.
2004 - Carbon Sequestration in loblolly pine plantations: Methods, limitations, and research needs for estimating storage pools.
2006 - Effects of organic matter removal and soil compaction on fifth-year mineral soil carbon and nitrogen contents for sites across the United States and Canada.
2006 - Negligible effects of severe organic matter removal and soil compaction on loblolly pine growth over 10 years.
2005 - Harvest intensity and competition control impacts on loblolly pine fusiform rust incidence.
2004 - Effects of organic matter removal, soil compaction, and vegetation control on Collembolan populations.
2006 - Collembola population levels 7 years after installation of the North Carolina long term soil productivity study.




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