Field Operations for E055
Soil Added: Different amounts of black soil were added to the different plots. The heavy black soil settled about 1-1.5 inches in some locations. Black soil was added to compensate for the settling. One half inch was added on top of black dirt for plots that received 7, 8 or 9 inches of black dirt. A table listing the different soil recipes for the individual plots follows:
| Plot Number | N Level =Treatment | Soil Remove (in) | Black Dirt Added (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | 7 | 4 | 5 |
| 3 | 12 | 7 | 9 |
| 4 | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 1 | 0 | 0.3 |
| 6 | 11 | 6 | 8 |
| 7 | 14 | 8 | 10 |
| 8 | 10 | 5 | 7 |
| 9 | 2 | 0 | 0.5 |
| 10 | 8 | 4 | 5 |
| 11 | 13 | 8 | 10 |
| 12 | 9 | 4 | 6 |
| 13 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
Fencing: A belowground gopher fence (3 feet deep and 1 foot wide) and above-ground rodent/deer fence (6 feet tall) was built around the plots in 1989. Each plot was subdivided into 26 subplots with galvanized sheet metal (26 gauge, 48" x 12") in 1988.
Fertilization: Fertilizer is mixed and spread by hand twice a year, once in early May and once in late June. All plots receive the same fertilizer, with none of them getting any NH4NO3. For further information, see fertilization details.
Mammal Trapping: Small mammals are trapped in the fall to discourage overwinter inhabitants. Pocket gophers are trapped out of the experiment as soon as they appear (very infrequently).
Watering: All plots are watered to receive at least 1.5cm/wk in April, May and October, and 2.5cm/wk in June through September.
Weeding: All plots and aisles are routinely weeded to keep the area free of unwanted plants and future seed sources.
Burning: Starting in 1991, these plots are burned each spring before the plants start growing. This is to destroy litter so there is no litter effect.
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