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Methods for Experiment 248 -

roote248 - Root biomass data

Root biomass

Samples of belowground biomass were harvested from the strips taken in the aboveground harvest. Two 10 cm wide by 6 m long samples of aboveground biomass were clipped from each plot during the first week of September 2010. Within the first sampled strip, we collected six 5 cm diameter by 30 cm deep soil cores from evenly spaced locations within the strip of clipped aboveground biomass. These samples were washed of soil on a 1 mm screen, dried to constant biomass, and weighed. Within the second sampled strip, 12 5 cm diameter by 30 cm deep soil cores were taken. These roots were washed on the screen as well, but were sorted to fine (,1 mm diameter), coarse roots (.1 mm diameter), and root crowns (biomass at or below the soil surface where the roots join the stem) before being dried and weighed. All fine roots were processed after drying to remove any remaining soil and then dried again.