TABLE 1.
Site information and general properties of the three soils studieda
| Soil type | Sampling location | Latitude, longitude | Elevation (m) | Dominant vegetation | Mean annual precipitation (mm) | Mean annual temp (oC) | Soil texture | Soil pH | % Organic C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert | Joshua Tree National Park, CA | 33.97oN, 116.07oW | 1,360 | Larrea tridentata, Ambrosia dumosa | 90 | 16 | Loamy sand | 7.6 | 0.7 |
| Prairie | Konza Prairie long-term ecological research site, KS | 39.10oN, 96.60oW | 300 | Andropogon gerardii, Sorghastrum nutans | 835 | 13 | Silt loam | 7.1 | 4.0 |
| Rainforest | Manu National Park, Peru | 12.65oS, 71.23oW | 420 | Lomariopsis sp., Piper sp., Cecropia sp., Ficus sp., | 4,000 | 25 | Clay | 4.6 | 3.4 |
a
Soil physiochemical properties were characterized using the methods described by Fierer and Jackson (21). The dominant plant species at each site were determined in a qualitative manner at the time of sample collection. Dominant plants are described by genera if species identification was unclear.