Toolik Lake E. Vaginatum Root Mineral Nutrition [Welker, J. and J. Fahnestock]

Three age classes of Eriophorum vaginatum roots (gray (senesced), brown (suberized) and white (active)) were extracted from the cores. Following extraction, cores were cut into 5 4cm sections and sorted for roots within 1 week of extraction.

Prior to processing, cores were refrigerated at ~5(C. Some root samples were unwashed, then dried at 70(C for 48 hours prior to coupled combustion/reduction and gas chromatography analysis (CHN-1000, LECO Corporation). Additional samples were washed, and some unwashed, then analyzed using the soil-corrected method (Hunt et al., 1999). Unwashed roots were presumed to retain nutrient characteristics of the rhizoplane.