Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER)/KBS003: Kellogg Biological Station Baseline Variability Study

During the 1988 growing season a stratified unaligned sampling scheme was used to collect 400-600 samples across the site (uniformly planted to a single variety of soybeans) for 1) geomorphological characteristics (microtopography, soil horizon depths, bulk density, texture); 2) soil chemical characteristics (pH, NO3, NH4, total C, total N, moisture, inorganic P, trace metals); 3) soil biological characteristics (N mineralization potentials, microbial biomass C, microbial biomass N, fungal/bacterial ratios, nematodes and other soil invertebrates; seed bank size); 4) plant characteristics (rate of crop phenological development, crop biomass at maturity, crop N content, weed species abundance, weed biomass at peak standing crop); and 5) insect characteristics (major pest and predator species).

Most soil samples were taken before crop emergence, plant phenology samples were taken throughout the growing season, biomass samples were taken at physiological maturity, and insect samples were taken continuously. Dried soil and plant samples are archived for potential future analyses. Special Comments: Data set contains data for each variate at each sample point as well as semivariograms and an interpolation file derived by kriging at 3-m intervals across the site.