The effects of harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex rugosus) nests on soil characteristics were measured at three locations characterized by different soils and dominant vegetation on a desert watershed. This dataset contains percent organic matter for soil samples collected from five ant nests for each of the three sites. Organic matter was determined by total combustion in an electric muffle furnace at 600 C for 8 hours using the same soil samples as used for water content measurements.
Please see JRN packages 210368002 and 210368004 for chemistry and water content data.
This project demonstrated that the effects of ants on soil properties and vegetation vary with site location and soil type. This study is complete.
Please refer to the following article for more information:
Whitford, Walter G. and Rudolfo DiMarco. 1995. Variability in soils and vegetation associated with harvester ant nests on a Chihuahuan Desert watershed. Biol Fertil Soils 20: 169-173.