EDI Staging Environment
This dataset contains photosynthetic light response data from biological soil crusts collected at four locations in the Chihuahuan Desert. This study aims to 1) assess the carbon fixation capacity of biocrust types under varying incubation times; 2) assess biocrust nitrogen fixation capacity; 3) understand microbial community composition and biomass differences within these biocrust types; and 4) identify how geographic location and soil properties can explain differences seen in carbon fixation and microbial diversity. In order to characterize the physiology of biocrust types at a range of Chihuahuan Desert sites, intact, replicate samples of five soil crust types were collected from each of 4 sites in southern New Mexico, USA: the Jornada Experimental Range (near T-West), the A-Mountain BLM site, the Volcanic BLM site, and White Sands National Park. Data and sample collection occurred between May and July of 2020, and the soil crust types of interest were light cyanobacterial, dark cyanobacterial, Peltula lichen, Clavascidium lichen, and moss crusts (n=25 samples for each type per site). After collection, crust subsamples were sequenced (n=5 per type per site), targeting the 16S rRNA gene region for bacteria (see EDI dataset knb-lter-jrn.210549001 and linked data at NCBI), and the intact samples were re-wetted and subjected to variable incubation periods, followed by photosynthetic response measurements. The resulting light response curves and photosynthetic information will be used for comparing biocrust type, site, and time response differences, and to upscale carbon flux values to landscape scale. This data set includes the light response curve values and photosynthetic data calculated from these curves. This data set also includes raw LICOR output files compiled into 4 spreadsheet files. This study is complete.
EDI is a collaboration between the University of New Mexico and the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Center for Limnology:
