Studies in soil-plant relationships on the ecology of Southeast Idaho

Soil profiles: simulation experiments for soil caps over buried Idaho wastes have been shown that upper soil profile development has proceeded significantly over eight years in terms of soil organic carbon and available soil phosphorus enrichment at the surface, particularly below shrub cover. Findings contribute not only to applied need but also to theories of resource island formation in western environments (McGonigle T.P., White G.J. and Chambers, in preparation).

Sagebrush seedling recruitment: seedlings are disproportionately of greater abundance under canopies of sagebrush but not bunchgrasses. Irrigation to relieve summer drought markedly fosters survivorship (McGonigle, Cook and Inouye, in preparation).

Soil nitrogen: studies at Idaho have confirmed the hitherto unpublished local guideline that soil samples must be extracted immediately upon collection in the field in order to prevent loss of mineral nitrogen, although it now emerges that environmental conditions determine when this step is in necessary or not (McGonigle and Gelinskey, in preparation). Ongoing studies are investigating nitrogen mineralization from microbiotic soil crust.

Orchid conservation: mycorrhizal relations are under investigation for a local and rare ladies’ tresses species by 18S sequencing using fungal primers prepared in Idaho. Field sites are along the Snake River in the canyons of the South Fork. The goal of this work is a site test for the presence of fungi needed for orchid survival in conservation.