Lab Description

The Soil Nutrient and Ecology Laboratory is primarily used for research in the areas of soil biogeochemical cycling, soil-root interactions, soil organic matter dynamics, root growth and turnover, soil microbial biomass and activities, plant carbon allocation to belowground components, interactions of soil microflora and fauna, carbon isotope (¹⁴C and ¹³C) labeling and tracing, and environmental effects on soil-root interface.

The laboratory is equipped with a Fisher-Scientific temperature controlled incubator, a LI-COR 6200 soil respiration system, a LI-COR 7500 open-path Infra Red Gas Analyzer, a Bartz Technology Company (Santa Barbara, CA) field-portable backpack BCT-2 minirhizotron camera and camcorder used for repeated non-destructive recording of length density of roots at various depths growing along the outside surface of transparent tubes (5-cm-diam. x 1.5 m long), a Lachat QuikChem 8000 FIA nutrient analyzer, a Shimadzu total carbon analyzer, an Antech Total N analyzer, an ENVIRCO sterile hood, a BUCHI evaporator, analytical balances, and other facilities.