Soil Nutrient and Ecology Laboratory
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.