Sina Adl

University of Georgia Institute of Ecology Annex Athens Georgia 30602-2360 USA

(706) 542-8166 adl@sparc.ecology.uga.edu http://coweeta.ecology.uga.edu David Coleman

University of Georgia Institute of Ecology Annex Athens Georgia 30602-2360 USA

(706) 542-8166 coleman@sparc.ecology.uga.edu http://cwt33.ecology.uga.edu/piprofiles/pro_coleman.html In this study we address the following questions with a natural environment (watershed 13): 1- what are the protist colonisers in disturbed soil? Which are the late succession species? 2- what kinds of interactions are there between the rhizosphere community and soil protists? 3- to what extent does the litter and derived organic matter affect species composition? 4- what is the time scale of recovery after disturbance? We hope to be able to address the following issues also from the data collected. Do certain groups of species become active together, under similar habitat changes, or is the community dynamics more stochastic? One would predict that at low species biodiversity the community structure is more predictable, and at high diversity more stochastic. In this study, organic-free plots, litter exclusion and root exclusion plots are prepared to reduce species diversity. Soil protist activity consists of successions of groups of species becoming active then inactive in succession. The experimental plots consist of nine holes (75cm diameter) dug to about 30-50 cm. There are three treatments. First series of three: soil dug out and returned. Second series, soil dug out, sterilised in lab by autoclave, and returned. In third series, soil dug out and replaced by organic-matter-free sand. One of each plot type are covered with mesh to exclude litter deposit. One of each plot type are lined by mesh to exclude roots as well as mesh to exclude litter. One set of plots are left without exclusion. The plot containing sand as well as root and litter exclusion, will contain wheat grass debris as litter. Study_Sampling_Frequency: monthly Coweeta LTER protozoa fungi microbial biodiversity Coweeta soil disturbance Must adhere to the Coweeta LTER Data Policy (See http://coweeta.ecology.uga.edu/webdocs/3/static/datapolicies.html). http://cwt33.ecology.uga.edu/summaries/summary1009.html WS 13, off trail, left side of stream. 2000-01-01 2002-01-01 Coweeta LTER Information Manager

Institute of Ecology University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA

(828) 524-2128 Ted Gragson

Institute of Ecology University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA

tgragson@earthlink.net principalInvestigator James Vose

Institute of Ecology University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA

jvose@fs.fed.us principalInvestigator Brian Kloeppel

Institute of Ecology University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA

kloeppel@sparc.ecology.uga.edu principalInvestigator The Coweeta LTER Research Program has evolved since 1980 from a site-based to a site- and region-based project examining the effects of disturbance and environmental gradients on biogeochemical cycling, and the underlying watershed ecosystem processes that regulate and respond to those cycles. The objective for the 2002-2008 research is to advance scientific understanding of the spatial, temporal, and decision-making components of land use and land-use change in the southern Appalachian Mountains over the last 200 years, and forecast patterns into the future 30 years. This will be accomplished by addressing ecological and socioeconomic aspects of land-use change while continuing long-term studies of environmental gradients and natural disturbance regimes. The result will be a more complete understanding of ecological dynamics in the southern Appalachian Mountains that makes possible the development of reasonable forecasts of its future ecological state. | The guiding hypothesis for the proposed research is that the frequency, intensity, and extent of land use represents human decision-making in response to socioeconomic and bio-geophysical conditions with consequences that cascade through ecosystems. The research activities are organized into three initiatives: (1) Characterization of the Socio-Natural Template, (2) Ecosystem Responses to the Socio-Natural Template, and (3) Forecasting Ecosystem Responses to Changes in the Socio-Natural Template. The integrated scientific research will provide both a description as well as an explanation of the underlying causes of land use and the consequences of land-use change for southern Appalachian ecosystems and society. It thus recognizes the complexity of land use as a process and the research needs as defined in the LTER Program and the broader scientific community. National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. uid=cwt,o=lter,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org all public read