Nitrate distribution in Mojave Desert soils

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · Soil Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-198207000-00004· OSTI ID:5822129

Hunter, R B; Romney, E M; Wallace, A

Extensive sampling shows high variability in nitrate concentration within profiles of Mojave Desert soils. This high variability greatly complicates studies of desert soil N and its ecological role. Patterns in nitrate distribution suggest effects of litter decomposition under shrubs, surface leaching in bare areas, and plant uptake in the root zone. Two mechanisms proposed to explain high concentrations found at seemingly random depths are concentration at drying fronts and distribution along water potential gradients.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Los Angeles
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00012
• OSTI ID: 5822129
• Journal Information: Soil Sci.; (United States), Vol. 134:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
DESERTS
GEOCHEMISTRY
NITRATES
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
CALIFORNIA
DECOMPOSITION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
FOREST LITTER
LEACHING
PLANTS
ROOTS
SAMPLING
SHRUBS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
UPTAKE
ARID LANDS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DISSOLUTION
DISTRIBUTION
FEDERAL REGION IX
MATERIALS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
USA
510200* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
580400 - Geochemistry- (-1989)